Canada withdrew the visa requirement for Mexicans in December 2016, but now it’s back.
The Canadian government made official this Thursday the reimposition of visas for Mexicans who wish to visit that country.
The announcement was made by Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller, who assured that it was a measure to reduce the number of Mexicans who come to his country to request refuge.
Immediately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) issued a statement in which it regretted the decision of Justin Trudeau’s government and considered that there were other options before implementing this measure.
In addition, he reiterated that the SRE reserves the right to apply reciprocity, although minutes later President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced in his morning press conference that the measure will not be applied to Canadians.
With the new measure, starting at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 28th, Mexicans traveling to Canada must meet new requirements to be able to obtain an electronic travel authorization (ETA); although if you already have this document, it will be automatically canceled unless the traveler have a valid work or study permit.
Additionally, if you have an ETA application in process, you must apply for a new one or a visitor visa, and if you do not meet the requirements to obtain one, you must apply for a visitor visa to travel to Canada.
“These changes apply, even if you have already booked your trip. “Having a prior travel reservation or a valid ETA does not guarantee that you will be approved for a new ETA or visa,” explained Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller.
In its notice, Immigration Canada asks to wait until after 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 29th, to apply for a visitor visa or reapply for an eTA in order not to overwhelm the system.
“You will not be able to apply for a visitor visa before that date and time. If you reapply for an eTA before that time, your eTA will be canceled at 23:30 and will not be valid for travel,” Marc Miller stated.
In addition, the Canadian Immigration Minister recommended that those who do not have immediate travel plans, must wait to apply for their ETA. This will help avoid delays in the system, so that the application system is available to those who urgently need it.
In its statement, the Mexican Foreign Ministry reported that applications to obtain an ETA must be accompanied by the existence of a US visa or a Canadian visa valid in the last ten years.
TYT Newsroom
