Hi everyone,
I got a few question
My parents got COPR on 18 March 2020.
Are they allowed to board on AIR INDIA repatriation flights or not as boarding is very confusing and stressful at this point in time?
As AI says domestic passengers are not allowed on these flights? Just wondering, my parents are Indian nationals with COPR issued on 18 March 2020?
Can someone share their experience?
Also, can someone help me with the steps involved from boarding to landing in the current scenario if my parents take this repatriation flight from India?
I heard about arrive can app. What's the purpose of this app?
Thanks in advance!
1. Your parents are exempt from travel restrictions because they got COPR "
on 18 March 2020" which is the cut off date for people to travel with their COPRs. Here is the link to CIC page and scroll down to "If we already approved your PR".
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/immigration-applicants.html
2. Your parents are not domestic passengers as they are travelling to Canada. What I think AI meant was that if there's a connecting flight within your country, some folks may not be allowed onboard. But, I don't have specific knowledge with regard to India and its restrictions.
3. My suggestion is to type up the explanation as to why they are exempt under current Canadian restrictions and why they are travelling with a link to the official CIC site in case they want to verify the info. I'd hilight the date they got COPR and show the relevant travel exemption from Canada. One of my friends said that she got emails from CIC notifying her that her parents are exempt from travel restrictions. If you got those emails, include that in your explanation. That will help along with questions from airlines, and help facilitate with boarding and landing process.
4. ArriveCan App is specifically for quarantine plan for people who are travelling from outside Canada. You can download it on your phone or fill it out on the web 48 hours before they travel. Once completed, it will give you two bar codes. Send those codes to your parents for them to print and bring along with them. They need to show it to CBSA upon landing at Vancouver or Toronto airports.
Hope that helps.