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COVID-19 and Visitors to Canada: Uniting with Family Members

COVID-19 and Visitors to Canada: Uniting with Family Members

With travel to Canada being restricted, family members who are living or have been traveling to different countries are now separated with no guarantee of being able to travel and reunite with each other.

As the pandemic continues, the federal government has provided a list defining who is eligible to travel to and enter the country.

This includes immediate and extended family members who are related to a Canadian citizen, a person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or a permanent resident.

The Canadian government has provided details and the necessary forms that make it possible for family members to unite in Canada. They can apply to be exempt from travel restrictions if they are coming to Canada to be present during the final moments of a loved one, to provide medical support or care for someone who is critically ill, or to attend a funeral or end of life ceremony.

Family members seeking to travel to Canada, must quarantine for 14 days and must adhere to all public health measures for travellers. Note that as of December 30, 2020, anyone traveling into Canada must show a negative COVID-19 PCR test result before boarding a flight within 72 hours prior to departure. In addition, international travellers coming into Ontario are offered “free and voluntary” coronavirus testing at Toronto Pearson airport terminals 1 and 3 as an added safety measure.

Below you will find the essential information you need or require to go through the process.

How to Unite with Immediate Family in Canada

What is considered an Immediate Family Member in Canada?

An immediate family member is defined by the government of Canada as being:

  • A document that shows your immediate family member’s status as a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident. Examples:

    • A Canadian passport
    • Proof of Canadian citizenship
    • A secure certificate of Indian status, certificate of Indian status or temporary confirmation of registration document (TCRD)
    • A Canadian permanent resident card
    • A Canadian permanent resident travel document

  • A document that shows your relationship to that family member. Examples:

    • A marriage certificate
    • Proof of common-law status
    • A birth certificate
    • A Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) for one of either:
      • the family class
      • the one-year window of opportunity provision
    • Other document examples:
      • Government correspondence showing a spousal sponsorship application in progress
      • Documents showing a shared address

Travelling to Canada

To travel to Canada to unite with an immediate family member, you will need to fulfill the requirements to get into Canada. While an immediate family member does not need a written authorization confirming they are exempt from travel restrictions, you will still need to ensure you can board a flight and travel to Canada.

  • Follow all airline requirements and pass a health check conducted by airline officials to confirm that you don’t have symptoms of COVID-19 and have been given a negative COVID-19 test result within the last 72 hours before travel.
  • Let the airline that you’re exempt from the travel restrictions
  • Ensure that you have a valid travel document, such as:
  • Present your documents that prove you are an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or Canadian permanent resident
  • Show that you are eligible to travel
    • You must be able to prove one of the following:
      • You are staying in Canada for 15 days or more
      • You are travelling for a non-discretionary purpose

How to Unite with Extended Family in Canada

What is considered an Extended Family Member in Canada?

An extended family member is defined by the government of Canada as follows:

If your relationship is with a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident, you must be:

  • in an exclusive dating relationship, have been in the relationship for at least 1 year and have spent time in the physical presence of that person at some point during the relationship
    • You and the person you’re in the relationship with must both be 18 years of age or older.
  • a non-dependent child (adult child)
  • a grandchild (dependent child of a non-dependent adult child)
  • a sibling, half-sibling or step-sibling
  • a grandparent

If you’re related to the spouse or common-law partner of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident, you must be a:

  • non-dependent child (adult child)
  • grandchild (dependent child of a non-dependent adult child)
  • sibling, half-sibling or step-sibling
  • grandparent

If you’re related to someone in an exclusive dating relationship with a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident, you must be a:

  • dependent child
  • non-dependent child (adult child)
  • grandchild (dependent child of a non-dependent adult child)

Source: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and visitors to Canada: Uniting with family members, Canada.ca

Travelling to Canada

To travel to Canada to unite with an extended family member in Canada, you will need to first fill in the form and fulfill the requirements to get into Canada.

You must first fill out and sign the application for authorization and statutory declaration form and send it to the family member seeking to travel to Canada. They must then sign the form themselves and send it back to you.

Once it is received by you in Canada, you must sign the form by solemn declaration. You can do this with a notary public. Afterwards, you must send a copy of the signed and completed form to your family member seeking to travel to Canada. Once signed by solemn declaration, your family member has up until 6 months to travel to Canada. Otherwise, a new statutory declaration will be needed.

Your family must then request a written authorization to travel to Canada, whether traveling from the US or any other country, which can be done with the copy of the signed form you sent them. It will be used to prove your relationship to that family member. They will also need to provide proof of your citizenship, restoration under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent residency (copies of your birth certificate, passport, permanent resident card, TCRD or certificate of Indian status).

Your family member must bring both the copy of the complete and signed application for authorization and statutory declaration and the written authorization to travel. All documents must be valid.

When going through airlines, they must present the copy of the application and the written authorization to travel when stating that they are exempt from travel restrictions, providing proof that they received a negative COVID-19 test result within the last 72 hours before travel. They must also be prepared to prove their relationship to you with copies of your documents proving you are a citizen, permanent resident, etc…

Get your Application Signed by Solemn Declaration with OMQ Law

OMQ Toronto Notary Public can help notarize solemn declarations for the application. If you have questions or need assistance, please call our lawyers at 416-735-9091 for more information.