Sponsor Undeclared Family Members: Canada’s September 10, 2026 Deadline

Last updated: August 20, 2026 · By Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB (R708308)

Canada’s public policy to sponsor undeclared family members is scheduled to expire on September 10, 2026. IRCC will not accept any new application under this exemption after that date, and — unless a fourth consecutive policy or a regulatory amendment is issued — the lifetime sponsorship ban under paragraphs 117(9)(d) and 125(1)(d) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations returns in full force on September 11, 2026.

If you are a permanent resident who did not declare a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent child when you first landed, this is your final window to reunite with that family member through the family class. This guide summarizes exactly who qualifies, what evidence to gather, and what happens if you miss the September 10, 2026 deadline.

What is the undeclared family member public policy?

Under Canadian law, every applicant for permanent residence must declare and make available for examination all family members — spouse, common-law partner, dependent children, and grandchildren — even if they are not accompanying the applicant to Canada. Family members who were not declared and examined are permanently excluded from being sponsored through the family class under R117(9)(d) and R125(1)(d) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Recognizing that this lifetime ban disproportionately affected refugees and children who had no control over the original application, IRCC issued a temporary public policy in September 2019 to create a limited exemption. That policy has now been extended twice — most recently on September 10, 2023 — and covers applications received between May 31, 2019 and September 10, 2026.

Who can sponsor an undeclared family member?

To use the exemption, the sponsor must have originally received permanent residence through one of these four pathways:

1. Resettled as a Convention refugee or a person in similar circumstances;
2. Granted PR after being determined to be a protected person in Canada;
3. Sponsored under the family class as a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent child; or
4. Sponsored under the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada (SCLPC) class.

IRCC chose these four categories because the sponsor’s own PR application typically was not conditional on excessive-demand or income tests — meaning the undeclared family member’s existence would not have disqualified the sponsor at landing.

Who cannot be sponsored under this policy?

You are not eligible to use the exemption if declaring the family member at the time would have made you ineligible for your original PR pathway. Common examples:

• You immigrated as someone else’s spouse, but you were actually married to (or common-law with) the undeclared family member at that time.
• You landed as a dependent child on your parent’s application, but were already married or common-law when your parent applied.
• You obtained PR under a program that required you to be single with no dependents.

Which family members qualify?

The undeclared person must be applying to be sponsored as a:

• Spouse
• Common-law partner
• Conjugal partner
• Dependent child (including a grandchild who is a dependent child of your dependent child)

How to apply before September 10, 2026

There is no separate application form. You submit through the regular spousal, partner, or dependent child sponsorship stream. IRCC officers determine eligibility for the public policy exemption during processing. Key steps:

1. Confirm your original PR pathway qualifies (refugee, protected person, family class, or SCLPC).
2. Gather relationship evidence — marriage certificate, cohabitation proof, photographs, joint documents, and (for children) birth certificates.
3. Prepare proof that the family member existed at the time of your original PR application (helps refute a misrepresentation finding).
4. Complete the online sponsorship application in the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal. Paper filings are only allowed if IRCC approves an alternate-format request as an accommodation.
5. Pay all applicable fees — including the Right of Permanent Residence Fee, which increased to CAD $600 on April 30, 2026 (dependent children remain exempt).
6. Submit before IRCC’s September 10, 2026 receipt deadline. The date IRCC receives your complete application is what counts — not when you started or mailed it.

Quebec sponsors: You must obtain a Quebec sponsorship undertaking from MIFI before your federal file can be finalized. The Quebec process runs on its own timeline, so start it immediately.

Requirements the policy does NOT waive

The exemption only lifts the R117(9)(d) / R125(1)(d) bar. Everything else in a standard family class file still applies:

• Criminal inadmissibility (A36)
• Security screening (A34)
• Medical examinations and medical inadmissibility (excluding excessive demand, which is already waived for spouses)
• Bona fide relationship requirements (R4 and R4.1)
• Sponsor eligibility, including no default on prior support obligations
• Quebec selection, where applicable

Applicants previously refused under R117(9)(d)

Sponsors whose earlier applications to sponsor an undeclared family member were refused before May 31, 2019 may re-apply under the current policy. The new application must still be received by IRCC on or before September 10, 2026, and all supporting documentation must be filed fresh.

