Family Visa for Canada from Nigeria in 2026
If you are a Nigerian national with a family member who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may permanently move to Canada through the Family sponsorship immigration program.
To learn more about the Canada family visa, including what are the eligibility requirements and how you or your sponsor can meet them, how to apply, or what the costs are, call us on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 today or message us online to speak to our immigration advisers.
Canadian Family Visa for Nigerians: An Overview
A Canada Family visa is an immigration pathway for foreign nationals who have a Canadian citizen or permanent resident close family member residing in the country. It is officially known as the Family Sponsorship program. Eligible Nigerians can take this immigration route to live, work and study in Canada as permanent residents.
Eligible family members who can be sponsored via this route usually include a Canadian national’s permanent resident’s spouse/common-law partner/conjugal partner, dependent children (both biological and adopted), parents and grandparents provided they meet the requirements. In certain scenarios, you may also be able to sponsor other relatives.
Family reunification is one of the pillars of the Canadian immigration system. The Canadian government is big on reuniting families, which is why this route is one of the most popular when considering immigrating from Nigeria to Canada.
New Applications Paused for Parents and Grandparents in 2026
Canada has temporarily paused accepting new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP Program) since July 2026, although applications already submitted are being normally processed.
However, if you are a Nigerian parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can apply for a super visa in Canada to visit your children or grandchildren. It allows you to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time and also provides multiple entry option for up to 10 years.
Page Contents
- Family Visa for Canada from Nigeria
- What Are the Eligibility Criteria for the Sponsor?
- Who Cannot Sponsor a Family Member to Canada
- What Are the Eligibility Criteria for the Sponsored?
- Income Requirements for Sponsors
- How to Apply for the Family Class Immigration Sponsorship
- Documents Required
- Preparing for Arrival in Canada
- Cost of Immigrating to Canada from Nigeria
- Canada Family Visa Processing Time
- How Total Law Can Help
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Eligibility Criteria for the Sponsor?
To be eligible as a sponsor for a family visa, your concerned relative in Canada must meet certain requirements. First, they must be either a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a person registered under the Canadian Indian Act.
If they are a permanent resident in Canada, they must reside in the country at the time of application. If they are a Canadian citizen, they can be outside the country at the time of application but must return to Canada after your visa is approved.
They must also:
- Be 18 or older at the time of the application
- Have sufficient funds to cover the sponsored family member’s expenses for the required duration
- Be ready to sign an undertaking and sponsorship agreement demonstrating their commitment to financially support their Nigerian relative(s)
- Meet all requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
If you live in Quebec in Canada, you must meet Quebec’s eligibility requirements for sponsoring your partner or dependent child and Quebec’s income requirements (if applicable).
Who Cannot Sponsor a Family Member to Canada
You cannot sponsor your Nigerian family member to Canada for the family visa route in certain scenarios. These include (but are not limited to):
- You cannot sponsor your partner if you moved to Canada as someone sponsored by a partner in the previous five years, or if you are still financially responsible for a previous partner
- Your previous application to sponsor the same partner or child is still pending a decision
- You are imprisoned
- You are convicted of a violent criminal offence, a domestic abuse causing bodily harm or a sexual offence in Canada or abroad
- You are declared bankrupt (unless sponsoring a partner or child in Quebec)
- You are behind on payments for an immigration loan, a performance bond, or a court-ordered family support payment (not applicable for those living in Quebec)
- You failed to give financial support to a sponsored family member in the past (not applicable for Quebec)
- You yourself are receiving public funds (unless for a disability reason)
- You have received a removal order from Canada
What Are the Eligibility Criteria for the Sponsored Nigerian Family Member?
Depending on your relationship with your Canadian sponsor, your eligibility criteria may vary. The following relatives can be sponsored for a Canadian family visa:
- Spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner
- Dependent child (biological or adopted)
- Parent or grandparent (currently paused)
You may also be able to sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild provided they meet certain specific requirements. Alternatively, you may sponsor one adult or minor relative if you meet certain eligibility criteria as a sponsor.
Family Visa for a Nigerian Spouse or Partner
If you are the Nigerian common law partner, spouse or conjugal partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may be eligible for the Canadian family visa if you are:
- 18 or older
- In a genuine relationship with your sponsor
- Not otherwise inamissible to Canada
Spouses must be legally married, while common-law partners must have lived together for at least 12 consecutive months in a conjugal relationship (and not spent time away from each other unless for short periods for acceptable reasons, e.g., work travel).
Conjugal partners must have been in an exclusive and mutually interdependent relationship for at least 12 months, even if they have not been able to live together (or get married to each other) in their country of residence because of legal, immigration, social, cultural, religious or any other valid reasons.
Your partner can sponsor you for the family visa whether you are still in Nigeria (outland application) or already on a temporary permit in Canada (inland application). If you are already in Canada, you can apply for an open work permit while waiting for the sponsorship application to be approved.
Family Visa for a Dependent Child from Nigeria
If you are the dependent child of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you are eligible to be sponsored by your parent. You can be their natural, adopted or stepchild.
