Canada has announced that multiple-entry visas (MEVs) will be available to qualified travellers allowing visitors to come and go from the country for six months at a time for up to 10 years without having to reapply each time. There will be a single fee of $100 CAD for the processing of either an application for a single- or multiple-entry visa. The fee for the temporary resident visa (TRV) program is reduced from $150 to $100 for the processing of either a single- or multiple-entry visa. By harmonizing the single- and multiple-entry visa fees, the visa application process will become simpler for applicants and promote tourism and trade by increasing the number of eligible travellers who are able to make multiple visits to Canada.
It is good news for travellers. The introduction of multiple-entry visas for Indian travellers will moderate their visa hassles and make their visit to Canada easier. The shift will certainly help India generate more outbound figures to Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has increased other fees in the temporary resident program, effective February 6, 2014. These changes will reduce the burden on Canadian taxpayers and ensure that fees closely reflect the real cost of processing applications.
This is an important step in modernizing Canada’s processes for travellers, and makes the country more competitive as a preferred destination for visitors and business travellers alike. The multiple Entry Visas are a fast, flexible and convenient option for frequent visitors to Canada that will incent return travel by those issued Canadian visas, and facilitate travel by removing the need for repeat applications and processing fees. Every year more than 35 million people visit Canada. In 2012, Canada issued a record number of visitor visas with almost one million visas approved, representing an increase of almost 40 percent since 2004. The multiple-entry visa is particularly popular with visitors from India, China and Mexico who hold 10-year passports and have been eligible to apply for a 10-year visa.
CTC-India recently launched the Canadian Signature Experiences (CSE) collection in India to attract increasing number of visitors from the country, considering its potential as one of the top global outbound tourism source markets. The collection promises visitors an exclusive made-in-Canada visitor experience that engages them in a series of memorable travel activities revealed over time that are inherently personal, engage the senses, and make connections on an emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and social level.
1 Comments