Pending applications — what happens after September 10, 2026?

If your sponsorship application is already in the IRCC queue before the deadline, no action is required. IRCC has confirmed that applications received on or before September 10, 2026 will continue to be processed under the policy even if a decision is issued after expiry. With current outland spousal processing at approximately 17 months and inland at approximately 27 months, many files submitted this year will not receive a final decision until 2028.

What happens on September 11, 2026?

Unless the federal government issues a fourth consecutive public policy or amends R117(9)(d) and R125(1)(d) permanently, the lifetime sponsorship bar returns in full force. Any application received on or after September 11, 2026 involving an undeclared family member will be refused, and the sponsor will remain permanently barred from sponsoring that person through the family class.

There is no confirmation at this time that a fourth policy will be issued. Advocacy from the Canadian Bar Association and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration continues to push for a permanent regulatory fix — but planning around the current deadline is the only prudent course.

Common mistakes that cost sponsors the deadline

• Waiting until August 2026 to start gathering evidence. Corporate translations, marriage certificates from certain countries, and identity documents can take 6–10 weeks to obtain.
• Filing an incomplete application. IRCC will return incomplete files. A returned file will not be considered “received” for policy purposes.
• Assuming Quebec undertaking waivers. The Quebec undertaking is not waived by the federal policy.
• Sending by paper without accommodation approval. The Permanent Residence Portal is the required channel.
• Confusing the receipt date with the postmark or courier date — only the IRCC receipt date counts.

When should you consult an RCIC?

Undeclared family member cases are high-stakes because a refusal locks in the lifetime bar permanently. Consult a regulated immigration consultant or lawyer if any of the following applies:

• Your original PR pathway is unclear or you are missing landing documentation.
• There is a possible misrepresentation issue in your original file.
• The family member has criminal inadmissibility, medical concerns, or an incomplete identity record.
• You reside in Quebec and are unfamiliar with the MIFI undertaking timeline.
• You were previously refused under R117(9)(d) or R125(1)(d) before May 31, 2019.

VG Immigration Services Inc. can review your original landing file, confirm eligibility under the public policy, and prepare a complete inland or outland sponsorship submission before the September 10, 2026 deadline. Book a consultation or reach us at immigration@vgis.ca / WhatsApp +1 (416) 578-9269.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sponsor a parent or grandparent as an “undeclared family member”?

No. The policy applies only to a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent child (including a grandchild who is a dependent child of your dependent child). Parents and grandparents are sponsored through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

What if my spouse is inside Canada and out of status?

You have two different pathways to consider — the undeclared family member public policy (this article) and the separate A25(1) public policy for out-of-status spouses in the SCLPC class. Both can be used together in the same file.

What proof do I need that the family member existed when I landed?

A marriage certificate, birth certificate, cohabitation records, joint bank accounts, tenancy agreements, photographs, and immigration records from the family member’s country of residence are all persuasive.

Do I need to pay a separate policy fee?

No. Only the standard sponsorship and PR processing fees apply. The Right of Permanent Residence Fee is CAD $600 (dependent children exempt).

Will my application be refused if IRCC does not decide before September 10, 2026?

No. As long as IRCC receives your complete, eligible application on or before September 10, 2026, it will continue to be processed under the policy even if the final decision is made in 2027 or 2028.

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Sources (all verified August 20, 2026):

• IRCC — Public policy for undeclared family members
• IRCC — Pilot project to sponsor undeclared family members (Ministerial Instructions)
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations — s. 117
• IRCC — Fee list (Right of Permanent Residence Fee, updated April 30, 2026)

Written by Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB (R708308), Founder, VG Immigration Services Inc. This article is general information, not immigration advice. Every file is different — book a consultation for advice on your specific circumstances.