01 - 03 October 2018

CHINA CONSULATE CLOSURE - The Chinese Consulate and CITS processing offices will be closed for National Holidays from Monday 01,October to Wednesday 03, October inclusive. Please take this into account when planning your travel. No Rush processing is available prior to the holidays, only Express and Standard.

25 September 2018

SAUDI EMBASSY CLOSURES - The Saudi Embassy in Ottawa will be closed for a National Holiday on Tuesday 25th September. Please take this into account when planning your travel.

AUGUST 2018

SAUDI ARABIA CLOSURES - The Embassy of Saudi Arabia will be closed for Eid Al Adha on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday the 20, 21, 22 of August 2018.

May 21, 2018

Closed Monday, May 21st

All SIAT offices and many consulates countrywide will be closed Monday, May 21st, 2018 for Victoria Day. Please plan accordingly if you have any pressing visa needs or to get started on your visa application today please visit our website www.siatcs.com.

May 2018

IMMEDIATE CLOSURE OF SIAT TORONTO OFFICE

As of this Friday May 11, 2018, our Toronto office will no longer be accepting or processing visa application or document legalization. All enquiries should be made to our Ottawa office at 613.233.2223 or by email: Ottawa@siatcs.com where you will advised if SIAT can assist with your request or not. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause. Thank you to all our clients that supported our office over the past 4 years.

June 2017

Consulate Closures, 26 & 27th June

Please be advised that the following Embassies & Consulates will be closed for the last days of Ramadan:

Burkina Faso (26th)

Benin (26th)

Kenya (26th)

Mali ( 26th)

Tanzania (26th & 27th)

Kuwait (closed until 4th July)

UAE ( 26th & 27th)

Saudi Arabia (26th & 27th)

IMPORTANT UPDATES – RUSSIA – 01 June 2017

FIFA 2017

Due to heightened security surrounding the FIFA 2017 Confederation Cup, all foreigners visiting Russia should register within 24 hours of arriving in Russia, instead of 7 days. If staying in a Hotel this is usually done by the Hotel, but if staying in a private residence the visitor should go to the local authority of the Ministry of Interior in Russia and register using their passport and immigration card.

RUSSIAN VISAS PROCESSING

Due to the closing of the ILS offices in Ottawa and Montreal, please allow extra time for the processing of visa applications as previous processing times may no longer be available. We will update our website as soon as we have more information.

Please note that until further notice, when completing the online application, the processing office used should be either Embassy or Consulate.

November 2016

Canadian citizens with dual citizenship need a valid Canadian passport

If you are a Canadian citizen with dual citizenship used to travelling to or transiting through Canada by air with a non-Canadian passport, you will no longer be able to do so as of November 10, 2016. You will need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight.

If your country needs you to enter and exit that country using a passport issued by its government, you will still need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight to Canada. Make sure to carry both passports when you travel. Find out more about why you must travel with a valid Canadian passport when travelling by air.

Exception: If you are an American-Canadian dual citizen with a valid U.S. passport, you don't need a Canadian passport to fly to Canada. However, you will still need to carry proper identification and meet the basic requirements to enter Canada.

October 2016

OUR TORONTO OFFICE HAS MOVED! Click on the Contact menu option for current addresses.

As of 03 Oct 2016, our Toronto office has moved to a new location. We are still a full service office processing visas and document legalization that fall under this jurisdiction.

September 2014

SOUTH AFRICA - New requirement for travelling with children under 18 years.

As of October 1, 2014, parents travelling with children under18 years will be asked to produce the child’s unabridged (long form) birth certificate in English. An original document is not required, but the photocopy must be a certified true copy. If only one parent is travelling with the child, he or she must produce the unabridged birth certificate + a sworn affidavit from the other parent registered on the birth certificate authorizing him or her to enter and/or depart the Republic of South Africa with the child + a certified true copy of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child; and the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child


What is a long form - unabridged birth certificate?

A long form / unabridged birth certificate is one that shows the full names of both parents as well as the child's information.

August 20, 2014

TWO PHOTOS NOW REQUIRED FOR INDIAN VISA APPLICATIONS

With immediate affect, kindly note that all indian visa applications must now include 2 photographs.

August 1, 2014

SIAT TORONTO OFFICE INFORMATION

As of 01 August, please call for an appointment PRIOR to dropping off your applications if you want to have them checked while you wait.

