Today, October 8, IRCC has added “How to unite with extended family members who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents” to its information page “Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and visitors to Canada: Uniting with family members” (to which a handful of consequential changes have been made, e.g. the page used to be called “Uniting with immediate family members” as in the version archived October 3).
Also important are the eligibility requirements for Extended family members of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, which are that one must be an extended family member as defined in the instructions, either (1) be staying for 15 days or more and have a quarantine plan or (2) be travelling for an essential (non-discretionary) purpose; and have written authorization.
To receive authorization, an application must be submitted and approved (more details on the instructions below). The classes of extended family are defined as follows:
- If your relationship is with a Canadian citizen 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
- 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 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 or permanent resident, you must be a
- dependent child
- non-dependent child (adult child)
- grandchild (dependent child of a non-dependent adult child)
The definition of “exclusive dating relationship is also given:
An exclusive dating relationship means you’re in a romantic relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, 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.
Examples include
- fiancé(e)
- committed romantic partners for at least 1 year who lived together but don’t meet the definition of common-law
- boyfriends, girlfriends or any other couple in an intimate, loving relationship
Application Process
The application process with the new application for authorization and statutory declaration (IMM 0006) involves sending it back and forth between the “anchor” relative in Canada and the prospective visitor.
Oddly, IRCC states that “Your family member who is the Canadian citizen or permanent resident must fill out” the form, but there is no principled reason for this – the form requires information on both parties.
The first party to sign the form is the prospective visitor (so practically, it should be expected that the prospective visitor is typing up the form in most cases).
After the prospective visitor signs the form, it is sent to the Canadian anchor relative who “must sign the form by solemn declaration”. Then it must be sent back to the prospective visitor, who uses it as the basis of a request for authorization to travel. The request for authorization process depends on whether the prospective visitor has:
- Already applied for a visa (in which case the new document should be added to the application);
- Has not yet, but will need to, apply for a visa (in which case the new document will be included in the application); or
- Have an eTA or be applying for an eTA, in which case the Web Form must be used to provide the new document