Canada has expanded its list of countries whose citizens can travel to Canada without a visa.
In a recent announcement, the Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, revealed that visitors from 13 countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America can now enjoy visa-free travel to Canada. The countries included in this list are Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts-Nevis, Panama, Argentina, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Morocco, Seychelles, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Notably, Morocco and Seychelles from Africa have been added to the visa-free travel list, but Nigeria, the most populous African nation, was not included. The expansion of the electronic travel authorization program, known as eTA, aims to facilitate the entry of “known travelers” from these countries for both leisure and business purposes.
This move is expected to bring several benefits, including increased convenience for travelers, enhanced travel and tourism, economic advantages, and the strengthening of global ties with the 13 countries.
The Canadian government emphasizes that the visa exemptions will allow visitors from these countries to save a significant amount of money. While a visitor visa currently costs $100 per person or $500 for a family of five or more, obtaining an eTA only requires a payment of seven dollars per person and remains valid for up to five years.
The introduction of visa-free air travel is intended to streamline and expedite the process, making it more accessible and affordable for thousands of travelers to visit Canada for a maximum duration of six months, whether for business or leisure purposes.
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