You have submitted your application through the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal. The fees are paid, the documents are uploaded, the forms are signed. The confirmation page showed your submission was received. Now what?

The period between submission and a decision is, for most couples, the most psychologically demanding stretch of the entire immigration process. It is also the period where applicants are most likely to make costly mistakes, such as failing to respond to requests on time, allowing temporary status to lapse, or taking uninformed actions based on misinformation from online forums. Understanding exactly what happens at each stage, in what order, and what your obligations are at each point is how you protect your file during the wait.

Weeks 1 to 6 from submission 2 AOR Issued Acknowledgment of Receipt confirms the file is complete and processing has begun.

Week 4 to 8 for most applicants 3 Biometrics A Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL) is sent to the sponsored person.

Overview: The Seven Stages of Spousal Sponsorship Processing

Stage 1: The Completeness Check — Where Most Problems Start

Every application submitted through the Permanent Residence Portal is first reviewed by IRCC’s Central Intake Office for completeness. This review, known as the R-10 check after Section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, is not a substantive assessment of your relationship or admissibility. It is purely a checklist verification.

Officers confirm that every required form is present, every signature line is signed, every mandatory supporting document is included, and fees have been paid correctly. If a single item is missing or unsigned, the entire package is returned. The application is not held pending the missing item. It is returned in full, with a letter explaining what was absent.

It is returned in full, with a letter explaining what was absent .

A returned application does not hold its place in the processing queue. When you resubmit, the new submission starts at the back of the queue from the date IRCC receives the corrected package. The non-refundable fees from the original submission are gone. This outcome is entirely preventable with a thorough final review before hitting submit.

When you resubmit , the new submission starts at the back of the queue from the date IRCC receives the corrected package.

Stage 2: The AOR — Your File Is Now Open

If the completeness check passes, IRCC opens a file and issues an Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR). The AOR arrives by email to the address on the application or through the IRCC secure account portal if one has been created.

The AOR contains your unique application number, which you use to link the file to an IRCC secure account for tracking, and which you will reference in every future communication with IRCC about this file. Keep the AOR in a safe, easily accessible location throughout the processing period.

For inland applicants, the AOR is also the trigger for Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) eligibility. Once the AOR arrives, the sponsored person can apply for a SOWP using LMIA exemption code A74, provided they hold valid temporary status in Canada.

Stage 3: Biometrics — Act Immediately

Within weeks of the AOR being issued, the sponsored person will receive a Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL) from IRCC. This letter instructs them to attend a designated Visa Application Centre or biometric collection site to provide fingerprints and a photograph.

The BIL deadline is strict: 30 days from the date the letter is issued. This is not a soft guideline. If biometrics are not provided within 30 days, IRCC may consider the application abandoned.

Biometric data collected for a spousal sponsorship application is separate from any biometrics previously provided for a temporary resident application such as a study permit or visitor visa. It cannot be transferred from a prior file. The sponsored person must attend in person at a collection site. In countries where collection sites are limited or require travel, plan logistics immediately upon receiving the BIL.

Background screening cannot begin until biometrics are in IRCC’s system.

Delays in providing biometrics directly delay the security and background check stage, which is often the longest part of the overall processing timeline. Treat the BIL as the highest-priority document in the entire application.

Stage 4: Sponsor Eligibility Assessment

While biometrics are being collected and processed, IRCC is simultaneously reviewing the sponsor’s eligibility. Officers confirm that the sponsor is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, is not disqualified by any of the bars described in IRCC’s regulations, has no defaults on prior undertakings or court-ordered support payments, and has no criminal convictions that create a sponsorship bar.

If the sponsor is found ineligible, IRCC notifies both the sponsor and the sponsored person. Depending on what the sponsor indicated on the original application form about how to handle an ineligibility finding, either the application is withdrawn with a partial refund, or the PR application continues processing without a qualified sponsor, making refusal very likely.

For outland applications, sponsor ineligibility findings can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) within 30 days. Inland applications have no IAD appeal for sponsor ineligibility.

Stage 5: Relationship and Admissibility Assessment — The Core of Processing

This is the longest and most variable stage in spousal sponsorship processing. Several distinct reviews happen during this period, often concurrently rather than sequentially.

Relationship genuineness review. Officers review the IMM 5532 (Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation) form, all relationship evidence submitted, travel records, communication history, financial ties, and any other documentation. Officers compare answers across all forms for consistency and assess whether the totality of evidence demonstrates a genuine partnership. If concerns arise, a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) may be issued asking the applicant to address specific credibility concerns.

