From this Thursday onwards The Canadian government has again asked Mexican visitors for a visa, repealing the measure approved in 2016 that only required a travel declaration to enter the country as a tourist for a maximum period of 6 months. What impact will it have on my trip? How can I enter if I don’t have a Canadian visa? How much does the permit cost me? These are some doubts that have arisen regarding the new provision.
Why did Canada ask Mexicans for visas again?
Since mid-January Quebec Prime Minister François Legault reported that there has been a massive increase in the number of asylum applications from Mexicans. The local leader called in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reinstate the requirement to stop the wave of Mexican migrants by ensuring the situation had become untenable.
During 2023 Mexico led the way with 25,236 asylum applications. This means they outnumber migrants from Haiti and Colombia in applications. Legault noted that the lack of visa requirements for Mexicans contributed “in part” to the increase. According to the Canadian authorities’ report, some Mexicans are taking advantage of the benefit to first fly to Canada and then enter the United States illegally.
The U.S. government has also called on Ottawa to reinstate visa requirements to curb a sharp increase in illegal border crossings from Canada to the United States.
Since 2023, thousands of migrants have taken advantage of the opportunity to cross this border without restrictions Because there are fewer restrictions, and most importantly, there is no fortified border wall between the two nations. There were reports of migrants asking for taxis and They traveled on buses paid for by the government so that they could be taken to border towns and crossed illegally.
Since when is the visa valid for entering Canada?
From now on. Measure officially comes into force this Thursday at 10:30 p.m. (Central Mexican Time), so today is practically the last day before the set time when you can enter the country without a visa. The new requirement is expected to affect about 40% of all Mexican travelers to Canada, according to officials interviewed by public broadcaster CBC.
Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government had already imposed a visa requirement on Mexico in 2009 to stem the flow of asylum applications, but Trudeau’s government relaxed it in 2016.
Who does the new Canadian visa apply to?
From now on it applies to every Mexican who wants to enter Canada as a traveller. However, the good news is that the new rules will not represent a complete return to the rules introduced before 2016. Mexicans with certain types of US visas and Anyone entering Canada with a study or work permit does not need to apply for a Canadian visa.
In addition, Mexicans who received valid visas under the previous system at any time within the past decade will not need to reapply under the new requirements. Whoever processes the new visa applies for a period of 10 years and allows the traveler to enter Canada multiple times and stay for up to six months in a row. Of course, it is at the discretion of customs officials to limit the duration of the visa or the number of visits.
I’m traveling to Canada but don’t have a visa. What should I do?
If you have applied for an eTA for an upcoming trip, which is used to identify you as a foreigner in Canada, from this point onwards it will be automatically canceled and you will need to apply for a new permit, unless you have a work permit. or study permit. in force.
Currently, In order to enter Canada easily, one of the two types of visa is required.: current U.S. citizen or holder of a Canadian work or residence visa within the past 10 years. This added the passport and eTA authorization, so Canadian authorities recommend that the flight, if not already scheduled, be processed later to avoid system overload.
The Canadian Embassy in Mexico warned that Mexican travelers should expect delays arriving at Canadian airports due to changes to entry requirements that will officially take effect tomorrow, March 1.
He added that Mexicans who are in Canada and do not have a valid work or study permit can stay for the approved period, but their eTA will be cancelled. He added that if they want to leave Canada and return, they will need a visa or a new eTA provided they meet the requirements.
Where is the Canada visa processed and how much does it cost?
The Canada visa can be processed completely online and costs 100 Canadian dollars. (approx. 1,260 Mexican pesos) and various documents must be presented they have to go up to the platform the Canadian Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC). The papers they request are:
- Valid passport with visitor details
- Fill out the form to apply for the visa
- A bank account to verify income
In general, all documents are approved online, However, it is likely that the Canadian authorities will require further documentation and even require an interview and/or biometric data collection at the Canadian embassy or one of the consulates, which will incur additional costs of up to 85 Canadian dollars (approximately 1,700). . Mexican pesos).
For more detailed matters, such as: The authorities recommend that you have dual citizenship, minors or another type of visa in Canada Check out the immigration website for more details. With the measure coming into force this Thursday, there is no estimated time as to how long it will take to process a visa to Canada.
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