By Gerald V. Paul

Members of the Caribbean  community  holding  dual citizenship will have to show  a valid Canadian passport to enter Canada y when travelling by air, come late September.

 “A valid Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel document that provides proof that you are a citizen and have the right to enter Canada without being subjected to immigration screening,” says the message on a Canadian government website.

However, it notes that, “leniency will be shown to travelers who are caught unaware until September 29, 2016.”

Prior to the change, Canadians who hold dual citizenship were able to enter Canada with their foreign passports and use a driver’s license or citizenship card to prove Canadian citizenship. Now, air travelers must have either a valid Canadian passport; a Canadian temporary passport; or a Canadian emergency travel document as proof of citizenship.

The new requirement, known as an Electronic Travel Authorization , was introduced earlier this year but  was not strictly enforced. However, the government had been encouraging persons with dual citizens to obtain a valid Canadian passport.