COMISION INTERAMERICANA DEL ATUN TROPICAL (CIAT

COMISION INTERAMERICANA DEL ATUN TROPICAL (CIAT)

INTER-AMERICAN TROPICAL TUNA COMMISSION (IATTC)

8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla CA 92037-1509, USA – www.iattc.org

Tel: (858) 546-7100 – Fax: (858) 546-7133

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MEMORANDUM

24 February 2023

Ref.: 0083-410

To: Commissioners and Heads of Delegation

AIDCP Parties and participating governments

c.c.: Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Indonesia and Liberia

From: Alfonso Miranda, IATTC Chair

Alvin Delgado, Chair of the Meeting of Parties

Arnulfo Franco, Director

Re: AIDCP and IATTC meetings from 31 July to 11 August 2023 – venue, schedule and

arrangements – additional information

As a follow-up to our memorandum 0063-410 dated 13 February 2023, please find attached for your

information and consideration an individual letter of invitation addressed by Canada to each delegate to the

AIDCP and IATTC meetings, as well as an information document prepared by the Canadian authorities on

the steps to be followed for obtaining the Visa or Electronic Travel Authorization required to enter that

country.

We encourage you to start this process at the earliest.

We take this opportunity to mention that, in coordination with the Canadian authorities, we will circulate

the earliest another memorandum with information on the hotel accommodations, in order to enable each

delegation to make the necessary reservations also as soon as possible.

Annexes: as indicated. –

Fisheries and Oceans Pêches et Océans

Canada Canada

International Politiques sur les

Fisheries Policy pêches internationales

Dear Delegate,

I am pleased to invite you, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to the 101

meeting of the

Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), which we will be hosting in Victoria,

British Columbia from July 31 – August 11, 2023 at the Victoria Conference Center, 720

Douglas Street.

Depending on your nationality, you may require an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or a

visitor visa to enter Canada. We have prepared an information package which provides clear

details on the steps required to obtain these entry documents, as applicable.

Our immigration authorities have created a special event code 23CIAT to facilitate tracking and

processing of applications from accredited delegates. Please note that you must identify this code

in your application, as detailed in the information document we have shared. I encourage you to

begin the process to obtain your visitor visa as soon as possible to avoid possible delays.

Finally, I would like to reiterate Canada’s appreciation for the opportunity to host an IATTC

meeting for the first time since the entry into force of the Antigua Convention, and look forward

to welcoming you to our country for what we are sure will be another successful meeting of the

Commission.

Sincerely,

Amber Lindstedt

Head of Delegation and Canadian Commissioner to the IATTC

Dear IATTC CPC/delegate, Secretariat staff, and representatives of observer organizations,

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is sharing the following information for

international invitees seeking entry into Canada to attend an event registered with IRCC.

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the information below before submitting an application

to IRCC.

Application Types

Most foreign nationals need a temporary resident visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization to

travel to Canada. To find out if you need a TRV or eTA to travel to Canada, see: Find out if you need a

visa to travel to Canada.

Submit an Application

For more information about the TRV and eTA application processes, see: Visit Canada.

Submit a TRV Application

If you need a visa, apply online through the IRCC Secure Network.

IRCC Secure Network

You are invited to apply through the IRCC Secure Network because you meet at least one of the

following criteria:

 You are attending an event hosted by the Government of Canada and therefore qualify for fee

exemptions.

How to Apply

Apply for your visitor visa through your IRCC secure account. You will be prompted to either sign in

using your GCKey user ID and password, or through a Sign-in partner. If you don’t already have an

account you can create one by clicking "Register“ under the "Don’t have an account?” section. Once

you are signed in you will be prompted to answer a series of questions to determine your eligibility to

apply for a visa. If you are eligible to apply for a visa, you will be prompted to the complete the visa

application form (IMM 5257).

Please take note of the following two items when completing your visa application form:

IMPORTANT: If you are attending an event hosted by the Government of Canada and qualify for fee

exemptions, select ‘No, I am exempt from paying fees for this application’ when asked if you are fee

exempt.

You will be prompted to upload proof of how you meet this exemption at the document upload page.

The ‘proof’ you must upload is the letter of invitation and, if applicable, the accreditation pass or visa

assistance letter received from your event organizer containing the special event code. You must still

demonstrate you meet the requirements to obtain a visa and provide biometrics (if applicable), but

you will not be charged any fees.

IMPORTANT: Tag your visa application (Form IMM 5257) with the special event code. In the ‘Details

of Visit to Canada’ section, select: ‘Other.’ For question ‘1a) Purpose of my visit,’ enter the special

event code 23CIAT into the free text box in ‘1b) Other’.

Biometrics

If you are required to complete biometrics you will be issued a Biometrics Instructions Letter (BIL).

Please schedule your appointment as soon as you receive your BIL.

You must complete your biometrics before IRCC can start to process your application.

For information on whether or not you must provide biometrics, please refer to our fast facts about

Biometrics.

Passport

Check your application status by visiting: Check your application status – Immigration and citizenship -

Canada.ca

If your visa application is approved you will receive a letter instructing you to submit your passport to

the closest Visa Application Centre (VAC) through mail or courier.

Note you will not be able to enter Canada without having your visa affixed to your passport.

Need Help?

Refer to the guide for information on how to complete your application (IMM 5257).

For further assistance, see the Help Centre or complete the web form.

Paper Application (IMM 5257)

You are invited to submit a paper application only if you meet one of the following criteria:

 You cannot apply online because of a disability.

 You are travelling with an identity or travel document that was issued to a refugee, a stateless

person, or a non-citizen.

How to Apply

1. Read the instruction guide for details on how to apply by paper.

2. Select your country/territory from the drop down menu for instructions on how to prepare and

submit your application to your local visa office.

Submit an eTA Application

If you need an eTA, apply on the official Government of Canada website.

How to Apply

1. Use the online form to apply for your eTA.

2. Pay the appropriate fee.

3. Receive an email from IRCC about your eTA application.

4. If there are any issues with your application, you will receive an email from IRCC requesting

additional information.

Need Help?

Refer to the guides in the ‘Help with the form or other eTA questions’ drop down for information on

how to complete your eTA application.

For further assistance, use the eTA Help Guide, or see the Help Centre.

Special Event Codes

Events registered with IRCC are issued a unique special event code to help track and monitor visa

processing. Applicants should tag their applications with the event’s special event code, which can be

found in the letter of invitation provided by the event organizer.

TRV applications are considered on a case-by-case basis based on the information presented by the

applicant. The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate they meet the requirements for a TRV. While a

special event code has been assigned to the event, it does not offer any advantage to the applicant in

terms of a positive visa outcome. The applicant must meet all eligibility criteria to receive a visa.

Visa Processing Times

The Processing times for visa applications posted online are historical, meaning they're measured based

on how long it took to process 80% of applications in the past 6-8 weeks. As a result, processing times

maybe different than those posted online at the time of application submission. Participants are

strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible ahead of their departure date in order to allow

sufficient time for their application to be processed and if approved, subsequent visa issuance in their

passport.

It is important that international invitees are familiar with the TRV and eTA application processes.

Understanding the different processes will contribute to ensuring that invitees to events in Canada have

a smooth application experience. Thank you for reading the abovementioned messages.

Sincerely,

Special Events Unit

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada