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IMM 1344, Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking: what it asks and who signs

IMM 1344 is the sponsor's application, sponsorship agreement and undertaking. The sponsor, any co-signer and the person being sponsored must all sign it electronically, and the application is returned if any signature is missing. A co-signer is not allowed when sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner.

IMM 1344 is the form at the centre of every family sponsorship application. It is the document in which the sponsor applies to sponsor, agrees to the terms of the sponsorship and signs the undertaking to support the person being sponsored. This page describes the form as IRCC's instruction page presents it (the PDF is labelled "Last updated: September 2024" and the page details date is 18 September 2026), with fees from the IRCC fee list dated 21 September 2026 and statements from IRCC's complete guide IMM 5289 for sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child. It explains what the form asks and what IRCC says about each question. It does not tell you how to answer for your own case, and it does not tell you whether you are eligible to sponsor.

What IMM 1344 is and who signs it

IRCC's page says the form "must be filled out and digitally signed by" three people: the sponsor, the co-signer if there is one, and the principal applicant (the person being sponsored).

The page gives separate instructions for three kinds of sponsorship: sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child; sponsoring an adopted child or other relatives; and sponsoring parents or grandparents. The sections of the form are similar across all three, but the questions, the co-signer rules and some of the instructions differ. Download the form for your own category from IRCC's page and read the instructions for that category.

The form is part of a package. For a spouse, partner or dependent child sponsorship, IMM 5289 lists it alongside the Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation form (IMM 5532) for spouse and partner cases, and the online forms IMM 0008, IMM 5669 and IMM 5406, with IMM 5562 if it applies. Those forms are covered in separate guides on this site.

How the form is completed and signed

IRCC's steps, common to all three versions, are: 1. Download and complete the form on a computer. You can save and finish it later. IRCC says the form may not open on tablets or phones and needs Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher. 2. Click the Validate button at the top or bottom of the form. This generates a barcode page. IRCC notes the barcode page will not appear if you fill the form out by hand. 3. Do not print the form. 4. Sign with an electronic signature and date it in the spaces provided. 5. Give an electronic copy to the principal applicant, who uploads it to their online application in the "PDF Forms" section.

IRCC's guide IMM 5289 adds that the sponsor and the person being sponsored must both sign IMM 1344 electronically, that the principal applicant must type their name "exactly as shown on your passport", and that if the principal applicant is under 18 a parent or legal guardian signs for them. On the form itself IRCC says: "For this form, typing your name is considered to be a digital signature."

Why this matters: IRCC states that "The application will be returned if any signatures are missing," and cites section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Section 10(1)(b) of those Regulations says an application must be "signed by the applicant", and section 10(2)(d) says it must include "a declaration that the information provided is complete and accurate". The guide separately says forms that are not fully completed and signed "will not be accepted for processing and will be returned to you".

Part 1, question 1: what happens if the sponsor does not meet the requirements

The first question on the form asks you to check one of two boxes, describing what happens if you do not meet the sponsorship requirements. IRCC's page explains both: - Withdraw: the application is not processed, and all fees are refunded except the sponsorship fee. - Proceed with permanent residence: the sponsorship is refused, and none of the fees are refunded. IRCC's page says to check this box if you are submitting an undertaking for a family member or close relative on humanitarian and compassionate considerations.

This is a consequential choice because it controls whether the person being sponsored can still be considered for permanent residence if the sponsor turns out not to meet the requirements. IRCC's guide IMM 5289 describes the withdrawal rule as repayment of "all processing fees except the sponsorship fee of $85". Which box is appropriate in a particular case is a decision about your own facts. If you are unsure, that is a question for a regulated adviser, not something to guess on a form that is signed under a declaration.

The next questions ask for the language of correspondence (French or English) and whether there is a co-signer.

