UPDATE: New Canadian Passport Law Pushed to November.
By Simon Vaughan
A new Canadian law preventing Canadian citizens from entering Canada by air unless travelling on a Canadian or U.S. passport has been pushed back to November 10, 2016, from its original implementation date of September 30. Until recently, not only were Canadian citizens permitted to hold citizenship from other countries, but they were allowed to enter Canada using the passport of another country, providing they were accompanied by proof of Canadian citizenship.
However, a ruling announced earlier this year stated that effective September 30, Canadian citizens would only be permitted to enter Canada if travelling on a valid Canadian or U.S. passport.
(Kagenmi-iStock)
The delay in the new regulation’s implementation was due in part to a backlog of applications for new passports, reports the Federal Government of Canada.
Although the extended grace period will be welcomed by travellers scrambling to obtain correct documentation, some experts have suggested the move is nothing more than a revenue-generator, and that the very notion of preventing access to Canada by Canadian citizens is illegal, although no legal challenge has yet been launched.
So just to be clear: the new rule is now scheduled to be implemented on November 10, 2016.
