The 2010 Olympic Games – How will they Impact Visitors to Canada and Other International Travelers?

Posted by Veronica Zanfir|Global Immigration News
Feb 10

8



  • In anticipation of this year’s Olympic Games to be hosted in Vancouver in the winter of 2010, large numbers of international visitors will be aiming to enter Canada. Many well-intending spectators may have purchased their tickets unaware that Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the host country’s administrative body responsible for the entry of foreign nationals, places numerous restrictions and potential barriers on international travelers. It is therefore imperative that international travelers headed to Canada to attend the Olympic Games be aware of Canada’s restrictions on visitors.
  •  At a minimum, persons seeking to enter Canada as visitors, to attend the Olympic Games, will have to present a valid travel document or passport issued by their country of nationality. Some citizens of the USA and US Green Card holders may not require a passport to enter Canada pending other proof of identity, but do require a US passport to re-enter the USA, and as such should travel with a passport in these circumstances.

    Most foreign nationals also require a visitor visa for Canada in order to attend the Canadian winter Olympics. Only the following foreign nationals are exempt from the visitor visa requirement:

    • citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia (Republic of), Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western Samoa;
    • persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence;
    • British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom;
    • citizens of British dependent territories who derive their citizenship through birth, descent, registration or naturalization in one of the British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands;
    • persons holding a British National (Overseas) Passport issued by the Government of the United Kingdom to persons born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong;
    • persons holding a valid and subsisting Special Administrative Region passport issued by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China;
    • persons holding passports or travel documents issued by the Holy See.

     

    If you require a visa you must apply for it in advance, at a Canadian embassy in your home country. In order to secure a visitor visa, your must confirm that you possess sufficient ties to your home country and that you are not inadmissible to Canada.

    The Bomza Law Group has assisted foreign nationals to secure temporary and permanent residence visas for nearly two decades and is well versed in presenting visitor visa cases at Canadian Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Contact one of our experienced immigration lawyers for assistance to secure you visitor visa for the Canadian 2010 Olympic Games, at info@bomzalawgroup.com or 1-800-993-9971.


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