Canada raises the obligation of visa for the citizens of Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania and Hungary Mississauga, March 1, 2008 - the honourable Diane Finley, Minister for the Citizenship and Immigration, announced that the citizens of Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania and Hungary do not need more to get a temporary visa of resident to enter to Canada. "Canada maintains the close links with these countries", affirmed the minister Finley. "the lifting of the obligation of visa will help to consolidate these bonds with the profit of the Canadians and the citizens of Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania and Hungary" The citizens of these four countries do not need more to get a visa as of now. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) continuously carry out examinations relating to the obligation of visa for new Member States (NEM) of the European Union (EU). These examinations are carried out on an individual basis. "Canada committed itself making it possible to the people to freely move and in full safety between the EU and Canada, and to exempt visa all the Member States of the EU", affirmed the Finley minister. In 2006, 33 363 visas of temporary resident were delivered with the nationals from Poland, 3 780 with the natives of Slovakia, 989 with the natives of Lithuania and 6 385 with the natives of Hungary. In 2004 and 2007, twelve countries adhered to the EU. Initially, the citizens of seven NEM were to obtain a visa. The obligation was raised for the natives of Estonia in 2006, and those of the Czech Republic and Latvia in 2007. In consequence of the advertisement of today, the nationals from only two of the 27 Member States of the EU must get a visa to enter to Canada. CIC will continue to collaborate with these two States, that is to say Bulgaria and Romania, in order to raise the obligation of visa for all the citizens of the EU. The representatives of Canada will pay visits of a technical nature in these States within the framework of the continuous examinations of CIC aiming at determining the moment when the obligation of visa could be raised. To protect itself from the fraud, as of January 2009, the travellers coming from Poland and of Lithuania will have to be provided with a sedentary electronic passport in order to be exempted visa. Under the terms of the Law, all the visitors in Canada must obtain a temporary visa of resident, except for those coming from countries exempted from the obligation. The latter is the first line of defence to protect health and safety from the Canadians. Tim Vail Press attaché Cabinet of the minister Citizenship and Canada Immigration Karen Shadd-Evelyn Spokesman, Relationships to the media Directorate-General of the communications Citizenship and Canada Immigration