For you to be seen as a dependent, you must be unmarried and under 22 years old. The IRCC also considers children above 22 but with mental or physical deformities as dependents.
Family Visa for Your Nigerian Parent or Grandparent (paused in 2026)
If you are the parent or grandparent of a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident, you can immigrate to Canada from Nigeria via the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). The program is not accepting new applications since July 2026, but the applications submitted before then are being processed as usual.
To be eligible for the PGP, your child (sponsor) must:
- Be 18 or older
- Prove the relationship between you two. Your child can prove this by submitting their birth certificate which bears your name
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) that the IRCC requires for their family size. They will prove this by submitting assessment notices issued by the Canada Revenue Agency.
- Sign an undertaking to care for you for 20 years. If they cannot do so alone, their partner can help cosign this undertaking to meet the financial requirement. If their partner is cosigning, they will show proof that they have been in a relationship for at least one year
If your child or grandchild lives in Quebec, they may need to meet additional requirements.
Super Visa Route for Parents and Grandparents
If you are the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can immigrate from Nigeria to Canada via the super visa route. This can be your best suitable option in 2026 given the pause on PGP program.
To be eligible for this visa, your sponsor (child or grandchild) has to:
- Submit a motivation letter to the IRCC
- Be medically insured
- Prove that they are your child or grandchild
- Meet the minimum financial requirement
Family Visa for Other Relatives from Nigeria
You may be able to sponsor your orphaned sibling, nephew, niece or grandchild provided they meet all of the following:
- Related to you by blood or adoption
- Under 18
- Have lost both their parents
- Are not married or in a common-law relationship
Alternatively, you may be able to sponsor one adult or minor relative if you as a sponsor meet all these following requirements:
- You are related to them by blood or adoption
- You don’t have a qualifying living relative you could sponsor instead
- You don’t have any relatives who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a registered Indian under the Indian Act
Income Requirements for Sponsors
Overview
Usually, there is not a specific income threshold that you must meet or exceed if you are sponsoring your partner or dependent child. However, if you are sponsoring your parents and grandparents, you will have to prove to the IRCC that that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family.
How much income you are required to show depends on your family size. For example, for a family of two (including the sponsor), the minimum required income is CAD$47,549. The following table provides the income requirements for a family size bigger than that:
| Family Size | Minimum Income Requirement |
| 3 | CAD$58,456 |
| 4 | CAD$70,972 |
| 5 | CAD$80,496 |
| 6 | CAD$90,784 |
| 7 | CAD$101,075 |
| If more than 7 people, for each additional person, add: | CAD$10,291 |
You must show that you have met the income requirement for each of the past three tax years before you apply. If you are living in Quebec, you will have to meet Quebec’s specific income requirements.
Sponsorship Undertaking
In addition to showing proof of income, your family member in Canada will have to sign an undertaking to be financially responsible for you. This undertaking is valid for the years the IRCC requires them to sponsor you. How long they have to sponsor you is dependent on the category of family member they’re sponsoring.
- If you are a dependent child, they must take care of you until you turn 25 or for 10 years, depending on which comes first.
- If you are a partner, they’ll have to take care of you for 3 years.
- If you are a dependent child who is 22 or above, they’ll have to take care of you for 3 years.
- If you are a parent/grandparent, they’ll have to take care of you for 20 years.
If they live in Quebec, the number of years they’ll have to sign to care for you is slightly different.
- If you are a dependent child under 16, they will sign to take care of you for 10 years or until you turn 18.
- If you are a dependent child 16 and above, they will sign to take care of you for 3 years or till you turn 25.
- If you are their partner, they will sign up to take care of you for 3 years.
Note that if you take government assistance during these periods, your sponsor must pay it back. Also, note that your sponsor is still mandated to keep by this rule whether your status changes or not. So, even if you eventually become a citizen or permanent resident, they must still fulfil their obligation.
How to Apply for the Family Class Immigration Sponsorship from Nigeria
Application Steps for the Sponsor
Your sponsor is the one who will take the first step towards your application. First, they must apply to the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If they live in Quebec, their application should go to the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI).
While your sponsor is submitting an application for you, they must also apply for you to be a permanent resident at once. The IRCC or MIFI will review the application and decide if you and your family member are eligible for the family visa sponsorship.
If the application is successful, they will be required to pay the Canadian family visa fees on your behalf. After paying the fees, you can now proceed to apply for the family visa in Nigeria.
Your sponsor can track the application after receiving an acknowledgement of receipt from IRCC.