Co-signers: who can and cannot be one

The co-signer rules differ by version, and IRCC's page states them directly: - Spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner: "You can't have a co-signer if you are sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner." You leave the co-signer sections blank. - Adoption and other relatives: you indicate whether there is a co-signer. Only a spouse or common-law partner can co-sign, and if you are sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner there is no co-signer. - Parents and grandparents: you indicate whether there is a co-signer. Again, only a spouse or common-law partner can co-sign.

A co-signer completes their own personal details, contact information and eligibility questions (questions 1 to 15 for a co-signer), and shares the undertaking. IRCC's guide IMM 5289 does not use the word co-signer for spouse sponsorship at all; it simply requires that the sponsor and the person being sponsored both sign.

The common misunderstanding is to treat a co-signer as someone who adds financial strength to a spousal application. IRCC's page does not describe a co-signer in that way for spouse, common-law and conjugal partner sponsorships. It says there cannot be one.

The principal applicant and the relationship questions

The form then asks for the details of the person being sponsored. - Name: the family name or names and given names of the person being sponsored, as on their passport or travel document. If the person has no family name on their document, IRCC says to enter all given names in the family name field and leave the given name field empty. - Date of birth: in the spouse and adoption versions an asterisk stands for an unknown year, month or day. In the parents and grandparents version IRCC says to use "01" for unknown parts and include a letter explaining why the full date is unavailable. - Relationship to the sponsor: in the spouse version the options are common-law partner living in Canada (Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class, or Family Class), common-law partner living outside Canada (Family Class), conjugal partner outside Canada, child, spouse living in Canada (either class) and spouse living outside Canada (Family Class). The adoption version offers adoptive child, child, orphaned sibling, nephew, niece or grandchild, and other relative. The parents version offers parent or grandparent.

For the inside-Canada versus outside-Canada distinction, IRCC's guide says a spouse or common-law partner in Canada may use the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class if they have valid temporary status or a qualifying public policy exemption, a conjugal partner must be outside Canada, and dependent children must use the Family Class processed outside Canada. The guide to inland and outland sponsorship on this site covers the difference in more detail.

Sponsor details: identity, status, marital history and contact information

The sponsor's section asks for: - Name, exactly as on the passport or travel document, without initials. - In the adoption and parents versions, whether you have used other names, and your gender (F, M or X). - Date of birth, with the same unknown-part rules as above. - Birthplace. - Your status in Canada: Canadian citizen by birth, citizen by descent, naturalised citizen, or permanent resident. If you are a permanent resident or naturalised citizen you give the date you obtained that status (the most recent date), your UCI or client ID, and whether your full name is the same as it was when you became a permanent resident. - Marital status, chosen from annulled marriage, common-law, divorced, legally separated, married, single or widowed, with the date the status changed and your current spouse or common-law partner's name. IRCC clarifies that the date is the date the status changed, not the date you began living together, and that common-law means living "continuously with your partner in a marital-type relationship for a minimum of one year." - Previous relationships: whether you were previously married or in a common-law relationship and, if so, the former partner's names, relationship type and dates. In the spouse version IRCC states: "If you were previously married, a divorce certificate must be provided in order to proceed with your spousal sponsorship." - Contact information: a mailing address (a P.O. box if you have one, otherwise the street number, with apartment, street name, city, country, province or state, postal code), whether the residential address is the same, primary and additional phone numbers, fax, and email. In the spouse version IRCC says addresses should be written "in full without using any abbreviations". Giving an email address authorises IRCC to send all correspondence, including your file and personal information, to it. If you use a representative, IRCC says to give the representative's address here and on IMM 5476.

The residency declaration

This part applies to some sponsors and not others. - In the spouse and adoption versions, you complete it only if you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada and sponsoring a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children who have no children of their own. You tick the province or territory (or Quebec) where you intend to live once the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. IRCC's guide adds that a Canadian citizen sponsor abroad must show a plan to live in Canada when the relative becomes a permanent resident, and that permanent residents living abroad cannot sponsor. - In the parents and grandparents version, IRCC says "You must be living in Canada in order to submit a sponsorship application for your parents and grandparents."

