IMM 5476 Use of a Representative

As you can see, we like to give you plenty of information that you can act on. As well, it should be clear by now as we’ve stated in various of our blogs, that a Sponsorship Application is a lengthy and detailed process where a few mistakes – or sometimes even a single mistake – can slow down of even derail your application.

So, if the following is true:

• You’re organized and efficient and good at detail.
• You don’t mind reading and re-reading the fine print to make sure you got it right.
• You have the time and energy to devote at least an hour a day for a month or two and not lose track.

Then continue to use this guide and after a couple of months (taking into account the delays in obtaining all sorts of documents – like police certificates for example) you will have completed your application!

If you have doubts about whether you have the time, or patience, to do it all, then you might want to choose a representative. That means filling out IMM 5476:

As is stated at the beginning of the form:

• Your representative does not have to be paid.
• You can only have one representative per application, so if you add another representative to an application the previous representative will no longer be able to represent you.

If you have confidence in a friend with no legal training in Canadian immigration law, that’s your choice.

We strongly suggest if you are going to use a representative that it be a Registered Immigration Consultant in good standing or an immigration lawyer. As you have seen, a Sponsorship Application is frustratingly complex, and you will need someone familiar with the process to guide you.

Please note that you can also use the form to cancel a representative. Remember to choose which option you are doing by ticking the correct box.

As well, the Principal Applicant along with the chosen Representative are the two who fill out the form in this case.

The first section lists the Applicant’s personal information, including whether they have already submitted an application which is dealt with in question 3.

• Do not forget to answer question 3. While it is preferable to appoint a representative before you file your application, we understand that situations change and what might have seemed doable becomes too great a demand on your time and energy and you sometimes decide to appoint a representative after you’ve applied.
• If you already have a UCI or CI (Client identifier) include it here.
• Remember to state that you it is a Spousal Sponsorship Application.

Section B gives information on the representative you are appointing.

Remember that if they are paid (they can be paid by a third party – someone else – but they are still your paid representative) they must be one of the following:

• A registered immigration consultant (RCIC)
• A lawyer
• A Quebec notary.

Please check the appropriate box.

The last two questions in this section (7 and 8) give your representative’s contact information and the representative’s signed declaration.

Finally, Section C is for cancelling a representative, i.e. removing their access to your application.

We hope you found this content to be helpful.

At Immigroup we provide do-it-yourselfers with clear and accurate information. (For best results, we recommend using the government’s website in conjunction with our ours. For answers to specific questions, please check out our forum. Do these simple things and you’ll be far ahead of the pack!)

For those who want more expertise and support, we offer a broad range of paid services. Let us be your immigration ally, and you’ll see why most of our clients are clients for life.

 

Completing Form IMM 5476 – Use of a Representative for Parental Sponsorship

As you can see, we like to give you plenty of information that you can act on. You’re also becoming aware that a Parental and Grandparents Sponsorship Application is a lengthy and detailed process where a few mistakes – or sometimes even a single mistake – can slow down of even derail your application.

Now remember that both, either, or neither the Sponsor (the child or grandchild of the parent/grandparent) and the Principal Applicant (the parent or grandparent) can appoint a representative.

Whichever of the two (sponsor or principal applicant) appoints the representative, it makes sense to have the representative handle the entire application, seeing (as you have seen) that both sponsor and principal applicant are involved together in most of the forms and in some of the documents.

So, if the following is true:

• You’re organized and efficient and good at detail.
• You don’t mind reading and re-reading the fine print to make sure you got it right.
• You have the time and energy to devote at least an hour a day for a month or two and not lose track.

Then continue to use this guide and after a couple of months (taking into account the delays in obtaining all sorts of documents – like police certificates for example) you will have completed your application!

If you have doubts about whether you have the time, or patience, to do it all, then you might want to choose a representative. That means filling out IMM 5476:

The important thing to note here is that both the sponsor and principal applicant can use a representative to complete their part of the application.

Clearly, it would be best if one uses a representative to have them do the whole package for both the sponsor and the principal applicant, given how inter-related the roles of sponsor and principal applicant are.

However, in that case both the sponsor and principal applicant should each fill out a form IMM 5476.

Remember that any dependent over 18 included in the application has to fill out and sign their own form IMM 5476.

Finally, both the person appointing the representative and the representative have to sign the form.

Let’s take a look at the first part of form IMM 5476:

The fine print here gives you several important facts:>

• You don’t have to hire a representative. You can do it all yourself by taking the time to gather documents – including photographs, medical exams, police checks, and any other documents the IRCC asks you to provide – fill out the required forms completely and accurately, and pay the right fees. If you have the time and energy and focus by all means do it this way.
• You can only appoint ONE representative per application. If you appoint a second representative, the first one you appointed will be automatically removed as representative by IRCC.
• You also use form IMM 5476 to:
  • cancel the appointment of your current representative and to represent yourself;
  • cancel your current representative and hire another representative; or
  • if the contact information for your representative changes.
• Finally there are:
  • unpaid representatives – like friends or family members and
  • paid representatives – lawyers, immigration consultants, or Quebec notaries – as well as law students working under their supervision.
  • If you hire a paid representative, they must be in good standing with their provincial or territorial governing body.

The following organizations can help you check whether your paid representative is licensed and therefore authorized to represent you.

• Immigration Consultants must be members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council.
• Lawyers (or notaries) must be members of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society or the Chambre des notaires du Quebec.
• Paralegals (Ontario only) must be members of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

 

Fee fraud warning about IRCC fees:

You’ll never be asked to have your consultant pay you IRCC fees.  Be aware.

Let’s now look at the remainder of form IMM 5476

You will always have to fill out Section A:

Section B is for when you appoint a representative and includes their signed declaration:

Section C – as you can see above – is for cancelling a representative.

And finally, section D is your signed declaration: