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Border Restriction Exemption for Extended Family Members and Compassionate Entry

Validated finding · five-country-2010-20260922-v118-evidence-presentation-fix

CountryCanada
Operative dateOctober 8, 2020
CategoryAdmission / border control
Policy toolTravel exemption / statutory declaration / written authorization
Affected groupExtended family members and compassionate travellers

Policy effect

The Government of Canada updated emergency border restriction orders to permit extended family members of Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons registered under the Indian Act (including dating partners of at least 1 year, adult children, grandchildren, siblings, and grandparents) to enter Canada with a statutory declaration and written IRCC authorization, and established an exemption mechanism for entry on compassionate grounds. Phase scope: Full national implementation across land and air ports of entry beginning October 8, 2020.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: The Government of Canada updated emergency border restriction orders to permit extended family members of Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons registered under the Indian Act (including dating partners of at least 1 year, adult children, grandchildren, siblings, and grandparents) to enter Canada with a statutory declaration and written IRCC authorization, and established an exemption mechanism for entry on compassionate grounds.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… optional purpose. - The Order in Council for travellers entering Canada from a country other than the United States, restricts all foreign nationals from entering if they do not meet one of the listed exemptions and are traveling for a discretionary or optional purpose. ### Family Reunification - In June, the Government of Canada amended the Orders in Council as they relate to foreign national immediate family members - such as spouses, partners, parents or dependent children – of Canadian citizens, persons registered under the Indian Act, and permanent residents, to facilitate their travel to … Canada, while respecting all public health protocols and measures. - To further facilitate family reunification in Canada, the Orders were updated on October 8, 2020 to include a new exemption provision for extended family members of Canadian citizens, persons registered under the Indian Act, and permanent residents. Now, exclusive dating partners and their dependent children, adult children and their children, siblings and grandparents are exempt from the prohibition on entry. #### If pressed on process for clients in an exclusive dating relationship: - Regardless of where they are travelling from, extended family members such as those in an exclusive dating relationship, must request and obtain written authorization from IRCC. An exclusive dating relationship means the person is in a romantic relationship with a Canadian citizen, person registered under the Indian Act, 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 of an exclusive dating relationship 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 - How to request written authorization depends on whether or not they already have a valid travel document (visitor visa or eTA) as there are separate designated channels, but they will nevertheless need to provide a completed statutory declaration that their family member has solemnly declared before a Canadian authorized official attesting to their relationship. - The Department strives to respond to requests within 14 business days of getting a complete request. However, if … multiple requests with different information is submitted, the processing of the authorization may be delayed. In addition to meeting all regular eligibility and admissibility requirements for travel and entry to Canada, extended family members will need to travel with both this authorization, as well as the statutory declaration, to be permitted to travel to and enter Canada. - Immediate and extended family members of Canadian citizens, persons registered under the Indian Act, and permanent residents no longer have to demonstrate they are coming to Canada for a non-discretionary purpose, provided … authorization from IRCC. - Since October 8, 2020 individuals may now seek an exemption for compassionate grounds, as well as an exemption (also known as a limited release) from the quarantine period, which is solely administered by PHAC, to provide care for critically ill relatives and loved ones, be present for the final moments of life for a loved one, or attend a funeral or end-of-life ceremony. ### Parents and Grandparents Program - After carefully considering all safety precautions due to the global pandemic and its impact on the Department’s capacity to process applications over the past … attend a secondary school in Canada. The guardian or tutor should be able to demonstrate that they habitually reside at the same address as the minor. Officers should be flexible in accepting documentary evidence. In contrast to the immediate family member definition, the extended family member definition does not apply to familial relations of temporary residents in Canada. ### Extended family members in respect of a Canadian citizen, person registered as an Indian under the *Indian Act* or permanent resident are: - an individual who is in an exclusive dating relationship with the person, has been in such a relationship for at least 1 year and has spent time in the physical presence of the person during the course of the relationship - a dependent child of the person in the exclusive dating relationship - a child of the person, of their spouse or common-law partner or of the person in the exclusive dating relationship - a dependent child of a child (that is, a grandchild) - a sibling, half-sibling or step-sibling of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner - a grandparent of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner ## Page details 2021-03-15 ## About …
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, CACN - Family Reunification and Compassionate Exemptions (Nov 16, 2020)Open official source
Retrieved from https://canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/cacn-nov-16-2020/cacn-family-reunification-compassionate-exemptions-nov-16-2020.html

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Automated source validation is not independent human legal review. The finding should not be treated as legal advice. Record fcp5-874ccd352efe62fedb62. Something wrong? Flag this record.

Other Canada changes operative in 2020