Canada eliminates visa requirements for four Latin American countries

(CNN Spanish) – The Government of Canada will allow citizens of Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Panama to enter its territory by air without a visa, under the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program. The measure came into effect on Tuesday, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The benefit applies to all citizens who have been granted a Canadian visa within the last 10 years or who have a current non-resident visa in the United States, reducing the processing time to obtain authorization to enter and stay in Canada for a period of up to 10 years to six months.

To apply for an electronic travel authorization, all you need is a valid passport, a credit card, an email address and Internet access, according to the Canadian authorities' statement.

The governments of Costa Rica and Panama welcomed the move as part of an expansion of bilateral relations with Canada. In a statement, Argentina's foreign ministry said the move is “another example of the excellent state of relations between the two countries.”

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