ISLAMABAD: Canada has announced visa-free entry for 13 countries.
In order to promote tourism and strengthen international relations, Canada has announced visa-free entry for citizens of 13 countries.
Under this decision, citizens of several Caribbean and Latin American countries will now be able to travel to Canada without a visa if they meet certain conditions.
Canada has also extended the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program to more countries, which aims to simplify the entry process for short-term visits.
The list of new visa-free countries includes Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay.
The move is being hailed as a positive development, especially in terms of diplomatic relations with Caribbean countries, as five of them are included in the new list.
According to officials, this visa-free entry facility will be available to travelers who arrive in Canada by air and who have obtained a Canadian visa in the past 10 years or currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa.
Eligible individuals will be able to stay in Canada for a maximum of six months without obtaining a separate visa. The Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is actually a digital permit that is mandatory for citizens of visa-free countries.
The Canadian government says that the aim of this policy is to increase tourism, promote international connections and make Canada more attractive to global travelers.
