Canada has launched three new visa application centers (VACs) in Mexico in an effort to ease the strain on the current facility in Mexico City due to high application volumes.
The new VACs are located in Monterrey, Nuevo León, and Guadalajara, Jalisco, alongside a second center opening in Mexico City. This expansion aims to facilitate the biometric data collection required for Mexican nationals applying to visit Canada, supporting bilateral travel and people-to-people connections while ensuring the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
This development follows Canada’s recent decision to enhance entry requirements for Mexican visitors. Previously, Mexican travelers needed only an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Under the new guidelines, those with a valid U.S. visa or a Canadian visa issued within the past decade can enter Canada by air using an eTA.
The decision to open additional VACs underscores Canada’s response to a rise in asylum applications from Mexico. Visa applications involve a more extensive process compared to the eTA, with current processing times at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico averaging around 40 days. Biometric data collection, now mandatory for most applicants in Mexico, further contributes to processing durations.
Operated by private companies under contract with the Canadian government, VACs charge a fee of 100 Canadian dollars (approximately US $73) for visa applications, along with an additional 85 Canadian dollars (about US $62) for biometric data collection.
