Form IMM 1344, Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking: what it is and where relationship evidence fits

IMM 1344 is the IRCC form a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Indian Act completes to apply to become a sponsor and to promise to support the person they sponsor. This guide summarises what the official form and guide say, and where chat history fits in a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner sponsorship: as proof of contact on the document checklist, not on IMM 1344 itself.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-14

At a glance

Form: IMM 1344, Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking
Agency: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Edition: 09-2024 (checked 2026-10-14) — The form is marked IMM 1344 (09-2024) E, and the IRCC IMM 1344 page showed “Last updated: September 2024” when we checked.
Filing fee: IRCC publishes the current fees on its fee list. For a spouse or partner, the main amount includes the sponsorship fee, the processing fee and the right of permanent residence fee; the fee list shows separate amounts for each dependent child and for biometrics. We do not print the amounts here because IRCC fees change; check the fee list on the day you pay. Official fee schedule.

What the form is for

Part 1 is your application to be approved as a sponsor. IRCC assesses your eligibility to sponsor and, if your undertaking is approved, the permanent residence application goes on to a processing office.
Part 1 also contains the undertaking: a binding promise to provide for the basic requirements of the sponsored person and their accompanying family members (such as food, clothing, shelter, utilities, and dental, eye and other health care not covered by public health care), and an acknowledgement that social assistance paid to them becomes a debt you owe.
For a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, the undertaking ends 3 years after the day they become a permanent resident (outside Quebec). It cannot be cancelled: the form says Canadian citizenship, divorce, separation, relationship breakdown, financial deterioration or moving to another province or territory do not cancel it.
Part 2 is the sponsorship agreement between you and the principal applicant. It lists your obligations as sponsor and the sponsored person’s obligations, including making every reasonable effort to support themselves. The undertaking and agreement on IMM 1344 apply to sponsors who live, or plan to live, outside Quebec; Quebec has its own undertaking.
The same form is used for other family sponsorships (dependent children, parents and grandparents, adopted children and other relatives), each with its own IRCC guide.

Who can file it

The sponsor completes IMM 1344. To be a sponsor you must be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Indian Act, or a permanent resident.
You must live in Canada. A Canadian citizen living outside Canada can sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child if they show they plan to live in Canada when the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident; the form has a residency declaration for this. A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor.
You may not be able to sponsor a spouse or partner if you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago after being sponsored as a spouse or partner yourself, or if you signed an undertaking for a previous spouse or partner and 3 years have not passed since they became a permanent resident.
The form’s eligibility questions also ask whether you are receiving social assistance for a reason other than disability, are an undischarged bankrupt, sponsored or co-signed for people who received social assistance during an earlier undertaking, are late on an immigration loan or other immigration payment, are in default of court-ordered support, have been ordered to leave Canada, are detained, or have certain criminal convictions or charges.
The principal applicant (the person you are sponsoring) also signs IMM 1344. You cannot have a co-signer when you sponsor a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner.

How and where it is filed

Online filing: IRCC says applying online has been mandatory since September 23, 2022. The principal applicant submits the sponsorship and permanent residence applications together through the Permanent Residence (PR) Portal.
If you or your representative cannot apply online and need accommodations, IRCC says you can ask for the application in another format (paper, braille or large print).
Fill out IMM 1344 on a computer (IRCC warns it may not open on tablets or mobile phones), click Validate to create the barcode page, and do not print it. The barcode page does not appear if the form is filled out by hand.
The sponsor and the principal applicant both sign electronically; IRCC says typing your name on this form counts as your signature. A parent or legal guardian signs on behalf of a dependent child under 18.
The sponsor gives an electronic copy of the signed form to the principal applicant, who uploads it under “PDF Forms” in the online application. IRCC returns the application if any signature is missing.
Sponsors living in Quebec first send their application to IRCC. If they meet the federal requirements, IRCC sends instructions to download Quebec’s sponsorship kit, and the Quebec undertaking is submitted to the Quebec government.

