Brothers flying together - questions at airport

[cliffco]

My sons are travelling together to Toronto soon. The one son is landing to get his study permit issued, and the other is landing for the first time as a PR. They are both adults. I'm concerned about a question at the airport when either is asked if they are travelling with family. "Family" as defined by Canada IRCC includes spouse and children, so this does not apply in this case since they are siblings and therefore not technically family. So if one of them is asked by immigration if they are traveling with family (or just with anyone else), do they answer yes or no?

This also applies if they ask my son coming for study purposes if any family or relatives are living in Canada? At the time of arrival, my son landing for PR is not living there yet, so again, is the answer no (because it is correct at that moment in time) or must one mention the other brother if asked about fmaily living in Canada?

I want them to answer truthfully of course, but I don't want anyone in trouble if they say no because of the "family" definition or the fact that no-one will have commenced living in Canada at the time of arrival.

Thanks

 

[firstax]

My sons are travelling together to Toronto soon. The one son is landing to get his study permit issued, and the other is landing for the first time as a PR. They are both adults. I'm concerned about a question at the airport when either is asked if they are travelling with family. "Family" as defined by Canada IRCC includes spouse and children, so this does not apply in this case since they are siblings and therefore not technically family. So if one of them is asked by immigration if they are traveling with family (or just with anyone else), do they answer yes or no?

This also applies if they ask my son coming for study purposes if any family or relatives are living in Canada? At the time of arrival, my son landing for PR is not living there yet, so again, is the answer no (because it is correct at that moment in time) or must one mention the other brother if asked about fmaily living in Canada?

I want them to answer truthfully of course, but I don't want anyone in trouble if they say no because of the "family" definition or the fact that no-one will have commenced living in Canada at the time of arrival.

Thanks

If they ask just tell them to explain the situation. Tell the border officials exactly what they are here for and who's coming with them. Remember that the border officials have seen multiple scenarios of people arriving so it's normal for siblings to arrive based on different immigration status.

 

[canuck78]

My sons are travelling together to Toronto soon. The one son is landing to get his study permit issued, and the other is landing for the first time as a PR. They are both adults. I'm concerned about a question at the airport when either is asked if they are travelling with family. "Family" as defined by Canada IRCC includes spouse and children, so this does not apply in this case since they are siblings and therefore not technically family. So if one of them is asked by immigration if they are traveling with family (or just with anyone else), do they answer yes or no?

This also applies if they ask my son coming for study purposes if any family or relatives are living in Canada? At the time of arrival, my son landing for PR is not living there yet, so again, is the answer no (because it is correct at that moment in time) or must one mention the other brother if asked about fmaily living in Canada?

I want them to answer truthfully of course, but I don't want anyone in trouble if they say no because of the "family" definition or the fact that no-one will have commenced living in Canada at the time of arrival.

Thanks

I would declare that they are travelling with family. The questions isn’t meant to be the strict definition of family that IRCC uses. Whether you are traveling with a sibling, a cousin, an aunt, a grandparent, a child, etc. they would all be defined as traveling with family. He would also be living with family If he declares he is living with family he will likely be asked what type of family member. He will still be living with his brother even if he is arriving with him on the same flight. Don’t overthink these questions. They are meant to be literal and straightforward.