Landing at YVR with NO english!

[esims2003]

My husband will be landing at YVR (Vancouver) Airport on Dec 8. He is travelling alone, and does not speak a word of english. Can anybody give me some advice on what I can do / prepare for him to help him get through the landing process. Does anybody know if there are translators on hand? Is it possible for me to be allowed to go through the landing process with him? Any information on the landing process at YVR would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

 

[parker24]

My husband will be landing at YVR (Vancouver) Airport on Dec 8. He is travelling alone, and does not speak a word of english. Can anybody give me some advice on what I can do / prepare for him to help him get through the landing process. Does anybody know if there are translators on hand? Is it possible for me to be allowed to go through the landing process with him? Any information on the landing process at YVR would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

There are interpreters at every airport, just have your husband start talking in his native language and they will figure out who he can talk to If possible, have your husband say what language he speaks and it might make it easier. But they ALWAYS have someone speaking some language at the airport

 

[bacontoaster]

In addition, since he will be living in Canada, he should at least make sure to learn some very basic phrases in English that will get him through to the airport. For example:

Hello, Thank you, I don't speak English etc.

Also for the VO:

"I only speak _________. May I have a translator?"

 

[canadianwoman]

There's a translation desk at Vancouver airport. Maybe try contacting them and asking if they have any advice for preparing for this. Maybe have him also carry a note he can show the border agent stating that 1. He cannot speak any English. 2. He speaks Spanish. 3. He is here to 'land' with a PR visa.

 

[chipits]

Yeah, I definitely recommend the note for sure. Much better than even teaching him a few phrases, since chances are the pronounciation won't be fantastic.

 

[OhCanadiana]

It would probably help if he has all his landing documents together, including passport, CoPRs, B4s (already completed, ideally with two copies), and a slip of paper with your address and cell phone number as well as a note with a brief description of what he's doing that you can draft for him ahead of time (as canadianwoman suggested). During the landing procedure, the officers will be asking him questions to confirm his citizenship, marital status, and number of dependents (the info on the CoPR) before having him sign it so the translator will probably have to help with that conversation - you can prep him to expect it and consider having translations in a document you prepare for him in two columns to make it easy for him to point to. I would also make sure he has your cell phone number handy (perhaps with a note from you to the VO to call you if you can help in any way, especially given the language barriers).

Something else to consider would be to have him to fly via the US (assuming he has or can get a visa) and either drive over the Canadian border together if he gets to Seattle or have you join him for the last leg of his journey. While he may still have a language barrier, it would be a less complicated procedure he'd be facing.

¡Buena suerte! with whatever path you choose.

 

[CKnD]

Similar to what was mentioned above ... You can send your husband some phrases in English with translations in (his language) .. and have him put him on Q-cards.

This way he knows what he's showing people and trying to get across.
Some of the phrases mention in this threat are good.

PS. I would send him one .. asking for a translator

 

[frege]

This almost certainly isn't relevant, but your post calls something to mind.

There's a famous case of a new permanent resident who landed at Vancouver Airport without speaking English. Things didn't finish well for him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dziekański_Taser_incident


From Wikipedia:
"The airport has also been criticized over the incident, particularly regarding security cameras that were not functioning, no translation services available for communicating with non-English speakers, the airport supervisor's failure to call the airport's own paramedics resulting in a twelve-minute wait for city paramedics to arrive, and for staff not helping Dziekański's mother locate her son."

 

[rjessome]

There's a translation desk at Vancouver airport. Maybe try contacting them and asking if they have any advice for preparing for this. Maybe have him also carry a note he can show the border agent stating that 1. He cannot speak any English. 2. He speaks Spanish. 3. He is here to 'land' with a PR visa.

Best advice so far. I would expand a little. Along with his passport, tell him to hand a note to the immigration officer that says:

I am landing as a permanent resident to Canada having been sponsored by my wife. I do not speak any English or French. I speak Spanish and will require a translator so I may answer any questions you may have. My wife's name is xxxxxxx and our address in Canada is:

My wife is waiting for me in the arrivals area. She would be happy to translate if you will allow it. Thank you.

He won't be giving his landing documents to the first immigration officer he meets, only in secondary immigration. The first officer will be able to tell why he's there by these documents but they will be handed back to him to take to secondary. This may confuse him. So make sure he is prepared for the procedural things that will take place during landing.

 

[esims2003]

Thank you everybody for your suggestions, it will certainly help im sure! I will be sending my husband a letter in english to hand to the immigration officer upon arrival, as well as a paper as suggested with different phrases that he may need to use both in english and spanish. I will be ready and waiting for him should they need my help. Poor guy, he is sooo scared! Never been on a flight, and now doing a 24 hour trip, with 2 layovers, and a landing in Canada with no english. I was originally planning to fly to ecuador and return to Canada with him, it is just not possible for me to do now. So, I have my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

 

[Sweden]

Thank you everybody for your suggestions, it will certainly help im sure! I will be sending my husband a letter in english to hand to the immigration officer upon arrival, as well as a paper as suggested with different phrases that he may need to use both in english and spanish. I will be ready and waiting for him should they need my help. Poor guy, he is sooo scared! Never been on a flight, and now doing a 24 hour trip, with 2 layovers, and a landing in Canada with no english. I was originally planning to fly to ecuador and return to Canada with him, it is just not possible for me to do now. So, I have my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

I'm sure he will do well, with the letter in english, the information, you not far away - and spanish is a pretty "common" language... so i'm sure he will find fellow passengers that can help him go through all the way to the landing part - on the same flight as him, most people would probably speak spanish and english, so he'll make friends during the travel, and somebody will be nice enough to help him get to the right desk....
Good luck!
Sweden

 

[CKnD]

Thank you everybody for your suggestions, it will certainly help im sure! I will be sending my husband a letter in english to hand to the immigration officer upon arrival, as well as a paper as suggested with different phrases that he may need to use both in english and spanish. I will be ready and waiting for him should they need my help. Poor guy, he is sooo scared! Never been on a flight, and now doing a 24 hour trip, with 2 layovers, and a landing in Canada with no english. I was originally planning to fly to ecuador and return to Canada with him, it is just not possible for me to do now. So, I have my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

Best of luck to you both in your new life in Canada, may it be full of kindness and blessings

 

[Isometry]

Thank you everybody for your suggestions, it will certainly help im sure! I will be sending my husband a letter in english to hand to the immigration officer upon arrival, as well as a paper as suggested with different phrases that he may need to use both in english and spanish. I will be ready and waiting for him should they need my help. Poor guy, he is sooo scared! Never been on a flight, and now doing a 24 hour trip, with 2 layovers, and a landing in Canada with no english. I was originally planning to fly to ecuador and return to Canada with him, it is just not possible for me to do now. So, I have my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

For a 24-hour travel, I'd recommend including phrases asking for food and a bathroom, as well as the time (across time zones). I know airports have signs for those things, but if he hasn't flown at all before making everything easier is good.

Good luck, and congratulations!

 

[esims2003]

For a 24-hour travel, I'd recommend including phrases asking for food and a bathroom, as well as the time (across time zones). I know airports have signs for those things, but if he hasn't flown at all before making everything easier is good.

Good luck, and congratulations!

Luckily both of his layovers are in spanish speaking countries , the first in Bogota, Colombia, and the second in Mexico City, so he should have no problems speaking with others there. Im just hoping he can figure out how to get to his gates without any problems. I guess I will see if he gets here lol!