Immediate changes to travel eligibility for citizens of Mexico
By Brittany Trafford and Brendan Sheridan
Today Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) has announced significant changes to the travel requirements for Mexican citizens.
As of February 29, 2024 at 11:30p.m. Eastern Time, all electronic travel authorizations (“eTA”) issued to Mexican passports prior to this date and time will become invalid, with the exception of those Mexican citizens travelling to Canada with valid work or study permits.
Mexican citizens who do not hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or who have not held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years will require a Canadian visa to enter Canada when travelling on a Mexican passport. Those who meet the exemptions of having the valid US non-immigration visa or past Canadian visa will be able to re-apply for eTAs to enter Canada by air. Even if eligible for an eTA to travel by air, if entering by car, bus, train or boat, a visa will be required.
Those who are eligible for an eTA will need to apply for a new eTA or a visa after 11:30 p.m. February 29, 2024. This includes persons who have applications for eTAs in processing but not yet issued as of the cut off time. IRCC has specified that having travel booked does not guarantee the ability to rely on an eTA. As a result, anyone travelling on a Mexican passport must carefully consider what steps they must take to come to Canada. Current estimated processing times for a Canadian visa application from Mexico is 40 days; however, we would anticipate this may increase as more applications are made.
IRCC has announced that these changes are being made in response to the increase in asylum claims made by Mexican citizens that have been refused, withdrawn or abandoned. IRCC had lifted the visa requirement for those travelling on Mexican passports in December 2016.
This announcement by IRCC will impact many wanting to come to Canada and will certainly impact the timelines for many Mexican nationals to be able to enter Canada.
This client update is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.
If you have any questions about the above, please contact a member of our Immigration group.
Archive
Colin Piercey and Sam Ward During this unprecedented crisis, almost all businesses have been negatively affected. Some have been forced to shut down entirely while others have been severely curtailed in their ability to earn…
Read MoreDaniela Bassan, QC and Scott Pike The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Bracing for the strain on health-care systems, authorities have enacted drastic measures designed to…
Read MoreIn volume 35 of the Canadian Intellectual Property Review, Halifax partner Daniela Bassan, QC, has published an article regarding notable cases in Canadian copyright law. Daniela’s piece reviews the key themes and trends from 2019,…
Read MoreChristopher Marr, TEP and Lauren Henderson Each year in New Brunswick, millions of dollars sit in limbo: unpaid wages, forgotten security deposits, overpayments to debt collectors, and benefits from estates, pensions and employee benefit plans,…
Read MoreAmid the COVID-19 pandemic, our Firm is focusing on business continuity, including supporting the business continuity of our clients. Practice innovation investments we have made help our business to continue “as usual” even when the…
Read MoreJohn Samms and Amanda Whitehead This article sets out to summarize the Newfoundland and Labrador Government’s announcements in respect of its latest response to the COVID-19 pandemic as of approximately 3:00 p.m. on March 19,…
Read MoreBrent McCumber, P.Eng. On March 18, 2020, the Government of Canada announced a significant economic response plan to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 on Canadians and businesses. While this $82 billion plan contains many…
Read MoreThe Federal Government just announced various COVID-19-related measures in its Canada’s Covid-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses. The full statement can be found here. The following may be of particular interest to…
Read MoreBrian Johnston, QC and Jennifer Thompson In an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia, Premier Stephen McNeil and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Robert Strang have announced that all public sector employees…
Read MoreJennifer Thompson As employees and employers grapple with the practical implications of a potential COVID-19 outbreak, the Government of Canada has stepped up to the plate with an announcement of a $1 billion fund to…
Read More