Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, March 17, 2003
New Canadian Border Rules Put Into Effect
Some of non-citizens who try to enter the United States from Canada could be turned back starting Monday as new border rules come into effect, according to the reports on Sunday.
Some of non-citizens who try to enter the United States from Canada could be turned back starting Monday as new border rules come into effect, according to the reports on Sunday.
Visas will be required for Canada's Immigrants from 54 countries when entering the United States, said part of that country's contested new immigration policy.
Under the new rules, even landed immigrants from Ireland and some Commonwealth countries including South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe would be required to personally visit a US consulate and get a visa ahead of any visit. Other nationalities that fall under the new restrictions include India, Pakistan, Jamaica and Trinidad.
The new rules are expected to cause confusion and chaos at airports and border crossings into the United States, reports said.
Cross-border bus and train conductors will check the documents of travelers to ensure they have got the permission to the United States and Railway officials say they will be making announcements informing passengers of the change on board US-bound trains.
Last year, the US requirements that Canadians born in some Middle Eastern countries must be singled out for fingerprinting and questioning drew Canadian government's ire. But when the proposed visa rules were announced, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham acknowledged that there was little Canada could do to convince the United States to change the proposed law.