A separate guide on this site covers the paused status of the parents and grandparents program as at the date of writing.

The eligibility questions (1 to 18) and what IRCC says about the answers

The sponsor eligibility assessment is a list of yes/no questions numbered 1 to 18, and IRCC's page explains how to read the answers. The content of the individual questions is on the form itself, so read it in full. IRCC's description of the consequences is: - Spouse version: answering "No" to questions 1 to 3 means you are not eligible and should not submit. "No" to question 4 while a Canadian citizen living outside Canada allows sponsorship only if you will come to Canada to live with the sponsored person. "Yes" to question 5 while sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner makes you ineligible. "Yes" to any of questions 6 to 15 may mean you are not eligible. - Parents and grandparents version: "No" to questions 1 to 3 means ineligible. "No" to question 4 means you are not eligible to sponsor parents or grandparents. "Yes" to any of questions 6 to 15 may mean ineligibility. - All versions: "Yes" to question 13, 16, 17 or 18 requires details, including date and place, and a review of the "Suspension of processing" section of the guide. - Quebec: sponsors who live in Quebec or intend to do not answer questions 8, 9, 10 and 15 (questions 5, 6, 7 and 12 for co-signers). IRCC's guide also says Quebec residents pay a separate provincial fee that is not included in the IRCC submission.

A co-signer has their own list (questions 1 to 15): "No" to questions 1 or 2 means ineligible, "Yes" to any of questions 4 to 12 means ineligible, and "Yes" to questions 13 to 15 requires details.

IRCC's wording is that a Yes may mean ineligibility, not that it always does. Whether a particular "Yes" actually makes someone ineligible depends on the exact question and on the facts, which is the kind of judgement that sits with a regulated adviser. A wrong answer in either direction is a problem: IRPA section 40(1)(a) makes misrepresenting or withholding a material fact an inadmissibility ground, with a five-year bar under section 40(2)(a).

Part 2: the sponsorship agreement and signatures

Part 2 contains the obligations all parties must read and the declaration. IRCC's page says everyone signing certifies that they understand the questions and that their answers are "complete, accurate and factual". The adoption and parents versions add: "You understand that any false or misleading statement may be grounds for prosecution and the removal of the person you are sponsoring and their family members from Canada." You also confirm you will tell IRCC about changes of address and other information: in writing in the spouse version and immediately in the adoption and parents versions.

The sponsor, the co-signer if there is one, and the sponsored person each sign and date. The undertaking text itself is part of the form and is not reproduced on IRCC's instruction page, so read it in the PDF before you sign. It is a legal commitment, and a regulated adviser or lawyer can explain what it means for your circumstances.

What it costs, and common mistakes

The IRCC fee list shows these sponsorship amounts in Canadian dollars: - Sponsor your spouse or partner (abroad or in Canada): $1,260.00, including the sponsorship fee, the processing fee and the right of permanent residence fee. Without the right of permanent residence fee: $660.00. - Include any dependent child: $180.00 per child. - Sponsor a relative aged 22 or older (adopted children and other relatives): $1,260.00, or $660.00 without the right of permanent residence fee. - Sponsor a parent or grandparent: $1,260.00, or $660.00 without the right of permanent residence fee.

IRCC's guide recommends paying the right of permanent residence fee at submission and notes that dependent children do not pay it. Read the spousal sponsorship cost guide for the full list including biometrics.

Mistakes to watch for, all drawn from IRCC's own statements: - A missing signature from any party. The application is returned. - Printing and hand-signing a form that IRCC says not to print, or skipping the Validate step so there is no barcode page. - Adding a co-signer to a spouse, common-law or conjugal sponsorship, where IRCC says there cannot be one. - Entering the date the couple began living together rather than the date the marital status changed. - Skipping the divorce certificate for a previous marriage in a spouse sponsorship. - Using abbreviations in addresses, or a name that differs from the passport. - Leaving an eligibility question unanswered or answering it without reading the instructions that explain what a Yes or No means. - Forgetting IMM 5476 when someone is acting for you.

