Prohibition of Non-Physically Present (Proxy, Telephone, Internet) Marriages and Raising Minimum Spousal Age

Policy effect

Raised the minimum age requirement for spousal sponsorship and temporary/permanent entry as a spouse or partner from 16 to 18 years. Ceased the legal recognition of marriages contracted abroad where one or both parties were not physically present (proxy, telephone, fax, Internet marriages) across all permanent and temporary immigration streams, with a narrow exception for Canadian Armed Forces members deployed abroad. Phase scope: All spousal and family reunification immigration streams, permanent and temporary resident applications received on or after June 10, 2015.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: Raised the minimum age requirement for spousal sponsorship and temporary/permanent entry as a spouse or partner from 16 to 18 years.; Ceased the legal recognition of marriages contracted abroad where one or both parties were not physically present (proxy, telephone, fax, Internet marriages) across all permanent and temporary immigration streams, with a narrow exception for Canadian Armed Forces members deployed abroad.; Phase scope: All spousal and family reunification immigration streams, permanent and temporary resident applications received on or after June 10, 2015.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other Canada changes operative in 2015

• 2015-01-01Ministerial Instructions Respecting the Express Entry System
• 2015-01-28Immigrant Investor Venture Capital economic immigration class established
• 2015-02-21Employer compliance fee and direct job-offer submission introduced for LMIA-exempt employer-specific work permits
• 2015-02-21Separate open work permit privilege fee introduced
• 2015-05-25Investor-pilot intake switched from random selection to first complete applications
• 2015-06-10Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (SOR/2015-138)
• 2015-06-11Order Fixing June 11, 2015 as the Day on which Certain Provisions of the Act Come into Force
• 2015-06-11Social insurance number collection and sharing authorised for citizenship eligibility verification
• 2015-08-01Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (SOR/2015-77)
• 2015-12-01Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Administrative Monetary Penalties and Ineligibility System for Employers)
• 2015-12-19Ebola-related visa-processing ministerial instructions repealed