{"id":2296,"date":"2026-11-11T20:44:40","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T20:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/conjugal-partner-sponsorship-canada\/"},"modified":"2026-11-11T20:44:40","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T20:44:40","slug":"conjugal-partner-sponsorship-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/conjugal-partner-sponsorship-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"Conjugal partner sponsorship: when you can’t marry or live together, and how to prove it"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 11, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2019, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 11, 2026: sections 1 and 2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, IRCC’s conjugal relationship instructions (modified July 4, 2023) and its sponsorship eligibility page (modified June 23, 2026) checked that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Who it is for:<\/strong> a partner living outside Canada who has been in a committed relationship with you for at least one year, but you have not been able to marry or live together (IRPR s. 2<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The key test:<\/strong> a real barrier beyond your control that stopped you marrying or living together, such as law, immigration rules or the risk of persecution.<\/p>\n

The proof:<\/strong> evidence of a relationship as committed as a marriage, plus evidence of the barrier.<\/p>\n

What counts as a barrier<\/a> \u00b7 Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The lawyers who handle these files<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PrabhpreetPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
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Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.<\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a><\/strong> focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

Conjugal partner sponsorship is the category for couples who are in a marriage-like relationship but could not marry and could not live together. The Regulations define a conjugal partner as a foreign national living outside Canada who has been in a conjugal relationship with the sponsor for at least one year. It exists for real barriers: a country where divorce is not possible, where same-sex marriage is not recognized, or where living together would mean persecution. It is not a shortcut for couples who simply chose not to marry or move in together, and officers look closely at why the other categories were not available.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, handles spousal, common-law and conjugal partner sponsorships and sponsorship appeals; this guide is by Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha.<\/p>\n

Spouse, common-law or conjugal: which category fits?<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The three partner categories<\/caption>\n
Category<\/th>\nMain requirement<\/th>\nSource<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Spouse<\/td>\nA legally valid marriage<\/td>\nIRPR<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Common-law partner<\/td>\nLiving together in a conjugal relationship for at least one year<\/td>\nIRPR s. 1(1)<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Conjugal partner<\/td>\nPartner lives outside Canada; conjugal relationship for at least one year; couldn’t marry or live together<\/td>\nIRPR s. 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

If you could marry, or could live together for a year, the officer will expect you to have used that category. See our guide on sponsoring a common-law partner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What counts as a barrier?<\/h2>\n

IRCC’s instructions describe exceptional circumstances beyond the couple’s control that prevented them from marrying or living together. The examples include:<\/p>\n