---
title: Family members on one case
description: How a principal applicant and dependants share a single case, how to add a member, and who can see what.
product: Lexpoint — Individuals
audience: People managing their own Canadian immigration
doc_type: guide
canonical_url: https://docs.lexpoint.io/individuals/cases/case-members/
app_routes: https://my.lexpoint.io/app/cases/[case]?tab=members
requires: An open case
last_verified: 2026-09-03
keywords: add family member, principal applicant, dependants, case members, who can see my case
license: Documentation © Lexpoint. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL.
---
# Family members on one case

One case holds everyone applying together. Each person on it is a **member**, and each member can
have their own application under their own program.

Open **Members** from the case overview tabs.

```media
id: cases-members-tab
type: screenshot
caption: The Members tab of a case, with the principal applicant's highlighted card and two family members.
shot: /app/cases/[case]?tab=members — three member cards including the principal, at least one with an application and one without. Demo account, light mode, 1440×900. Redact the principal name in the context bar and every member name, date of birth, and citizenship on the cards.
src: /media/individuals/cases-members-tab.webp
```

## Reading a member card

| On the card | What it is |
|---|---|
| Name | The member's name as it will appear on their forms. |
| **Principal** | The principal applicant. Their card is outlined and sits first. |
| **Spouse** / **Child** / other | The member's relationship to the principal. |
| **#n** | The member number on this case. |
| DOB and Citizenship | The identity details captured when the member was added. |
| **View application →** | The member already has an application. |
| **+ Create Application** | They do not yet. |

Members are always ordered principal first, then spouse or common-law partner, then children, then
anyone else — on this tab and in the case tree. In the case tree, your own row reads **You**.

## Adding a member

The principal applicant is created with the case; you never add them.

1. Select **Add Member**.
2. If you have people saved in your family directory, they are offered first —
   *Choose from your family directory or add someone new*. Pick one, or select **Add New Person**.
3. Fill the form. Every field is required:

| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| **Relationship** | Spouse, Child, or Other. |
| **First Name**, **Last Name** | English letters, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes only. |
| **Date of Birth** | |
| **Citizenship Country** | |
| **Country of Residence** | |
| **Status in country of residence** | |

4. Save. The member appears on the tab, and you can start their application from their card.

Choosing **Spouse** or **Child** pre-fills what Lexpoint already knows from the principal's profile.
The family directory itself is managed at
[**Profile → Family**](https://my.lexpoint.io/app/profile/family).

:::caution[Only one spouse per case]
When a case already has a spouse, the **Spouse** option is disabled in the relationship list.
:::

### When Add Member is blocked

If the case's family composition is fixed by the proposal you signed, **Add Member** is disabled and
explains: *This case is limited to the family members listed on the proposal. Contact your
representative if you need to change the family composition.*

If some family members could not be brought across when the case was created, the tab shows
*Some family members could not be added automatically* and asks you to add them with **+ Add Member**
before submitting.

## Editing and removing members

- The **principal applicant** cannot be edited or removed from this screen.
- A member who already has an application is locked for editing — the pencil is disabled with
  *Delete application first*.
- To remove members, tick their checkboxes and use **Delete** in the toolbar that appears.
  **Select All** ticks every eligible member; the principal's checkbox stays disabled.

## Who sees what

Access is granted at the level of the whole case, not per member.

| Who | What they see |
|---|---|
| The principal applicant | The entire case. |
| Anyone else granted access to the case | The entire case — every member, application, document, and form on it. |
| Everyone else | Nothing. A case page returns not found. |

There is no per-member privacy inside a case. A dependant with access sees the principal's documents
and the principal sees theirs.

Two things stay tied to the principal specifically:

- **Review & Confirm** on IRCC forms is completed by the principal applicant on their own account.
  On another member's form the page reads *Waiting for principal applicant*.
- The case's context bar and case list are labelled with the principal's name.

## Related

- [Case Studio tour](/individuals/cases/case-studio-tour/) — how members appear in the case tree
- [Applications and IRCC forms](/individuals/cases/applications-and-forms/) — who confirms which form
- [Requirements and checklists](/individuals/cases/requirements/) — each member's application has its own checklist
- [Your profile](/individuals/profile/) — where the family directory lives

## Frequently asked questions

### Can my spouse see my documents?

Anyone with access to the case sees the whole case — every member, every application, and the documents and forms on them. Access is not split per person. If that is not what you want, raise it with your representative before uploading.

### Why can I not add another member?

Either the case's family composition is fixed by the proposal you signed, in which case Add Member is disabled with an explanation, or a spouse already exists — a case can hold only one.

### Why can I not edit a member?

A member with an active application is locked for editing; the tooltip reads "Delete application first". The principal applicant cannot be edited or removed from this screen at all.