What is a conjugal partner?

A conjugal partner under IRPR s.2 is a foreign national in a conjugal relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for at least 1 year, where marriage and cohabitation have been impossible due to specific barriers.

This is the narrowest sponsorship category — designed for couples who cannot meet the marriage or common-law requirements due to circumstances beyond their control.

When conjugal partner sponsorship applies

Valid barriers to marriage / cohabitation include:

• Country of nationality criminalizes the relationship (most commonly same-sex couples in countries where LGBTQ+ relationships are illegal)
• Marital status barrier (one partner cannot divorce due to country of nationality not recognizing divorce)
• Immigration barriers preventing the foreign partner from joining the Canadian partner in their country, AND the Canadian cannot relocate to the foreign partner's country (e.g. visa denials, no legal status in either country to enable cohabitation)
• Persecution preventing the couple from living together

What conjugal partner sponsorship is NOT for

• Couples who chose not to marry or cohabit (e.g. religious / cultural reasons)
• Long-distance relationships where cohabitation was simply inconvenient
• Couples who failed to meet the 12-month common-law cohabitation requirement but could have
• Casual or new relationships under 12 months

Evidence required

Conjugal partner sponsorship requires:

1. Proof of conjugal relationship for at least 1 year — exclusivity, emotional/financial interdependence, joint planning, communication records, photos
2. Proof of the barrier that prevented marriage and cohabitation — laws of the country, prior visa refusals, country-condition reports, expert evidence

Processing

Conjugal partner sponsorship is processed under the Family Class. It's outland only (no inland option). Visa office adjudicates both the relationship genuineness and the barrier — both must be established.

Halani's note

This is a specialized category. Strong conjugal partner files require careful documentation of both the relationship and the barrier. Many files initially considered for conjugal sponsorship turn out to be better handled as common-law (once cohabitation can be evidenced) or as spousal once a marriage is feasible.