IMM 1344 — Sponsor Application to Sponsor (form-fill helper)

IRCC form IMM 1344 — Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking — is the sponsor's primary form for family sponsorship.

Walk through the form question-by-question for [SPONSOR_NAME] (status: [SPONSOR_STATUS]) sponsoring [APPLICANT_NAME] ([RELATIONSHIP_TYPE]).

§1 — SPONSOR ELIGIBILITY (180-220 words)

Verify [SPONSOR_NAME] meets sponsor requirements under IRPA s.13 + IRPR R130-137:

(a) Status: Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under Indian Act
  For [SPONSOR_STATUS]: confirm valid

(b) Age: 18+ years

(c) Residence: must reside in Canada (with limited exceptions for citizens supporting spouses)

(d) Financial:
  - For spouse / common-law / conjugal / dependent children: NO income requirement (Bill C-65, 2023+)
  - For PGP (parents/grandparents): Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for 3 consecutive years
  - For other relatives: MNI may apply

(e) Default / debt:
  - No defaulted previous sponsorship undertaking
  - Not in receipt of social assistance (except disability)
  - Not in default on government immigration loans
  - No bankruptcy proceedings (current)

(f) Criminal:
  - Not convicted of:
    - Violence against family member (CCC s.231-273)
    - Sexual offence against family member
    - Indictable offence with sentence of 5+ years (last 5 years)
  - Some convictions create temporary or permanent sponsorship bars

(g) Pending sponsorship: cannot file new sponsorship if previous spouse/partner sponsorship is in 3-year sponsorship-bar period

(h) Previous relationship: if applying for spouse sponsorship and current spouse arrived as sponsored spouse, must have been a PR for 5+ years

§2 — IMM 1344 FORM SECTIONS (350-400 words)

Section A — Sponsor information:
  • Full legal name (matches Canadian PR card / passport)
  • All other names used (maiden, alias)
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Place of birth (city + country)
  • Country of citizenship
  • Permanent resident status: confirm UCI + date of PR landing
  • Canadian address (must be in [SPONSOR_PROVINCE])
  • Phone, email, alternate contact

Section B — Sponsor's family information:
  • All family members (spouse, children) including those not being sponsored
  • Must include all biological + adopted children even if not accompanying
  • R117(9)(d) exclusion: if sponsor failed to declare a family member in prior immigration applications, that family member is permanently excluded from family-class sponsorship

Section C — Sponsorship type:
  • Spouse / common-law / conjugal partner
  • Dependent child
  • Parent / grandparent
  • Other relative

For [RELATIONSHIP_TYPE] = spouse / common-law / conjugal:
  • Inland or outland (separate decision; see strategy prompt)
  • Date of marriage / cohabitation start
  • Place of marriage / cohabitation (city + country)

Section D — Sponsorship undertaking:
  • Sponsor agrees to provide basic requirements (food, shelter, clothing, healthcare) for the sponsored person
  • Sponsor agrees to repay provincial governments for any social assistance the sponsored person receives
  • Undertaking duration:
    - Spouse / common-law / conjugal: 3 years
    - Dependent child < 22 (PR landing): up to 10 years or until child turns 25, whichever is earlier
    - Dependent child ≥ 22: 3 years
    - Parent / grandparent (PGP): 20 years
    - Other relative: 10 years

Section E — Income (if applicable):
  • Required for PGP, NOT for spouse/common-law/conjugal/dependent child
  • Income for last 3 tax years
  • Family size calculation (sponsor + spouse + dependent children + any previously-sponsored persons whose undertaking is still in effect + intended sponsored)
  • MNI threshold (varies annually; CRA-published)

Section F — Co-signer (if applicable):
  • For PGP requiring 3-year income, a co-signer (spouse / common-law) can add their income
  • Co-signer must also meet eligibility + undertaking obligations

Section G — Declaration + signature:
  • Signed by sponsor (and co-signer if applicable)
  • Date

§3 — COMMON COMPLETION ERRORS (120-150 words)

  • Failing to list ALL family members in Section B (R117(9)(d) trap)
  • Not declaring child from prior marriage (even if not accompanying)
  • Listing wrong sponsorship undertaking duration
  • Missing co-signer when MNI shortfall
  • Signing before all questions are answered (form invalid)
  • Missing province of residence (Quebec sponsors use different forms)

§4 — QUEBEC SPONSORS (40-60 words)

If [SPONSOR_PROVINCE] = Quebec:
  Different forms: Quebec uses Engagement à parrainer un proche parent (Quebec sponsorship undertaking) — submitted to MIFI rather than IRCC, in addition to federal sponsorship.
  Different MNI thresholds, different duration rules.

§5 — POST-SUBMISSION (40-60 words)

  • Sponsor eligibility decision: 4-8 weeks (Stage 1 of outland; integrated for inland)
  • If approved, PR application processes
  • If sponsor eligibility refused, can appeal to Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) under s.63 IRPA — except for some grounds (criminal sponsorship bars)

End with: "DRAFT IMM 1344 GUIDE — for RCIC review. R117(9)(d) excluded relationships are the most common irrecoverable error — every family member including non-accompanying children MUST be listed in Section B. Verify against canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides.html for the latest form revision."