Do not assume identical procedures. Review each person’s citizenship, relationship, status and intended activity, even when the household lives together in Canada.
Check permissions after the appropriate status step
Qualifying L spouses are employment authorized incident to status with appropriate documentation. Children do not receive work permission solely through L dependent status. A shared itinerary does not establish everyone’s immigration status or permitted activities.
Confirm the spouse’s valid L dependent status and appropriate spouse-specific I-94 evidence for work authorization. Every traveler in the household needs an individually valid travel document and current, matching status evidence, since a shared family booking confirms only that seats were purchased together for the same itinerary. Check the expiration date on each person's travel document separately, because a document expiring partway through the trip creates a problem for that traveler alone, regardless of what the rest of the household has already planned. An officer reviewing entry at the border evaluates each traveler's paperwork independently, so prepare a complete, individually organized folder for every family member rather than relying on a single shared set of documents. Confirm that the spouse's evidence of status matches the name, date of birth, and other identifying details on the travel document exactly, since even a minor discrepancy can prompt additional questions at the point of entry.