"Will your spouse accompany you to Canada?" Unsure what to answer for Visitor Visa, please help

[Tinjoi]

Hello everyone. So, I am filling out the paperwork online for the Visitor Visa, and I find myself with a slightly confusing situation.

My spouse and I are planning a trip to Canada for the holidays late 2026. She lives in and is from the US, she is a US citizen. I am from South America and live down here as well. In filling out the paperwork online, however, I am faced with the question in the title: "Will your spouse/common-law partner accompany you to Canada?", followed by "Answer "yes" even if your spouse will join you later."

My spouse and I do not live in the same country, we would be meeting in Canada, she would be flying from the US and I from my home country. So technically speaking, yes, she will join me in Canada. But, in clicking "yes", it tells me that I can't "use this application to apply for a visitor visa for the option you selected".

So, I am left with a couple of questions.

1. What option would be appropiate if not a Visitor Visa?
2. Does this mean I cannot use the online application to apply for a Visitor Visa and I may need to go to the embassy in person for this?
3. Am I misreading the question and the answer should be "No"? Is "join you later" different from "meeting in"? As my spouse and I would be flying alone and separately, both to enter and leave the country, and so therefore we are not accompanying each other?

Any help is appreciated, thank you in advance.

 

[CanGoldDigger]

But, in clicking "yes", it tells me that I can't "use this application to apply for a visitor visa for the option you selected".

Is there any reason provided?

 

[Tinjoi]

Is there any reason provided?

There isn't, it simply says "You can't use this application to apply for a visitor visa for the option you selected."

That's why my question 3 comes to mind. Is the question actually saying that if I click "Yes" that my spouse will be coming from my country too? In a way, assuming that my spouse joining me means they are making the trip with me, and therefore it stops being me travelling alone, and therefore the Visitor Visa isn't the right one?

Cause if so, my spouse doesn't live with me, and would be coming in from a completely different country. So, by the standards of the question, she won't be joining me later on, cause the trips and Visa status of each of us are completely different, even if we are indeed meeting in Canada.

AKA, am I misunderstanding the question slightly, and meeting there is different than me joining me there?