News

Canada lifts visa restrictions on Croats

The Canadian government has lifted visa restrictions on Croats who want to visit Canada for tourism, business or family reasons for up to six months. The news was officially announced on Sunday in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, the three biggest centres of the Croatian diaspora in Canada.

Croats have had to comply with extremely-complicated procedures to get visas, including a six-month waiting period and a fee of 430 kunas or 75 Canadian dollars. Croatian Ambassador to Canada Mrdjen Korac said the new regime would apply to all Croatian passport-holders.

Croats who have already applied for a visa but not yet received it will get their money back. Canadian Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney added that Croatia’s membership in NATO was not the main reason for Canada’s decision but "did help a lot." The Croatian ministry of foreign affairs has welcomed the Canadian decision and the success of Croatian diplomacy.

It will be much easier visit for Croats to visit family members in Canada, and bilateral economic and commercial relations should improve. Three years ago, Borys Wrzesnewskyj, a Liberal MP representing Toronto, first introduced a motion to lift visitor visa requirements for Croats. He reintroduced a similar motion during the current 40th Parliament in November 2008. The Croatian Canadian community and Wrzesnewskyj worked in close cooperation on the issue.

Wrzesnewskyj said: "Today’s a day to celebrate! Too often in past years, I have listened to the difficult situations of family members unable to come to Canada for funerals or weddings due to the time lines required for visas. Consequently, it’s gratifying finally to hear just in time for Easter that Croats will no longer be required to obtain visitor visas to travel to Canada. Although it has taken three long years for today’s announcement to come, today is a day to celebrate. "

Wrzesnewskyj said many Croatian organizations and individuals deserved tremendous credit for keeping up political pressure. The Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce, which organized a number of successful petition drives, led the way in that regard, he said.

Croatian Times
March 30, 2009