Travel to Canada to reunite with family

[chiggins82 88]

Curious if anyone can share their experience. I'm a Canadian citizen, married to US citizen and living in the US. My husband and I want to drive to Canada to reunite with family in August. Under the current criteria, I can't figure out if my husband can cross the border? 

 

I think I clearly qualify as a citizen, but is my husband ok to travel with me too reunite with his inlaws (my parents)?

 

Has anyone done this and any hassle at the border?

[mushroomspore 3,044]

35 minutes ago, chiggins82 said:

Curious if anyone can share their experience. I'm a Canadian citizen, married to US citizen and living in the US. My husband and I want to drive to Canada to reunite with family in August. Under the current criteria, I can't figure out if my husband can cross the border? 

 

I think I clearly qualify as a citizen, but is my husband ok to travel with me too reunite with his inlaws (my parents)?

 

Has anyone done this and any hassle at the border?

Have your husband answer the questionnaire on the Canadian government's official website and see what it ends up saying : https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/wizard-start

 

My husband is a US citizen too and I just tried the questionnaire as if he and I are trying to go to Canada. It said that my husband MIGHT be allowed in but it'd ultimately depend on the border agent. My husband would also have to adhere to the following regulations:

 

Quote

What you need to do next

• demonstrate that you plan to stay in Canada for 15 days or more
• complete and bring a signed statutory declaration proving your extended family relationship with them
• bring written authorization from an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officer
• be prepared to provide additional proof to show that you’re an extended family member if asked
  • for example, a birth certificate or other documents that show a family connection, such as documents that show a shared address
• you must meet testing and quarantine requirements. Use the checklist for your method of entry:
  • Entering Canada requirements checklist

 

[chiggins82 88]

So I guess my problem is I don't know. The visit is to see my parents, not his so I don't know how to answer that question on the checklist because it doesn't really define it for someone to see a father in-law. It's clear he can come to Canada to visit me, but we'll cross the border at the same time. While I know it's always to some extent up to the person at the border, it would be good to have a bit more information before we go... I thought maybe someone on here has traveled back by now with a spouse and might be able to share

[mushroomspore 3,044]

22 minutes ago, chiggins82 said:

So I guess my problem is I don't know. The visit is to see my parents, not his so I don't know how to answer that question on the checklist because it doesn't really define it for someone to see a father in-law. It's clear he can come to Canada to visit me, but we'll cross the border at the same time. While I know it's always to some extent up to the person at the border, it would be good to have a bit more information before we go... I thought maybe someone on here has traveled back by now with a spouse and might be able to share

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I haven't traveled or tried to travel to Canada since COVID has happened. The only Canadians I know who did travel were Canadians who were stuck in the USA or elsewhere and then traveled back to Canada solo just to get back home. I don't know any Canadians who traveled back to Canada with a foreign spouse or significant other or friend. Ultimately, your options are:

 

1. Don't travel yet. I saw some headline saying Trudeau said the government is trying to open the Canada-US border up to vaccinated Americans by August.

2. Go solo to Canada.

3. Take the chance and go to the border with your husband and all the necessary paperwork. If you and your husband are both vaxxed, I'm guessing that that would help your chances quite a bit. But obviously I cannot say for certain.

[chiggins82 88]

Just now, mushroomspore said:

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I haven't traveled or tried to travel to Canada since COVID has happened. The only Canadians I know who did travel were Canadians who were stuck in the USA or elsewhere and then traveled back to Canada solo just to get back home. I don't know any Canadians who traveled back to Canada with a foreign spouse or significant other or friend. Ultimately, your options are:

 

1. Don't travel yet. I saw some headline saying Trudeau said the government is trying to open the Canada-US border up to vaccinated Americans by August.

2. Go solo to Canada.

3. Take the chance and go to the border with your husband and all the necessary paperwork. If you and your husband are both vaxxed, I'm guessing that that would help your chances quite a bit. But obviously I cannot say for certain.

I haven't traveled back either, but that's why I'm asking to see if anyone else has.

 

My dad is in failing health and facing surgery that he may not make it through. We have tentative plans to drive back at the end of August and banking on the rumors about more relaxing for vaccinated US citizens.. but yeah, worst case I'll go alone. 

 

My question is on the definitions and if anyone has experience that might shed a bit of light on what it means in this situation. I've tried to contact the border, but haven't heard back yet.

 

Really just curious if anyone has successfully had their US spouse travel with them successfully.

[mushroomspore 3,044]

1 minute ago, chiggins82 said:

I haven't traveled back either, but that's why I'm asking to see if anyone else has.

 

My dad is in failing health and facing surgery that he may not make it through. We have tentative plans to drive back at the end of August and banking on the rumors about more relaxing for vaccinated US citizens.. but yeah, worst case I'll go alone. 

 

My question is on the definitions and if anyone has experience that might shed a bit of light on what it means in this situation. I've tried to contact the border, but haven't heard back yet.

 

Really just curious if anyone has successfully had their US spouse travel with them successfully.

Yeah if your plans are for late August, then fingers crossed the border will be open for vaxxed Americans. My guess is (at this point) you'll be hard-pressed to hear about any Americans who managed to enter Canada since the border's been very tight.

[Benjamin44 10]

9 hours ago, chiggins82 said:

Curious if anyone can share their experience. I'm a Canadian citizen, married to US citizen and living in the US. My husband and I want to drive to Canada to reunite with family in August. Under the current criteria, I can't figure out if my husband can cross the border? 

 

I think I clearly qualify as a citizen, but is my husband ok to travel with me too reunite with his inlaws (my parents)?

 

Has anyone done this and any hassle at the border?

