Costa Rica Joins Trinidad And Tobago, France, Chile, Netherlands, Dominican Republic And More As Canada Issues New Travel Advisory Amid Increased Crime Risks And Tightened Visa Screening Rules For Tourists

Published on October 24, 2025

Costa Rica has joined Trinidad and Tobago, France, Chile, nan Netherlands, nan Dominican Republic and respective different nations arsenic Canada expands its world recreation advisory, driven by a surge successful crime, coercion threats, civilian unrest, and nan rollout of stricter visa and introduction monitoring systems crossed Europe and Latin America. The caller advisory reflects Canada’s increasing interest complete rising information risks affecting visitors and nan evolving world recreation landscape, wherever heightened separator controls and enhanced visa verification procedures are becoming nan caller norm for world travellers.

Canada has issued a caller group of recreation advisories highlighting increasing information risks crossed respective destinations — including Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, France, Chile, nan Netherlands, Spain, and nan Dominican Republic. The update urges Canadian travellers to workout a precocious grade of be aware owed to rising concerns specified arsenic convulsive crime, terrorism, civilian unrest, and cybercrime.
These advisories travel astatine a clip erstwhile world mobility is being redefined done stricter visa and introduction protocols, peculiarly successful Europe, wherever nan caller Entry/Exit System (EES) now records biometric information for each non-EU visitors.

The advisory signals Canada’s stronger stance connected world recreation preparedness, ensuring citizens stay informed astir imaginable dangers, while galore destinations tighten their separator policies and information procedures successful consequence to world threats.

Costa Rica: Petty Crime, Violent Incidents, and Tourist Scams connected nan Rise

Canadian travellers to Costa Rica person been urged to workout utmost be aware owed to an summation successful petty and convulsive crimes targeting tourists. The advisory warns of pickpocketing, conveyance break-ins, and passport theft — peculiarly successful awesome tourer regions specified arsenic San José, Jacó, Manuel Antonio, and Puerto Viejo.

• Thieves often run successful teams, distracting victims earlier stealing valuables.
• Frequent incidents hap successful bus terminals, edifice lobbies, restaurants, and beaches.
• The advisory highlights circumstantial high-risk zones for illustration Coca-Cola autobus terminal, Downtown San José, and Dominical successful Puntarenas.

Violent crimes — including equipped robberies, burglaries, and assaults — are besides reported successful Alajuela, Limón, Puntarenas, and San José provinces. The Canadian authorities warns against stepping unsocial astatine nighttime aliases leaving valuables visible successful vehicles.

Travellers are encouraged to:

• Stay vigilant successful crowded areas
• Use well-secured accommodation
• Avoid displaying affluence
• Carry copies of recreation documents separately

Fraud and in installments paper skimming are frequent, while spiked drinks and unregulated intoxicant income person caused aggregate information incidents. The advisory besides includes women’s information guidance, pursuing reports of harassment and intersexual assaults adjacent resorts and taxi zones.

Dominican Republic: Crime, Border Tensions, and Fraud Scams Spark Concern

Canada’s advisory for nan Dominican Republic warns of precocious crime rates and an unpredictable information situation, peculiarly adjacent nan separator pinch Haiti, wherever each crossings are now closed to travellers.

Incidents of petty and convulsive crime — including pickpocketing, bag-snatching, and equipped robberies — are communal successful awesome cities and tourer areas specified arsenic Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, and Puerto Plata.

Frequent issues include:

• Drive-by robberies by thieves connected motorcycles aliases bicycles
• Theft wrong resorts and hotels, including from safes
• Crimes astatine beaches, airports, and nationalist carrier hubs

The advisory besides highlights “pirate lawyers”, who utilization detained foreigners for ample ineligible fees. Additionally, cybercrime, romance scams, and ATM skimming are expanding crossed tourer hubs.

Travellers are urged to:

• Stay successful reputable hotels pinch bully security
• Keep belongings secured and debar nationalist show of valuables
• Travel only successful daylight, avoiding isolated aliases unpatrolled areas astatine night

The country’s visa policies stay unchanged for short-term visits, though Canada notes travellers must clasp a passport valid for six months beyond nan day of arrival.

Trinidad and Tobago: Violent Crime and Terror Threats Emerge arsenic Major Worries

Canada’s advisory connected Trinidad and Tobago underscores a precocious consequence of convulsive crime, peculiarly successful Port of Spain, Beetham Estate Gardens, and Laventille. Armed robberies, assaults, kidnappings, and carjackings are not uncommon.

Authorities place respective no-go zones, wherever travellers are powerfully advised to debar non-essential recreation owed to pack unit and weapon crime.

Tourists are encouraged to:

• Avoid deserted beaches and unlit streets
• Refrain from carrying ample amounts of cash
• Book stays successful hotels pinch 24-hour information and surveillance systems
• Exercise other be aware erstwhile utilizing online making love apps, arsenic incidents of luring and battle person been reported

Adding to nan concerns, nan advisory besides acknowledges nan beingness of groups pinch violent connections, raising nan imaginable for attacks connected nationalist gatherings, belief sites, and carrier hubs.

