Today, the Canadian government announced changes to the eTA requirements for Mexican nationals travelling to Canada.
- As of 11:30 p.m. ET on February 29, 2024, Mexican citizens travelling to Canada will need to meet new requirements to travel to Canada.
- Students / visitors will need to meet new requirements to be eligible for an eTA
- If students already have an eTA, it will automatically be cancelled unless they also have a valid work or study permit
- If students have an eTA application in progress, they will need to apply for a new eTA or for a visitor visa
- If students are not eligible for an eTA anymore, they will need to apply for a visitor visa to travel to Canada
These changes apply even if students have already booked their travel. Having pre-booked travel plans or a previously valid eTA does not guarantee you will be approved for a new eTA or a visa.
In order to be eligible for an eTA, Mexican students must now meet all of these 3 requirements:
- They are using a valid Mexican passport to fly to Canada or to transit through a Canadian airport to another destination.
- They are coming to Canada for a short visit (normally for stays of up to 6 months).
- They either
- have held a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) in the past 10 years or
- currently hold a valid United States nonimmigrant visa
If all three of these requirements are not met, then students must apply for a temporary resident visa.
For more information, please click this link to visit the IRCC webpage about the changes and new requirements.