Canadian visas available to Czech citizens in Prague from next week
December 14 2009 by Liam Clifford
Good-night Vienna as Czech citizens no-longer have to travel to Austria to obtain a Canadian visa.
From next week, Czech citizens seeking a Canadian visa will be
able to submit their applications, speak to Canadian immigration advisers and
collect their visas in Prague. Previously, they have had to travel to Vienna as
the Canadian embassy in the Czech capital did not have a visa
department.
As of next Monday (21st December, 2009), the new services
will be available. The development follows July's reintroduction of Canada's
visa requirements for Czech citizens keen to travel through or visit the
country.
Though they have welcomed the embassy changes, Czech travel
agencies said they view Canada's continuing visa requirements as a complication
to their businesses, telling the Czech News Agency "there is not a single
reason" why visa duty in relation to Canada should exist for Czech
nationals.
Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney commented that the
country "welcomes genuine visitors" from the Czech Republic: "We are working to
enhance our visa service in Prague so that applicants from the Czech Republic
will be able to get a temporary resident visa in their home
country".
Some travel operators have suggested that the changes could
signal an eventual lifting of the whole Canadian visa system for Czech citizens.
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