When it is worth paying a regulated adviser

Many couples complete a sponsorship package themselves. Paid help most often comes up where the eligibility questions raise something that needs interpreting, where a previous relationship or a previous sponsorship is involved, where there is a prior refusal or an inadmissibility question, or where the sponsor lives abroad. A licensed consultant or lawyer can assess your facts and tell you how the rules apply to them. Before engaging one, check the licence on the public register, expect a written consultation agreement and a clear fee, and expect them to file IMM 5476 with your application if they are acting for you.

Questions people ask

Can I have a co-signer when sponsoring my spouse?

No. IRCC's page says: "You can't have a co-signer if you are sponsoring your spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner." For adopted children, other relatives, and parents or grandparents, only a spouse or common-law partner can co-sign.

Who signs IMM 1344?

The sponsor, the co-signer if there is one, and the principal applicant. IRCC says typing your name is considered a digital signature, and the application is returned if any signature is missing.

Should I print and sign IMM 1344 by hand?

IRCC's instructions say not to print it. You click Validate to generate the barcode page, sign electronically, and give an electronic copy to the principal applicant to upload to their online application.

What is the difference between withdrawing and proceeding on the first question?

IRCC says that if you check withdraw and do not meet the requirements, the application is not processed and all fees except the sponsorship fee are refunded. If you check proceed, the sponsorship is refused and no fees are refunded.

How much does it cost to sponsor a spouse?

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows $1,260 including the right of permanent residence fee, or $660 without it, plus $180 per dependent child. Biometrics may be extra. Check the fee list on the day you pay.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Spousal Sponsorship in Canada: Inland vs Outland, Eligibility and the Process — A Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is 18 or older and lives in Canada can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child. Spouses and common-law partners can be sponsored in the 'in Canada' class (IRPR s.124) or the family class from outside; the choice depends on residence and status, and the appeal rights differ.
  • Spousal Sponsorship Cost in 2026: Every Government Fee and What Else to Budget For — On the IRCC fee list (modified 2026-09-21), sponsoring a spouse or partner costs $1,260 including the right of permanent residence fee, or $660 without it, plus $180 for each dependent child and biometrics of $85 per person (family maximum $170). Medical exams, police certificates, translations and any adviser fees are extra and set by others.
  • IMM 5532, Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Form: who completes which part, and how to sign it — IMM 5532 is completed by the sponsor (Part A), the person being sponsored (Part B) and both together (Part C) in a spouse or partner sponsorship. It is signed digitally after you choose Print to PDF, and both people must sign. The consent questions about sharing fraud-investigation results are voluntary, according to IRCC.
  • IMM 5406, Additional Family Information: who must list whom, and why leaving someone out matters — IMM 5406 collects details about your parents, spouse or partner, children and siblings. IRCC says it is "very important" to list all your children, including married, adopted, stepchildren and those in an ex-partner's custody, and to answer every question, using N/A where one does not apply. The online version is certified when you click the complete button, and the paper version is signed in Section D.
  • IMM 5476, Use of a Representative: what the form asks and how it is submitted — IMM 5476 tells IRCC that someone may act for you on an application, paid or unpaid. You complete the applicant sections, your representative signs their own declaration, and a paid representative must give their membership ID from the College, a law society or the Chambre des notaires. The same form is used to cancel or change a representative.
  • Parents and Grandparents Program: Paused in 2026 — IRCC's Parents and Grandparents Program page (page date 18 August 2026) says the program is paused: IRCC is not currently accepting applications, will not accept new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice, and will keep processing existing applications. The page names the super visa as the alternative for parents and grandparents who were not invited.