A transcontinental love story, seemingly against all odds, has ended not in a happily ever after, but with a deportation order. A 29-year-old Nigerian man who married a 79-year-old Canadian woman is now facing expulsion from Canada after a judicial ruling determined their union was not rooted in genuine affection but rather a strategic maneuver to secure permanent residency. The intricate details of this case, meticulously documented in court records reviewed by Peoples Gazette, paint a picture of a relationship viewed with considerable skepticism by Canadian immigration authorities.
The legal proceedings commenced in 2023 when Ms. Doreen Johnson, the Canadian spouse, initiated an application to sponsor her Nigerian husband for permanent residency under Canada’s spousal sponsorship program. The couple had formalized their union in January 2020, and the gentleman arrived on Canadian soil in February 2023, presumably hopeful of building a life with his wife.
However, the trajectory of their Canadian dream took a sharp turn on March 4, 2024, later revised on March 28, 2024, when Canada’s Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) delivered a decisive blow. The panel, after careful consideration of the evidence presented, rejected the sponsorship application. Their unequivocal conclusion? The marriage was primarily orchestrated to obtain immigration benefits, lacking the foundational elements of a bona fide relationship.
The IAD's judgment hinged significantly on an interview conducted with the husband. During this crucial assessment, he reportedly failed to provide even rudimentary details about Ms. Johnson's life. Pertinent information such as her medical history, the number of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren remained elusive to him – a startling revelation given their claim of a three-year marital bond. The visa officer, in their assessment, went so far as to characterize the relationship as a "poverty alleviation scheme," suggesting an ulterior motive beyond genuine affection.
Undeterred by this initial setback, Ms. Johnson sought recourse through the legal system, appealing the IAD’s decision to the Federal Court in Ottawa. However, her appeal met its finality on April 14, 2025, when Justice Mandy Aylen delivered her ruling. Justice Aylen sided with the IAD, dismissing Ms. Johnson’s request. In her reasoned judgment, she affirmed that even if a marriage evolves to become genuine over time, its validity for immigration purposes remains compromised if its inception was primarily driven by the pursuit of immigration status.
Justice Aylen elucidated that Canadian immigration law mandates a dual consideration: the authenticity of the relationship itself and the underlying motives that propelled its formation. When compelling evidence surfaces indicating that the marriage was predominantly a vehicle for immigration, the union is unlikely to be deemed genuine, irrespective of any subsequent claims of affection or shared life.
This case underscores the stringent scrutiny applied by Canadian immigration authorities to spousal sponsorship applications, particularly when significant age disparities or other potentially indicative factors are present. The inability of the sponsored spouse to articulate basic details about their partner's life served as a critical piece of evidence in the IAD’s determination that the marriage lacked the hallmarks of a genuine, conjugal relationship.
The ruling serves as a stark reminder that while Canada’s spousal sponsorship program aims to unite families, it is not intended to be a mechanism for circumventing immigration laws through marriages of convenience. The emphasis remains firmly on the establishment of a sincere and authentic relationship.
The implications of this judgment are significant for the 29-year-old Nigerian man, who now faces the prospect of deportation from Canada. For Ms. Johnson, the outcome represents a legal setback in her efforts to have her husband reside permanently in the country.
This case will undoubtedly spark discussions regarding the complexities of cross-cultural relationships, the role of age differences, and the delicate balance between facilitating genuine family reunification and safeguarding the integrity of immigration systems.