Evidence the instructions ask for

IMM 1344 does not list the supporting documents; IRCC lists them on the Document Checklist: Spouse (IMM 5533), which the items below come from. Common-law partners have a separate checklist (IMM 5589), and the checklist also asks you to check IRCC’s country-specific requirements.
Proof of your status in Canada: a copy of your permanent resident card (both sides) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence; or, if you are a citizen, one of a citizenship certificate or card, a Canadian birth certificate or a Canadian passport; or your Indian status card.
If you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada: proof that you will live in Canada with your spouse once they become a permanent resident.
Previous relationships: proof of legal separation if you are still married to someone else, and a final divorce certificate, annulment certificate or death certificate for each previous marriage.
Documents showing you can support the people you are sponsoring, such as a letter from your employer plus your most recent Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment or proof of income statement (Option C). Quebec residents do not complete this section of the checklist.
A single fee receipt covering the sponsorship fee, the application fee and the biometric fees.
Certified translations in English or French of every document that is not already in English or French. For online applications, upload a PDF of the original document.
The principal applicant’s own documents (identity, civil status, photos and police certificates) and the relationship evidence described below.

Where relationship evidence fits

IMM 1344 does not ask for proof of relationship. It records the relationship: who the principal applicant is to you (for example spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner), the date a conjugal relationship began, your current marital status and the date you married or began living common-law, and any previous marriages or common-law relationships.
The relationship evidence goes elsewhere in the same application: in IMM 5532, Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation, which you and the principal applicant both complete and sign, and in the proof-of-relationship section of the document checklist.
IMM 5533 asks for evidence that your relationship is genuine. If you are not living together, it asks for proof of contact (a maximum of 10 pages with the application) and proof of the sponsor’s visits, such as boarding passes or passport entry and exit stamps. If the sponsor did not visit, explain why in IMM 5532 (Part C, Question 4).
If you live together, IMM 5533 asks for documents from at least two sets of cohabitation evidence, such as joint ownership or a rental agreement, joint accounts or bills, or government-issued ID showing the same address.
If you live together, have a child together, are both in a first marriage and have been married for at least two years when you apply, IMM 5533 says you do not need to send additional proof of relationship at that stage. Otherwise it also asks for up to 20 photos with a short description of each, plus documents from at least two of four options, such as evidence of financial support or shared expenses, or proof that your friends and family recognise the relationship.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, a person is not considered a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner if the relationship is not genuine or was entered into primarily to acquire status or a privilege under the Act. IRCC may ask for more documents, including proof of relationship, after you apply, and its guide says you will be told in writing if an interview is needed.

What chat history can help show

Ongoing contact while you live apart: IMM 5533 names letters, printed text messages, emails and social media conversations as proof of contact, up to 10 pages with the application.
The sponsor’s visits: dated messages about flights, arrivals and time spent together can sit next to the boarding passes and passport stamps the checklist asks for. They support those documents; they do not replace them.
The timeline in your forms: messages around how you met, your visits, the engagement and the wedding can corroborate dates you give on IMM 1344, such as the date you married or the date a conjugal relationship began.

Before you include chat history

Chat history is not part of IMM 1344. It belongs in the proof-of-relationship section of your document checklist.
Keep proof of contact within the 10 pages IMM 5533 allows with the application when you are not living together.
If you live together, the checklist asks for cohabitation documents such as a joint lease or joint bills. Chat history does not replace them.
Messages that are not in English or French need certified translations; IMM 5533 says this applies to all proof-of-contact documents.

Common mistakes

Printing IMM 1344 or filling it in by hand. IRCC says not to print it, and the barcode page is only created when the form is completed on a computer and validated.
Missing signatures. IRCC returns the application if any signature is missing, including the principal applicant’s.
Adding a co-signer to a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner sponsorship. IRCC says you cannot have one in that case.
Names that do not match the passport. The form asks for family and given names exactly as shown on the passport or travel document.
Leaving questions blank. IRCC’s guide says to write “Not Applicable” or “NA” when a section does not apply to you.
Applying without checking eligibility. The form says a “No” to any of questions 1 to 4 means you are not eligible (a Canadian citizen living exclusively outside Canada may still be eligible despite a “No” to question 4), and a “Yes” to question 5 means you cannot sponsor a spouse or partner. A “Yes” to any of questions 6 to 15 means you may not be eligible, and a “Yes” to questions 16 to 18 can lead to processing being suspended; the form refers you to the guide for both.
Sending a record of solemnization or a marriage licence instead of a marriage certificate or proof that the marriage is legally registered. IRCC does not accept them.
Going over the 10-page proof-of-contact limit, or sending documents in other languages without certified English or French translations.

Frequently asked questions

Who signs Form IMM 1344?

The sponsor and the principal applicant (the person being sponsored) both sign electronically. A parent or legal guardian signs on behalf of a dependent child under 18. You cannot have a co-signer when sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner. IRCC returns the application if any signature is missing.

Can I print IMM 1344 and sign it by hand?

No. IRCC says to complete the form on a computer, click Validate to create the barcode page, and not to print it. Both of you sign by typing your names, and the principal applicant uploads the signed PDF under “PDF Forms” in the online application. If you cannot apply online and need accommodations, you can ask IRCC for the application in another format.

Does IMM 1344 ask for proof that our relationship is genuine?

Not directly. IMM 1344 records your relationship and marital history. The relationship evidence goes in IMM 5532 and in the proof-of-relationship section of the document checklist (IMM 5533 for a spouse), which asks for evidence that the relationship is genuine.

Can WhatsApp or other chat messages be used in a Canadian spousal sponsorship?

Yes, as supporting evidence on the document checklist, not on IMM 1344. If you are not living together, IMM 5533 lists printed text messages, emails and social media conversations as proof of contact, with a maximum of 10 pages sent with the application. Messages that are not in English or French need certified translations.

How long does the undertaking last for a spouse or partner?

Outside Quebec, the undertaking for a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner ends 3 years after the day they become a permanent resident. The form says it is unconditional: divorce, separation, relationship breakdown, Canadian citizenship, financial deterioration or moving to another province or territory do not cancel it. IRCC says the undertaking period is different for Quebec residents, who sign a separate undertaking with the Government of Quebec.

What happens if I am found ineligible to sponsor?

Question 1 of IMM 1344 asks you to choose in advance. If you choose to withdraw, the form says all processing fees except the sponsorship fee are refunded; IRCC’s guide adds that no decision is made on the permanent residence application, there is no right of appeal, and you can reapply later if you fix the situation that made you ineligible. If you choose to proceed, the form says the processing fees are kept, and the guide says IRCC will likely refuse the permanent residence application and tell you in writing whether you have a right to appeal.

Can I sponsor my spouse if I live outside Canada?

If you are a Canadian citizen, yes, as long as you show you plan to live in Canada when your spouse becomes a permanent resident; IMM 1344 has a residency declaration for this, and the checklist asks for proof. A permanent resident living outside Canada cannot sponsor.

How much does it cost and how long does it take?

IRCC publishes the current fees on its fee list and current processing times on its “Check processing times” page, which has separate options for a spouse or partner living inside or outside Canada. We do not print amounts or times because they change; check both pages before you apply.

Related guides and templates

Official sources

IRCC — Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking (IMM 1344) (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — IMM 1344 (09-2024) E form (PDF) (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child: Complete Guide (IMM 5289) (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Sponsor your spouse, partner or child: How to apply (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Sponsor your spouse, partner or child: Check if you’re eligible (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Sponsor your spouse, partner or child: What it means to be a sponsor (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation (IMM 5532) (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Document Checklist: Spouse (Including Dependent Children) (IMM 5533) (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — IMM 5533 (09-2022) E checklist (PDF) (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Document Checklist: Common-Law Partner (Including Dependent Children) (IMM 5589) (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Fee list (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Check processing times (checked 2026-10-14)
IRCC — Permanent Residence Portal (checked 2026-10-14)
Justice Laws — Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, section 4 (bad faith) (checked 2026-10-14)

Not legal advice. PartnerProof turns WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage exports into dated, chronological PDF evidence you can print and add to your package. It does not fill in or file IRCC forms. Try it free →