Immigration Corner | I want to adopt my niece

Dear Ms Powell,

I am a Jamaican-born citizen of Canada. My sister died recently, leaving my niece. I would like to adopt my niece as currently, she is staying with a friend who I'm paying to keep her. Can you please guide me with the steps to adopt her and take her to Canada? How long would this take? Do I need a lawyer, or are there just online forms I can fill out? What documents will I need?

- B.N.

Dear B.N.,

I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your sister, and I commend you for taking steps to assist your niece. Inter-country adoption can sometimes be a challenging process as you will be required to work with government agencies in Canada and in Jamaica to get approved.

While you do not need a lawyer to assist you in the process, I strongly recommend that you get one as the process is not a simple completion of online forms. As part of the application process, you will get an adoption order from the courts in Jamaica which state that you are the permanent parent of your niece.

You did not mention your niece's father. Is he alive? If he is alive and a fit and proper father you may have a challenge. You should discuss this with him before taking further steps. If he is not alive or not known, you will need to provide documents to substantiate this fact.

OVERWHELMING PROCESS

How old is your niece? You should note that under Canadian immigration laws, she will need to be under 18 years.

The process requires you to work with your provincial or territorial adoption central authority to explain the requirements for inter-country adoption and international standards. They will assess your eligibility to adopt a child. If approved, they will grant you a letter of no objection.

Some people find this process overwhelming, therefore, I recommend that you meet with a lawyer and take the following documents:

1. Birth certificate for yourself, your sister, and your niece;

2. Sister's death certificate

3. Details about your personal immediate family and financial ability to take care of your niece. Documents may include marriage certificate, citizenship card/ certificate, job letter, notice of assessments / tax returns, proof of ownership of home and any other property.

This list is not exhaustive as you will be assessed on your eligibility as a sponsor. As you reveal the details of your case, your lawyer will advise you of the additional documents required.

- Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator and notary public who is a member of the Jamaican and Ontario, Canada bars. Email: info@deidrepowell.com,subject: Immigration

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner - Immigration Corner | I want to adopt my niece:

Comments

Immigration Corner | Do I need a police report?

Immigration Corner | Do I need a police report? : Dear Ms Powell, I want to apply to live in Canada and I was told that I will need to have police records from all the countries that I've visited. I attended school in the USA and only spent three summer vacations with my aunt in Canada and returned to the USA each time. I also went on a youth programme in the UK. I visited again a few times since. Do I need a police report from all these countries? How would I go about getting the reports? Do I need to have these reports before I apply? - S.E. Dear S.E., Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may require police records from individuals who are applying for permanent residence, study permit, work permit and some temporary resident visas if the individual is over 18 years old. IRCC usually requires police certificates or clearance certificates from any country or territory where you have spent six months or more since the age of 18. This is to ensure that y...

Immigration Corner | Son graduated from college and wants to stay in Canada

Dear Miss Powell, My son studied in Canada and then received a graduate work permit. That permit is about to expire, and he is worried that his work permit may now be renewed because of the changes. I am wondering what his options are to remain in Canada now. Please advise us as we are hoping that he could eventually get to live permanently. Your kind response would be appreciated. J.T. Dear J.T. I have received several questions from international students wondering about their options to remain in Canada, since Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made several changes to the immigration policies. Your son and others should not panic as there are currently several options to remain in Canada and we remain hopeful that there will be new policy updates to assist graduates to become permanent residents. I will outline below the temporary and permanent options that are available. Remain as a worker Your son may also apply to remain in Canad...

Immigration Corner | Can my granddaughter sponsor me?

Dear Miss Powell, My granddaughter lives in Canada. Can she file for me? My daughter died recently and I don't have any other relatives here in Jamaica. I'm retired and she is 28, married, with one child. I think I could be helpful to her, plus it would be a joy to just be close to my granddaughter and her family. SW Dear SW, If your granddaughter is a permanent resident or a citizen of Canada, she can sponsor you to become a permanent resident of Canada under the family class category of parent and grandparent sponsorship. Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has limited the number of applications that it will accept on an annual basis to 10,000. The quota is currently full; however, the programme will be reopened on January 3, 2017. Therefore, now is the time to prepare your documents so that you can submit them promptly when they begin accepting applications. Your granddaughter must prove that she is financially able to sponsor you. This means th...

CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Search This Blog