Application Steps for the Sponsored Nigerian Family Member
After your sponsor has paid the visa fees on your behalf, you can apply for a Canadian temporary resident visa (also known as a visitor visa) online in Nigeria. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can apply:
- Complete and submit the online application on the IRCC website
- Upload all the scan copies of the required documents
- Pay your visa application fee. You may have to pay the Government of Canada Fee and biometric fee (if required) per instructions on the IRCC website
- Download and print the completed form (including the barcoded sheets)
- Book an appointment at the VFS Global Canada visa application centre (VAC) in Abuja or Lagos
- Visit the VAC with your passport, photos, completed forms, fee receipts and supporting documents on the appointment date. Remember not to submit your passport to the VAC until you have received a passport request letter from IRCC
- You will have to submit your biometrics at the VAC if required
- Pay the applicable VAC service charges and obtain a receipt. This receipt will contain your unique reference number for tracking the progress of your application
- You will be notified once your visa has been processed. Accordingly, collect your passport and documents from the VAC either in person or through an authorised representative, or by courier for an additional fee
Also, note that you have to submit your biometrics within 30 days after the biometric capture fee is paid. If you cannot submit your biometrics in 30 days due to the high demand for biometric capture appointments, you will be granted another 60 days to submit.
What Supporting Documents Must Nigerians Submit with Their Canada Visa Application?
Here are some of the documents you will have to upload online:
- A copy of the Police Character Certificate: This is obtained from the CID Headquarters in any state in Nigeria. Every family member above 18 will have to present this. In addition, if you have also lived in another country for up to 6 months, you must also submit a Police Clearance from that country. This is to prove to the IRCC that you will not constitute a nuisance on entering Canada.
- Sponsorship Letter: You will have to upload the sponsorship letter showing who is sponsoring you. The Letter must come with the contact, address and employment information of your family member who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Proof of Relationship: You will have to prove to the IRCC that there is a genuine relationship between you two. So, you must submit documents showing relationships, like marriage certificates for partners and birth certificates for dependent children, parents and grandparents.
- A copy of the ECOWAS passport.
- Proof of meeting the English Language requirement.
- Medical report from an IRCC-accredited physician.
Preparing for Arrival in Canada from Nigeria
If your visa application is successful, you can go ahead and plan your trip to Canada. When you get to the port of entry, you will have to show the border officer the following documents:
- Valid ECOWAS passport
- Canada visa
- Quebec Selection Certificate (this is if your family member will be living in Quebec)
- Confirmation of permanent residence
The border officer has the right to ensure that you are making a genuine entry into Canada and will have to ask you some questions. For example, they may want to know about your finances and also want to confirm the information you gave during their application. They will also verify if your confirmation of permanent residence or visa has expired.
If the border officer is satisfied with their findings, you will be allowed entry into Canada. The officer will now start the process of mailing your permanent resident card to the address on the confirmation of permanent residence.
If you are already in Canada on another visa, you must apply for a Landing Interview. You will be told when, where and what to bring while coming for the interview.
Cost of Immigrating to Canada from Nigeria
It is essential to check the cost of immigrating from Nigeria to Canada under the family visa route. This is so that you are prepared before starting the application.
Below are some of the fees that must be paid to pay when moving from Nigeria to Canada via the family visa route:
- To sponsor a spouse/partner, you will have to pay a fee of $CAN 545
- To independently sponsor a dependent child, you must pay a fee of $CAN 170
- A $CAN 575 fee for the right of permanent residence
- Biometrics fee of $CAN 85 per person
Canada Family Visa Processing Time from Nigeria
As of September 2026, the waiting time is on an average 18 months if you are sponsoring a spouse/partner. The period can be 20 months for a child and 28 months for a parent/grandparent.
The timeframe will go up if the sponsor is living in Quebec. Also, add to this the time required for a Canadian temporary resident visa processing from Nigeria.
As IRCC keeps on updating the timelines based on the current volume of pending applications, please check their website for an updated estimate before you apply.
How Total Law Can Help
The Canadian Family visa is an immigration route rolled out by the Canadian government to help bring families together. It can be complex and time consuming to put together a foolproof application, however. To get a rejection after waiting a long time for your application to be approved can feel devastating.
If you’re a Nigerian considering moving to Canada via the family visa route or another immigration pathway, Total Law can help. We have a team of immigration lawyers who are experts in the field of Canadian and international immigration. We have the tools and expertise to assist you, regardless of your personal circumstances or the complexity of your case.
We can also help if you need to apply for another similar type of visa based on your circumstances or a visa based on your personal or family life.
For more information about the services we provide and how we can help you, reach out to our team today. Call us on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 or contact us online.
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Frequently Asked Questions
There is no age limit for a family visa to Canada from Nigeria. You can be sponsored by your partner, child or grandchild who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident as long as they are 18 or older. No matter your age, you can immigrate to Canada.
If you are going for a medical examination, you will need to go with the following requirements: a copy or original ECOWAS passport, medical bio data form obtained from the Canadian immigration website, eyeglasses and hearing aids and proof of having paid the examination fee.
You can appeal a Canadian family visa denial. You can appeal the decision to the Immigration Adjudication Division (IAD), at the Case Processing Centre (CPC) or the Federal Court of Canada.
Canada does not require a formal language test or minimum English/French proficiency score for the family visa route.
You do not need to submit results from tests like IELTS or CELPIP to sponsor or be sponsored as a family member for permanent residency.
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