If you are an extended family, you do not need a non-optional, non-discretionary reason to travel to Canada. If you are directly connected to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can be exempt if you have been in an exclusive dating relationship, for at least one year and have spent time in the physical presence of that person at some point during the relationship.

So I needed a signed declaration by the Canadian (Wayde) that confirms our relationship. Then we had to send that to the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada IRCC for written authorization for me to visit.

We submitted our paperwork in November and the best part is it’s good for multiple entries into Canada and valid for up to six months so we didn’t have to fill one out every time I want to visit. 

It requires both our signatures, so I had to mail him the documents for him to sign and then be notarized and once it’s sent in it could take up to two weeks for the Canadian government to approve. 

The rules have changed since the last time I was here. Even though I am fully vaxxed I do still have to quarantine for two weeks and this time I need to have a covid test within 72 hours of crossing, then I had one done at the border, and tomorrow I need to do this one.