Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

Romanians, Bulgarians and Brazilians May Now Be Visa-Exempt

There are many countries all around the world that desire to be visa-exempt as the application and process can be somewhat overwhelming and confusing for a lot of people. Luckily for Romanians, Bulgarians and Brazilians, they no longer have to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa when travelling to Canada by air. There are specifications, however, such as you must have held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or currently hold a U.S. visitor visa. If this applies, then you will only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Additionally, when visiting Canada, you may only stay temporarily for a maximum of six months. In this article, I will address the changes for these countries in particular and why these changes were introduced.

Why the Visa Requirement was Lifted?

Although the visa requirement being lifted is only anticipated to change on December 1, 2017, as per Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), many individuals from Romania and Bulgaria are now extremely enthusiastic about the idea of being able to come to Canada without first obtaining a visa. After this lift happens, these individuals will only require an eTA to fly to Canada. The Canadian government has yet to decide whether they will extend the lifting of the visa requirement to all of the citizens of Brazil.

What is a Visitor Visa?

Do you wish to visit Canada for tourism purposes? Or, do you wish to visit Canada to see family members or friends that you have not seen in a while? Or, do you wish to visit Canada for business purposes? If you said yes to any of the above questions, you will most likely need a visitor visa to enter Canada. It is important to note that there are specific requirements and documentation that you must provide in order to obtain a visitor visa. In this article, I will explain in detail, who needs a visitor visa to come to Canada, what the requirements are for a visitor visa, how to start the process of obtaining a visitor visa and further steps.

Who Needs a Visitor Visa to Come to Canada?

In order to determine whether you need a visitor visa to come to Canada, you must first determine whether or not your country of origin is a visa exempt country or not. If not, then you will require a visa. To find out, I suggest going on the government of Canada website and choose your specific country to find out whether or not you need a visa. If you do not need a visa to enter Canada, you will most likely need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) . Please refer to our blog on “Who Needs an ETA” for more information. If you do need a visa, then please continue reading this blog as it will show you the next steps you need to take.

Travelling to Canada as a Tourist

If you wish to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa, usually referred to as a Visitor Visa, there are a number of factors that should be considered before applying. This article will give you some useful information on applying for Temporary Resident Visas in the following sections: What is a Temporary Resident Visa? Do I need a Temporary Resident Visa? Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), and What are the Main Requirements?

What is a Temporary Resident Visa?

A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is most often called a tourist visa or visitor visa, as it name implies it is only for temporary stay in Canada, therefore issued for a limited period of time. A TRV is most often applied by foreign nationals who wish to stay in Canada for a limited period of time that come to Canada for the most common reasons tourism, conducting business or visiting family or friends in Canada.