Visa change stymies Dartmouth, N.S., baptism

A Dartmouth, N.S., family was scrambling Tuesday to find a way around new visa requirements imposed on citizens of Mexico and the Czech Republic.

Roberto Armenta had been looking forward to having his parents visit from Mexico for his son's baptism next week, but the visa change has put that celebration in doubt.

"They don't know my son and he is nine months old. They never met him. It will be the first time that they see him. For my mom it's very important, the baptism," Armenta told CBC.

"We bought the tickets almost two months [ago] and all of sudden they cannot come here because of the visas requirements."

Armenta has approached Canadian and Mexican officials for help.

"When I try to find out how long it takes for the visa process to get a visa through the process, they cannot give any answer," he said.

He is hoping his MP can find a way to fast-track the process so that his son, Henrik, can meet his grandparents as planned.

Galo Carrera, Mexico's honorary consul in Nova Scotia, said there will likely be many similar stories because of the abrupt change in visa rules, announced Monday.

"This is a situation that creates difficulties for people that are either are travelling soon or are already on their way to come to Canada and it will disrupt the lives of many Mexicans."