Yes: a Canadian citizen living in Guatemala can sponsor a Guatemalan spouse or partner, but must show a plan to live in Canada once the partner becomes a permanent resident; IRCC says a permanent resident who lives outside Canada can’t sponsor (read 10 November 2026).
In short: Citizenship or permanent residence decides whether you can sponsor from Guatemala. Most spouse and partner sponsorships have no minimum income, but the sponsor undertakes to support the partner for 3 years. The Guatemalan partner applies for permanent residence through IRCC’s PR Portal and needs a Guatemalan police certificate if they spent 6 or more months in a row there since age 18, plus RENAP civil records and translations into English or French. IRCC decides.
Citizen or permanent resident: the first question
IRCC’s sponsor eligibility page says a sponsor must be at least 18, be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a person registered under the Indian Act, live in Canada, and sign an undertaking and sponsorship agreement. It then sets out two rules for sponsors who live abroad:
| Sponsor living in Guatemala | What IRCC’s eligibility page says |
|---|---|
| Canadian citizen | Must show that they plan to live in Canada when the people they sponsor become permanent residents |
| Permanent resident of Canada | Can’t sponsor while living outside Canada |
The IMM 1344 form instructions contain a sponsor residency declaration for Canadian citizens living outside Canada who sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner and dependent children who have no children of their own. The sponsor must check the box for the province or territory where they plan to live if the partner becomes a permanent resident. IRCC’s pages do not publish a fixed list of documents that proves the plan to live in Canada; the complete guide (IMM 5289) tells applicants to follow the document checklist.
IRCC also lists who may not be eligible: among others, a sponsor who was sponsored by a spouse or partner and became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago, a sponsor still within 3 years of an undertaking for a previous partner, and a sponsor in jail or behind on payments for an immigration loan. The guide adds that a sponsor must be able to prove they are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability.
Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner
IRCC’s who you can sponsor page defines the three categories:
- Spouse: legally married to the sponsor, at least 18, in a genuine relationship that is not only for getting permanent resident status.
- Common-law partner: has lived with the sponsor for at least 12 consecutive months in a conjugal relationship, with any time apart short and temporary.
- Conjugal partner: at least 1 year in an exclusive and mutually interdependent relationship, lives outside Canada, and cannot live with the sponsor in their country of residence or marry because of legal, immigration, social, cultural, religious or other reasons.
For a marriage celebrated in Guatemala, the complete guide says a marriage performed outside Canada must be legally recognised both in the country where it took place and in Canada, and that IRCC does not recognise marriages performed by proxy, telephone, fax or internet where one or both people were not physically present. The civil process in Guatemala is covered in two foreigners marrying in Guatemala.
Guatemalan documents: RENAP records, police certificate, translations
Marriage and birth certificates. The complete guide asks for a valid marriage certificate or proof of registration of the marriage, showing that it “was legally registered with the government where it took place”, and for the birth certificates of the applicant and any dependants. In Guatemala those records are held by RENAP. RENAP’s notice on online certificates by name says certificates can be requested at portal.renap.gob.gt or in the RENAP SE app for Android by entering the full name and the date of the event (birth, marriage, death, among others), which helps when you do not know the CUI identity number. RENAP accepts payment by credit or debit card, or by a bank deposit slip bought at BANRURAL or BANTRAB, and says online certificates carry the same security standards as those issued at its offices. Our guide to the RENAP marriage certificate explains the certificate itself.
Country-specific checklist. The guide tells applicants to select the country where the sponsored person lives to see additional forms, and to select the country that issued each document to see instructions for that document. For a partner living in Guatemala with Guatemalan certificates, both selections are Guatemala. Applications missing a requested document are returned; if a document cannot be supplied, IRCC asks for a detailed explanation of why.
Police certificate. The guide says applicants 18 and older who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents must provide a valid police certificate for any country other than Canada where they spent 6 or more months in a row since the age of 18; a certificate not in English or French needs an accredited translator, and both the certificate and the translation are submitted. That includes Guatemala for a partner who has lived there as an adult. Guatemala issues more than one background record; see our comparison of penal and police records in Guatemala, and use IRCC’s own police-certificate instructions to confirm which one it asks for.