Medical admissibility review. The immigration medical examination completed by an IRCC-approved panel physician is transmitted electronically to IRCC’s medical review unit. Officers assess whether the sponsored person has a health condition that creates a barrier to admissibility. If follow-up is required, additional specialist reports may be requested, extending this stage by weeks or months.

Criminal admissibility review. Officers review police certificates submitted with the application and conduct their own background screening using international databases. A criminal finding may result in a Procedural Fairness Letter, a simultaneous Criminal Rehabilitation assessment if one was filed, or a refusal if the inadmissibility cannot be overcome.

Security screening. IRCC conducts security screening on all applicants. The depth and duration of screening varies by country of citizenship and other case-specific factors. Security clearance timelines are not disclosed and cannot be followed up on directly.

Approval in Principle: What It Means and What It Does Not

Approval in Principle (AIP) is a milestone in some spousal sponsorship applications where IRCC has concluded that the sponsor is eligible and the relationship appears genuine, but the final admissibility assessment is still pending. AIP does not guarantee permanent residence. The sponsored person must still pass all remaining medical, criminal, and security checks before a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) is issued.

AIP is not always issued as a distinct milestone visible in the tracker. Some applications move directly from assessment stages to a final decision without a separate AIP communication.

Stage 6: The Final Decision and What Follows

For outland applications, a positive decision results in a Passport Request Letter (PPR). The sponsored person submits their passport to the designated visa office, and an immigrant visa foil is affixed. The sponsored person then has a specific validity window to land in Canada and activate their permanent residence at a port of entry.

For inland applications and outland applications from within Canada, a positive decision triggers a Portal 1 email followed by a Portal 2 email. These emails guide the sponsored person through the eCOPR (electronic Confirmation of Permanent Residence) process through the IRCC online portal. The eCOPR is issued digitally, and the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident without needing to leave and re-enter Canada.

For both streams, the PR card is mailed to the address on file within four to six weeks of landing or eCOPR confirmation.

If Something Goes Wrong During Processing

You receive a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL). This is a request to address officer concerns before a decision is made. Respond within the stated deadline with clear, organized, and targeted responses to each specific concern raised. A poorly constructed PFL response is one of the most common causes of avoidable refusals.

Your application is transferred to a different visa office. This is common and generally reflects routing based on officer availability or geographic jurisdiction. It does not indicate a problem with your file.

Your documents are expiring during processing. Passports, medical examinations (valid for 12 months from the date of the exam), and police certificates can all expire during a long processing period. Track expiry dates actively from submission. If a document is approaching expiry, inform IRCC through the webform and seek advice on whether to renew proactively.

You are requested for an interview. An interview request does not mean your application will be refused. It means an officer has questions that the written application did not fully resolve. Prepare both partners thoroughly, ensure all answers are consistent with the application, and seek professional guidance before attending.

At Can X Global Solutions, the clients who experience the most difficulties during the Stage 5 assessment period are those who did not anticipate what a genuineness review looks for .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Approval in Principle and does it mean my application is approved?

Approval in Principle (AIP) means IRCC has accepted that the sponsor is eligible and the relationship appears genuine, but the final admissibility assessment covering medical, criminal, and security checks is still pending. AIP is not a guarantee of permanent residence. All remaining checks must clear before a COPR is issued. Do not make irreversible decisions based on an AIP before the final decision is received.

My application has been at Stage 5 for eight months with no updates. Is that normal?

The relationship and admissibility assessment stage is the most variable part of the process and can take anywhere from a few months to well over a year depending on security screening complexity, medical review outcomes, and officer caseloads. Eight months in this stage is not unusual. If you have had no contact from IRCC and the tracker shows no Waiting on You requests, your file is processing and no action is currently required. Order GCMS notes for a more detailed view of where things stand.

What happens to my application if my medical exam expires during processing?

Immigration medical examinations are valid for 12 months from the date of the exam. If processing extends beyond that window, IRCC will typically send a request for a new medical examination. Track your exam date from submission and seek advice when the 10-month mark approaches so you are not caught off guard by an expiry.

The sponsored person’s passport is expiring. Do we need to update IRCC?

Yes. Notify IRCC through the webform if the sponsored person’s passport is expiring during processing. The passport renewal does not require restarting the application, but IRCC needs current valid travel document information to issue final approvals and, for outland applicants, the immigrant visa.

How long after a positive decision does the sponsored person have to land in Canada?

For outland applicants, the immigrant visa affixed to the passport has a validity date by which the sponsored person must land in Canada to activate their permanent residence. This date is set by the visa office and typically aligns with the passport expiry date or the medical examination expiry date, whichever comes first. Missing this deadline requires a new application. Plan your landing date as soon as the PPR is received.