July 28, 2014

END OF RAMADAN - EMBASSY CLOSURES CANADA

Some Embassies and Consulates will be closed from 28 July – 01 Aug 2014, to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Please contact our Ottawa office ottawa@siatcs.com or call 613.233.2223 to check which ones are affected and the dates of the closures.

NO 3RD PARTY ALLOWED FOR SOUTH AFRICAN VISAS.

With immediate effect, anyone requiring a visa for South Africa will be required to apply IN PERSON only as a copy of their fingerprints are now required. This rule applies even if you do not live in the Toronto area.

BRAZIL DROPS 3RD PARTY/POSTAL SUBMISSION FEE.

With immediate affect, Brazil will no longer charge an extra $ 25.00 for applications submitted by mail or by a third party.

BRAZIL INTRODUCES A NEW ENTRY/EXIT FORM.

Brazil has changed their entry/exit form that is usually completed prior to landing. This form can now be completed before travelling. It is advisable to complete the form online using computer, rather than completing it by hand. The form can be downloaded from our website or when you request an estimate.

BENIN EMBASSY OFFERS EXPEDITED PROCESSING SERVICE

For an extra processing fee of $ 25.00, Benin is now offering an express processing service. Kindly provide documentation to substantiate your request for the rush service.

VISAS-ON-ARRIVAL FOR TURKEY ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR CANADIANS

Canadians can no longer obtain their Turkish visa on arrival at the airport or port of entry into Turkey. With the introduction of the e-visa, all travellers must have confirmation of the e-visa or have a sticker type visa in their passport prior to boarding the plane.

July 2, 2014

CHINA VISA FEE INCREASE – REGULAR PROCESSING.

As of 2 July 2014, the fee for a China visa on regular processing has increased by 40.00 + applicable taxes.

June 11, 2014

Russian Consulate Closing

The Russian Consulate in Toronto will be closed June 12th and 13th due to national holidays.

May 9, 2014

Brazil Soccer Visa Deadline - Vancouver

The Consulate General of Brazil in Vancouver has announced that all applications for FIFA World Cup must be submitted by May 26th 2014 to ensure all visas are issued on time. Between May 15th and June 15th 2014, other types of Brazilian visas will not be accepted by the Consulate unless proven urgent. In urgent cases, we are required to email the Consulate a detailed explanation of the urgency along with your supporting documentation.

May 1, 2014

SAUDI REMOVES WAIT TIME FOR CANADIANS

As of 01 May 2014, the Saudi Embassy will no longer require Canadian visa applicants to wait for 10 days before receiving their visas. The processing time has been reduced to 1 - 3 days depending on number of applications received.

Vancouver Brazilian Consulate Processing time increases

The Brazilian Consulate announced on April 1st 2014 the processing time for all Brazilian visas is now 20 business days. Travelers are advised not to book their airline tickets prior to the issuances of their visa(s). Monday, April 2014.

Brazilian FIFA World Cup 2014

Applicants wishing to apply for a Brazilian visa to attend the FIFA World Cup must select “FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Spectator” in the online application form. Applicants holding copies of their spectator pass/ticket must submit a copy of their pass/ticket with their applicant in order for an Embassy fee gratis visa. January 2014

Vancouver Vietnam consulate – new online application form.

As of March 15, 2014 all Vietnam visa application forms must be completed online and then printed. Hand written application forms are no longer accepted. March 15th 2014.

Senegal Bio-metric Visa Updates

Visas upon arrival (with pre-enrollment) is now available at the airport at Cap Skirring. As of July 2013, a biometric visa is required to enter Senegal. The Government of Senegal launched an on-line pre-enrollment program that allows visitors to register their visa online and receive their biometric visas on arrival at the following points of entry: Dakar Airport, Cap Skirring Airport (NEW), Border crossing of Rosso with Mauritania, Border crossing of Karang with Gambia, Border crossing with Guinea Bisseau. For more information click here

Ottawa Office goes Bilingual

Clients are once again able to receive assistance in both French and English at our Ottawa location. Please contact us at 613.233.2223 or by email.

March, 2014

Vancouver Vietnam consulate - new online application form.

As of March 15, 2014 all Vietnam visa application forms must be completed online and then printed. Hand written application forms are no longer accepted.