Immigration News Headlines – August 4, 2015

Ottawa, August 1, 2015-Canada has started phasing in its new entry requirement, known as an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air. Entry requirement for other modes of travel to Canada (land and sea) have not changed.

Vol. 149, No. 15 – July 29, 2015

As of August 1, 2015, visa-exempt, non-U.S. foreign nationals will require an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to enter Canada by air mode. This new entry requirement is a key commitment under the Canada-U.S. Beyond the Border Action Plan and will streamline entry into Canada, as travellers will be pre-screened before they travel.

Effective August 1, 2015, paragraph 190(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) was amended to exempt all citizens of Poland and Lithuania from the temporary resident visa (TRV) requirement, regardless of travel document held. Paragraph 190(2.1) will be repealed.

 

Effective August 1, 2015, at 12:00 p.m. EDT, changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) will

• require persons coming from the United States (U.S.) for immigration interviews at a U.S. consulate in Canada to obtain a visa to enter Canada, unless they are otherwise exempt;
• exempt from the visa requirement persons on flights rerouted to Canada due to an emergency; and
• clarify the requirements for persons on flights en route to the U.S. that stop for refueling to remain visa-exempt.