Canada imposes a visa on the Czech Republic

Ottawa, July 13, 2009 —Beginning 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 14, 2009, Czech nationals will require a visa to travel to Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today. For the first 48 hours, Czech citizens may apply for entry on arrival in Canada. After 11:59 p.m. EDT July 15, 2009, a visa will be required.

For more information: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2009/2009-07-13a.asp

Canada imposes a visa on Mexico

Ottawa, July 13, 2009 — Beginning 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 14, 2009, Mexican nationals will require a visa to travel to Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today. For the first 48 hours, Mexican citizens  may apply for entry on arrival in Canada. After 11:59 p.m. EDT July 15, 2009, a visa will be required

For more information: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2009/2009-07-13.asp

Visa requirement for South Africa enforced today

01 July 2009

From today, visitors to the United Kingdom from South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland will only be able to travel with a visa.

Visitors will now be fingerprinted and checked against watch-lists before being issued with a visa to travel. The new rules were introduced to counter passport and identity fraud, and follow Britain’s first global review of who needs a visa to come to the United Kingdom for a short-term visit.

Visa regimes for visitors have now been imposed on five new countries – Bolivia, Venezuela, South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. This follows a global assessment by the Government of all non-European countries to determine the level of risk their citizens potentially pose to the United Kingdom in terms of illegal immigration, crime and security.

The roll out of these new regimes began earlier this year with all first-time visitors to the United Kingdom from South Africa requiring visas from 3 March, followed in May by the roll out to all visitors from Bolivia and Venezuela. Today marks the completion of this process with all visitors from South Africa, plus those coming from Lesotho and Swaziland, requiring visas to travel here.

Important notice regarding machine readable visa stickers issued in your passport

 No machine readable visa sticker may be affixed on the other side of a page on which a machine readable visa sticker has already been issued (no matter the validity of the issued visa or the partner-country who has issued it). It is strongly advised that your passport contains at least one double blank page amongst the pages intended for visas (blank on both sides).

Please note that your visa will not be issued if your passport does not meet this new criteria. You will be requested to submit a new passport.

New Regulations for the U.K.

South Africans now require Visas to enter or transfer through U.K.

Following Britain’s first global review of who needs a visa to come to the UK, a visa regime has been introduced in South Africa.

Since 3 March 2009, South African nationals have been required to have a visa to enter or transit the UK. A temporary exemption is in place for any South African passport holder who has previously travelled to the UK and has evidence of their visit in their current passport, for example a UK entry stamp. This temporary exemption ends on the 1 July 2009 and from that date all South African passport holders will require a visa to enter or transit the UK.

From 1 July 2009 all Swaziland and Lesotho passport holders will also require a visa to travel to the UK.

The visa you choose depends on your reason for visiting the UK and how long you plan to stay. Use the links on the left to find out more information on how to apply for a UK visa.

Please see the guide to new visa regulations for South African Nationals. All of the Visa Applications Forms (VAFs) and General Guidance on visas can be found on the UK Border Agency Visa Services website.

New visa requirements for South Africans travelling through the UK

South Africans now require Visas to enter or transfer through U.K.

Following Britain’s first global review of who needs a visa to come to the UK, a visa regime has been introduced in South Africa.

Since 3 March 2009, South African nationals have been required to have a visa to enter or transit the UK. A temporary exemption is in place for any South African passport holder who has previously travelled to the UK and has evidence of their visit in their current passport, for example a UK entry stamp. This temporary exemption ends on the 1 July 2009 and from that date all South African passport holders will require a visa to enter or transit the UK.

From 1 July 2009 all Swaziland and Lesotho passport holders will also require a visa to travel to the UK.

The visa you choose depends on your reason for visiting the UK and how long you plan to stay. Use the links on the left to find out more information on how to apply for a UK visa.

Please see the guide to new visa regulations for South African Nationals. All of the Visa Applications Forms (VAFs) and General Guidance on visas can be found on the UK Border Agency Visa Services website.

Live Help instant messaging now available at Embassy Link!

27 January 2009

‘LIVE HELP’instant messaging now available from 8.30am – to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

New regulations to enter the USA from a Visa Waiver country

15 January 2009
New regulations to enter the USA from a Visa Waiver country

Citizens of VWP countries are required to register on-line through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization prior to travelling to the USA.This new procedure covers citizens of 35 countries from Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Britain. It does NOT apply to Canadian nationals

Brazil

Please be advised that the processing time for TOURIST visas is 15 business days. It is advisable to apply at least 6 weeks prior to departure date

Consular fees for both tourism and business visas have increased as of 01 November 2008
Russia

The processing time for visas for Canadian nationals is a minimum of 15 business days (3 weeks).