I'm in the same situation as you- Canadian married to American, living in the US. We have gone back and forth to visit Canada about 6 times now since COVID started- without any problem whatsoever. (We always drove in a personal vehicle and went right to place of quarantine- which was my father's place- and then left straight home from there, so it was perfectly safe.) Immediate family members of Canadian citizens have been allowed into Canada under a special rule that has been in effect since June 8, 2020. There is absolutely no problem for you or anyone else in that situation to enter Canada, I'm a bit surprised people on this thread didn't realize this? Maybe not everyone is driving distance like we are, and weren't comfortable taking a flight during COVID (neither were we), who knows. But it doesn't matter where you live or who you are visiting- you can cross together and your husband is allowed in as an immediate relative of a Canadian.

 

You will need to bring your marriage certificate that shows your husband is an immediate relative of a Canadian, and you will need proof of Canadian citizenship. Note that you don't need a Canadian passport- crossing back and forth on your US passport or Green Card is fine, but without one you would need proof of Canadian citizenship such as a birth certificate for example. 

 

Under the rule starting July 5, you won't need to quarantine if both of you are vaccinated. You will still need a test within 72 hours of departure and another one at the border. Once that one comes back negative you're released from quarantine. You will need to upload your vaccine cards on the ArriveCan app before you leave- that app and the associated website explain pretty well how to register before you leave. You still need to have a quarantine plan in case your test comes back negative. 

Technically, there is a rule that the foreign spouse needs to stay 15 days in Canada- this is not a quarantine rule, normally it is totally fine to leave the country during the original quarantine as long as you go straight- but rather an immigration rule specifically for non-Canadian family members. It is not clear if it still applies as of July 5 for vaccinated travelers. But either way, the rule is unenforceable- you don't need to pass exit controls to leave Canada, they don't keep foreigners in the country after all, so there's nothing stopping him from leaving early, especially since plans can change. You just may need to have an original plan for him to be there 15 days in order to get in in the first place. All 6 times we have gone, it has been for 5 days or less and we have never had a problem re-entering. But again- that rule might be gone now since July 5, it's really not clear.

 

They also just announced today that as of August all vaccinated Americans will be able to enter even if they don't have Canadian family. So the 15 day rule will be gone at that point for sure. But in your situation, there's really no need to wait until then.

 

Let me know if you have any questions!

Edited July 19, 2021 by Benjamin44

[chiggins82 88]

1 hour ago, Benjamin44 said:

I'm in the same situation as you- Canadian married to American, living in the US. We have gone back and forth to visit Canada about 6 times now since COVID started- without any problem whatsoever. (We always drove in a personal vehicle and went right to place of quarantine- which was my father's place- and then left straight home from there, so it was perfectly safe.) Immediate family members of Canadian citizens have been allowed into Canada under a special rule that has been in effect since June 8, 2020. There is absolutely no problem for you or anyone else in that situation to enter Canada, I'm a bit surprised people on this thread didn't realize this? Maybe not everyone is driving distance like we are, and weren't comfortable taking a flight during COVID (neither were we), who knows. But it doesn't matter where you live or who you are visiting- you can cross together and your husband is allowed in as an immediate relative of a Canadian.

 

You will need to bring your marriage certificate that shows your husband is an immediate relative of a Canadian, and you will need proof of Canadian citizenship. Note that you don't need a Canadian passport- crossing back and forth on your US passport or Green Card is fine, but without one you would need proof of Canadian citizenship such as a birth certificate for example. 

 

Under the rule starting July 5, you won't need to quarantine if both of you are vaccinated. You will still need a test within 72 hours of departure and another one at the border. Once that one comes back negative you're released from quarantine. You will need to upload your vaccine cards on the ArriveCan app before you leave- that app and the associated website explain pretty well how to register before you leave. You still need to have a quarantine plan in case your test comes back negative. 

Technically, there is a rule that the foreign spouse needs to stay 15 days in Canada- this is not a quarantine rule, normally it is totally fine to leave the country during the original quarantine as long as you go straight- but rather an immigration rule specifically for non-Canadian family members. It is not clear if it still applies as of July 5 for vaccinated travelers. But either way, the rule is unenforceable- you don't need to pass exit controls to leave Canada, they don't keep foreigners in the country after all, so there's nothing stopping him from leaving early, especially since plans can change. You just may need to have an original plan for him to be there 15 days in order to get in in the first place. All 6 times we have gone, it has been for 5 days or less and we have never had a problem re-entering. But again- that rule might be gone now since July 5, it's really not clear.

 

They also just announced today that as of August all vaccinated Americans will be able to enter even if they don't have Canadian family. So the 15 day rule will be gone at that point for sure. But in your situation, there's really no need to wait until then.

 

Let me know if you have any questions!

This is so helpful! Thanks! I guess I should have been patient for another day since they released the date for US travelers, but gives me some extra reassurance to hear your experience. 🙂

[Crtcl Rice Theory 2,432]

On 7/19/2021 at 7:49 AM, chiggins82 said:

I haven't traveled back either, but that's why I'm asking to see if anyone else has.

 

My dad is in failing health and facing surgery that he may not make it through. We have tentative plans to drive back at the end of August and banking on the rumors about more relaxing for vaccinated US citizens.. but yeah, worst case I'll go alone. 

 

My question is on the definitions and if anyone has experience that might shed a bit of light on what it means in this situation. I've tried to contact the border, but haven't heard back yet.

 

Really just curious if anyone has successfully had their US spouse travel with them successfully.

We did, but be sure to bring a official copy of your Wedding Certificate. We traveled by car together, carried proof of negative testing and our second vaccination.Be sure to leverage the ArriveCan app and have a plan for quarantine ( i.e. we will live at my parents if the test comes back positive). 

 

Be prepared for  nerve wracking I assume you saw yesterday's news:

Canada to open border to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug. 9

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/19/canada-us-border-open/