Canada has added 13 new countries whose eligible citizens will now benefit from visa-free travel. These include passport holders of the Caribbean Island nations of Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis and St. Lucia.
The countries have been added to Canada’s electronic travel authorisation (eTA) program. This enables its citizens, who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa, to apply for an eTA, instead of a visa, when travelling to Canada by air.
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“This exciting development means that more individuals can now embark on unforgettable adventures, explore our diverse landscapes, reunite with family and friends, and immerse themselves in our vibrant culture without the hurdle of visa requirements.” – The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
What This Means For Second Passport Holders Of The Caribbean Islands:
- Faster, easier and more affordable travel to Canada for up to 6 months.
- Open for business and leisure travels.
- Dual benefits for citizens considering Canada’s existing mobility program: Student Direct Stream, offering expedited study permit processing to those applying to study in Canada.
- In the last decade, Canada issued 5,980 temporary resident visas to citizens from Antigua and Barbuda. These individuals, along with current US non- immigrant visa holders, may now be eligible for visa-free travel.
What Is Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA):
- The eTA is a digital travel document that most need to travel to or transit through Canada by air.
- Those who are not eligible for an eTA, or who are travelling to Canada by means other than air (for example, by car, bus, train and boat—including by cruise ship), will still need a visitor visa.
- The eTA application is used by Canadian officials to conduct light-touch, pre-travel screening of air travellers. It costs $7 CAD to apply, and most applications are automatically approved within minutes.
Effective today, eligible travellers from these countries can benefit from the program:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Costa Rica
- Morocco
- Panama
- Philippines
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Seychelles
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
Savory & Partners was the first firm to obtain all five authorised agent licenses for the governments of the Caribbean Islands including Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Grenada and Dominica. Contact our Caribbean citizenship and residency by investments experts to find the best immigration program for you and your family.
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