Translations. Documents not in English or French need the translation and, unless the translator is a Canadian certified translator, an affidavit from the translator sworn before a person authorised to administer oaths. IRCC says translations must not be done by the applicants or members of their family. Proof-of-communication documents in Spanish, such as letters, messages or emails, must also be translated.
Money, biometrics and submitting
IRCC’s eligibility page says that in most cases there is no income requirement to sponsor a spouse or partner. One is needed only if you sponsor a dependent child who has 1 or more dependent children of their own, or a spouse or partner whose dependent child has 1 or more dependent children of their own; the Financial Evaluation Form (IMM 1283) explains the amounts. The sponsor’s undertaking to provide for basic needs lasts 3 years from the day the spouse or partner becomes a permanent resident, everywhere except Quebec, which has its own requirements and undertaking.
The guide’s fee table sends applicants to IRCC’s fee list for the sponsorship fee, processing fee, right of permanent residence fee and biometrics fee; check the amounts there on the day you pay. IRCC says fees are paid online by credit card, Debit MasterCard or Visa Debit.
Canadian citizens and existing permanent residents are exempt from biometrics. The Guatemalan partner gives fingerprints and a photo after paying and receiving a biometric instruction letter, by appointment at one of IRCC’s official biometric collection service points; the guide does not name one in Guatemala. The guide also says the principal applicant’s family members who are not already Canadian citizens or permanent residents must pass a medical exam, even those who will not come to Canada.
According to IRCC’s how to apply page, there are two applications, sponsorship and permanent residence, and the principal applicant (the person being sponsored) submits both together online through the Permanent Residence Portal.
This is the permanent-residence route. For short visits by Guatemalan relatives, see inviting Guatemalan family to Canada; for the rest of the move, start at the Canada to Guatemala hub.
Sources
- IRCC: Sponsor your spouse, partner or child, check if you’re eligible, read 10 November 2026.
- IRCC: Who you can sponsor, read 10 November 2026.
- IRCC: Complete Guide IMM 5289, read 10 November 2026.
- IRCC: IMM 1344 instructions, read 10 November 2026.
- IRCC: How to apply, read 10 November 2026.
- RENAP: Solicitud de certificaciones en línea por nombre, read 10 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Canadian sponsor a Guatemalan spouse or partner?
Yes, if the sponsor and the relationship meet IRCC’s rules. IRCC says a sponsor must be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or registered under the Indian Act. A Canadian citizen living outside Canada, for example in Guatemala, must show that they plan to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident. A permanent resident living outside Canada can’t sponsor. IRCC decides each application.
Is there a minimum income to sponsor a spouse or partner?
In most cases, no. IRCC says an income requirement applies only in two cases: you sponsor a dependent child who has a dependent child of their own, or you sponsor a spouse or partner whose dependent child has a dependent child of their own. The sponsor still signs an undertaking to provide for the partner’s basic needs for 3 years from the day they become a permanent resident (outside Quebec).
Does my Guatemalan partner need a Guatemalan police certificate?
IRCC’s complete guide says applicants 18 and older who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents must provide a valid police certificate for any country other than Canada where they spent 6 or more months in a row since age 18. A certificate in Spanish must be translated, and both the certificate and the translation are submitted.
How do we get the Guatemalan marriage and birth certificates?
RENAP issues certificates online by name at portal.renap.gob.gt or in its RENAP SE Android app, using the full name and the date of the event (birth, marriage, death and others). IRCC asks for a marriage certificate or proof that the marriage was legally registered with the government where it took place, plus birth certificates.
Can we qualify as common-law partners instead of marrying in Guatemala?
IRCC’s common-law category requires at least 12 consecutive months living together in a conjugal relationship; time apart in that period should have been short and temporary, for example for family obligations or business travel. The conjugal-partner category is for a partner living outside Canada who cannot live with the sponsor or marry for legal, immigration, social, cultural or religious reasons.
