Program delivery update: New visa requirement for Romanian non-electronic passport holders – June 5, 2018
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
As of 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on June 5, 2018, subsection 190(2.1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) was amended to restrict visa-exemption status to Romanian citizens who hold electronic passports.
Citizens of Romania who are holders of a non-electronic passport, such as a temporary passport, are no longer visa-exempt and therefore require a temporary resident visa (TRV) to travel to or transit through Canada. This also means that Romanian non-electronic passport holders are no longer eligible to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to travel to or through Canada by air, unless they are lawful permanent residents of the United States (U.S.).
Additionally, all eTAs issued to non-electronic passport holders between December 1, 2017, and 5:29 a.m. (ET) on June 5, 2018, are invalidated, and those affected will be notified via the email address provided in their application. This includes eTAs issued to valid study or work permit holders (see below for specific instructions regarding permit holders).
eTAs previously issued to Romanian nationals before the visa lift in December 2017 continue to be valid for travel to or through Canada. These eTAs were issued to the following:
- lawful permanent residents of the U.S.
- eligible Romanian nationals who applied, based on eTA expansion eligibility
Service channels
Citizens of Romania who are holders of a non-electronic passport can
- apply for a TRV online
- submit a paper application for a TRV to the nearest VAC
In addition to being able to submit online applications, citizens of Romania who are non-electronic passport holders in Canada, and who hold valid study or work permits, may also mail their paper applications to the Case Processing Centre in Ottawa.