Eligibility to Sponsor
To sponsor a child from another country for adoption, you must:
- be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (if you do not currently reside in Canada, you must do so when the adopted child becomes a permanent resident),
- live in Canada, and
- be at least 18 years old.
You cannot sponsor if you:
- did not meet the requirements of a previous sponsorship agreement,
- defaulted on a court-ordered support order, such as alimony or child support,
- have been convicted of a violent criminal offence—depending on the nature of the offence, when it occurred and whether a record suspension was granted, or
- do not live in Canada now and do not plan to live full-time in Canada when the child becomes a permanent resident.
Children adopted outside Canada may be sponsored to come to Canada if:
- informed consent has been given by both of your child’s biological parents (if they are living).
- your child has been legally adopted outside Canada.
- the requirements of the Hague Convention have been met, if they apply.
There are other requirements for intercountry adoption, which must:
- be legal in the child’s home country and in the province or territory where you live;
- end the legal relationship between your adopted child and his or her biological parents;
- meet the requirements of your province or territory, including a home study;
- create a genuine parent–child relationship between you and the child;
- be in the best interests of the child;
- not be primarily to gain permanent resident status for the child in Canada.
If you live in Quebec, you must satisfy the requirements of both governments. To be able to sponsor a child you intend to adopt, you must meet the requirements of the Secrétariat à l’adoption internationale which, if applicable, will issue a letter of non-objection and will transmit it to the Ministry. There are other general criteria for Quebec residents that are similar to those of the federal government.
Obligations as a Sponsor
When you sponsor persons who are members of the family class, you must sign an undertaking with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or with the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) if you live in Quebec.
The undertaking is a promise to provide financial support and basic requirements for the family members you are sponsoring. Basic requirements are:
- food, clothing, utilities, personal requirements, shelter, fuel, household supplies, and
- healthcare not provided by public health, such as eye and dental care.
The undertaking ensures that these persons and their family members do not have to apply for social assistance. The length of undertaking depends on their age and their relationship with the sponsor.
Your obligations as a sponsor begin as soon as the person(s) you are sponsoring arrive in Canada. Your spouse or common-law partner may help you meet the income requirement by co-signing the sponsorship application.
The undertaking is an unconditional promise of support. For example, the granting of Canadian citizenship, divorce, separation or relationship breakdown or moving to another province does not cancel the undertaking. The undertaking also remains in effect even if your financial situation deteriorates.
The length of the undertaking for residents of provinces and territories outside Quebec is:
- 3 years for a dependent child over 22 years of age,
- 10 years for a dependent child under 22 years of age, or until the child becomes 22 years old, whichever comes first.
The length of the undertaking for residents of Quebec is:
- 3 years minimum for a dependent child over 16 years of age, or until the child becomes 25 years old, whichever is the longest,
- 10 years minimum for a dependent child under 16 years of age, or until the child becomes 18 years old, whichever is the longest.
Who Can You Sponsor?
You can sponsor your:
- child adopted outside Canada, or
- child who will be adopted in Canada.
Income Requirements
You do not need to meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) when sponsoring an adopted or to be adopted child.
This also applies to Quebec residents as well.
Application Process
You can apply to sponsor your adopted child once:
- the adoption process is in progress, and
- the province or territory has sent you a:
- Letter of Agreement,
- Letter of No Objection, OR
- Letter of No Involvement.
To apply to sponsor your adopted child, there are 2 applications:
- You must apply to become a sponsor.
- Your adopted child must apply for permanent residence (if the person being sponsored is under 18, you or their guardian can fill out the forms and sign them on their behalf).
You will need to apply online for both applications.
If you live in Quebec, you must:
- First submit your federal sponsorship application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- If you meet the federal requirements to apply for sponsorship, IRCC will send you an email or letter with instructions to download Quebec’s sponsorship kit.
- Ask the person you are sponsoring to complete certain procedures, namely, applying for a “Certificat de Selection du Québec” (CSQ) and permanent residence.
Medical Exam & Biometrics Requirements
The sponsored person and their dependents will need to pass a Medical Exam with an Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) approved doctor. Find out more in our medical exams article.
It may be required to provide biometrics (fingerprints scanning and photograph). You can find more information on Biometrics in this page.
Application Fees
Dependent, adopted child or child to be adopted: $180
Processing Times
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has a target service standard of processing 80% of dependent children sponsorship applications within 12 months.
According to the annual data published in December 2025 – From April 2024 to March 2025, IRCC processed 75% of applications within the 12-month standard.
Processing times depend on the country from where your sponsored family member is living. You can find out your country’s current average processing times for an adopted child’s application here. You need to select “Sponsor a family member”, then “Adopted child and other relative”, then choose the country they are living in.
