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Spouse's degree/reference letter being requested but you didn't claim their points? How to fix it

Canada • Express Entry • immigration 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • Spouse's personal information section

    Where spouse details should generally sit if you're not claiming their education/employment points.

  • Spouse's degree certificate / reference letter

    Only needed if spouse's education or employment is claimed for points.

Step-by-Step

A common point of confusion in Express Entry is why the application still asks for a spouse's degree certificate or reference letter even when no points were claimed for them.

What group members advised:
  1. Don't add your spouse's education or employment details in the sections tied to claimed points — that's what triggers the request for their degree certificate and reference letters.

  2. Instead, record spouse details under the personal information section of the application. This keeps their background documented without pulling in a demand for supporting credential documents.

  3. If you've already entered these details, you can go back and remove/adjust them before submission — members confirmed this is possible, though it's better to set it up correctly from the start.


The underlying logic: the portal asks for supporting documents wherever you've entered claimable education/employment info, so keep unclaimed spouse details in the general personal-history fields only.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Don't: Don't enter your spouse's education/employment in the points-claiming sections if you aren't claiming their points.
  • Do: Put spouse details in the personal information section instead.
  • Tip: You can typically edit previously entered spouse details before final submission if you catch the mistake early.

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