Foreign representatives will be exempt from travel restrictions

The Canadian border is still shut for most travelers. However, the country has recently announced that foreign diplomats, officials, consular officers, and their immediate family members will now be allowed to cross the border again. They have been added to the group of exempt travelers who do not have to abide by all the travel restrictions.

Rules to keep in mind:

The new exemption will be applicable for foreign nationals with diplomatic acceptance on their passports, an official acceptance that has been issued by the Chief of Protocol for Global Affairs Canada, or a consular acceptance. It is mandatory for them to be a consular officer, a representative or official of a foreign country, an accredited diplomat, or a participant in the United Nations, its agencies, or any other international organization that Canada belongs to.

Foreign representatives will be able to arrive in Canada and get accredited by Global Affairs Canada so they can resume their postings. They must get a temporary resident visa (TRV) prior to their travel in accordance with the current restrictions. The TRVs should be coded “D-1” or “O-1” so that border officers can understand that the passport holder should get consular, diplomatic, or official privileges.

Recent developments:

Canada recently reopened electronic travel authorizations (eTAs) and TRVs on July 1 after months of tough restrictions. The current travel restrictions currently do not prevent skilled workers, family members planning to stay for more than 15 days, and students who received their permit before March 18 from entering Canada.

Travelers have to prove to the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) that they have an essential reason for their trip. The people who manage to enter the country must quarantine themselves for two weeks. However, there are exceptions to this rule as well.