Trinidad and Tobago’s separator introduction rules stay stable, but each travellers must transportation a passport valid for astatine slightest six months beyond their intended stay.

France: Heightened Terror Alert and Petty Crime Risks Across Major Cities

France remains 1 of Europe’s astir visited destinations, yet nan latest advisory places it nether “Exercise a precocious grade of caution” owed to nan elevated threat of terrorism.

Under nan Vigipirate nationalist information plan, France presently operates astatine Level 3 – “Attack Emergency”, nan highest panic alert level. This intends accrued constabulary and subject patrols successful Paris and awesome tourer areas.

Potential violent targets include:

• Transport hubs specified arsenic airports and train stations
• Public venues including concert halls, shopping centres, and restaurants
• Religious and authorities buildings

Petty crime is besides rampant successful Paris, peculiarly connected nan metro, RER lines, and tourer landmarks for illustration nan Eiffel Tower and Montmartre.

Common information proposal includes:

• Avoid carrying ample rate aliases valuables
• Stay alert connected nationalist transport
• Use unafraid parking, arsenic car break-ins are predominant on highways and formation areas

With nan caller EU Entry/Exit System (EES) launched successful October 2025, travellers from non-EU countries, including Canadians, will acquisition biometric registration (fingerprints and facial scans) erstwhile entering aliases leaving France — marking a important visa-entry betterment crossed Europe.

Netherlands: Substantial Terror Threat and Frequent Tourist Scams

The Netherlands is besides nether Canada’s “Exercise a precocious grade of caution” advisory owed to a important coercion threat, rated Level 4 of 5 by Dutch authorities.

While nan state remains safe for tourism, Canadians are urged to beryllium vigilant successful Amsterdam’s metropolis centre, wherever pickpocketing, bag-snatching, and fraud are common.

Tourist hotspots for illustration De Wallen (red-light district), Central Station, and tram routes 1, 2, and 5 are known for theft and scams, including individuals impersonating constabulary officers.

Home burglaries, equipped robberies, and personality theft incidents person besides been reported. Authorities pass travellers not to stock individual specifications aliases recreation plans publicly.

As pinch France, nan EES biometric introduction strategy is now operational, and travellers must guarantee their passports are valid for astatine slightest 3 months beyond their Schengen stay.

Spain: High Terror Level and Petty Crime successful Tourist Hotspots

Spain joins France and nan Netherlands connected nan European database nether Canada’s advisory. Travellers are urged to stay vigilant owed to coercion risks and wide petty theft.

Spain’s nationalist panic alert remains astatine Level 4 (High) retired of 5, pinch heightened information successful Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville.

Frequent tourist-targeted crimes include:

• Pickpocketing astatine Las Ramblas, Sagrada Família, and Madrid’s Gran Vía
• Thefts connected public transport, beaches, and car rental stations
• Fake constabulary officers demanding ID to rob tourists

The advisory highlights a emergence successful roadside robbery scams, wherever thieves simulate conveyance breakdowns to rob unsuspecting motorists.

Travellers are advised to:

• Avoid leaving valuables successful vehicles
• Lock doors astatine each times
• Refrain from accepting roadside thief unless it’s a uniformed officer

Spain besides afloat enforces nan EES system, meaning Canadian travellers’ information will beryllium stored and verified electronically during introduction and exit.

Chile: Demonstrations, Civil Unrest, and Urban Theft Spark Warnings

Canada has added Chile to its high-caution list, chiefly owed to civilian unrest, protests, and crime successful awesome cities for illustration Santiago, Valparaíso, and Concepción.

While petty crime specified arsenic pickpocketing and bag-snatching is astir common, location are increasing concerns complete politically motivated unit successful nan Araucanía and Biobío regions, wherever clashes and arson attacks person taken place.

Frequent demonstrations successful Santiago’s Plaza Italia and different cities sometimes escalate into confrontations pinch information forces. Travellers are urged to debar ample gatherings and travel section media updates.

Authorities besides pass of:

• “Motochorros” — thieves connected motorcycles targeting pedestrians and vehicles
• Fraud via ATM skimming and telephone scams
• Occasional small-scale explosive attacks connected nationalist accommodation successful Santiago

Despite these challenges, Chile remains 1 of Latin America’s much unchangeable nations for travel, provided visitors stay alert and return precautions.

Global Visa and Entry Restrictions: Europe’s New Border Control Framework

Beyond crime and terrorism, Canada’s advisory update besides emphasizes awesome procedural changes successful recreation introduction systems, peculiarly crossed Europe’s Schengen zone.

As of October 12, 2025, nan Entry/Exit System (EES) is unrecorded crossed 29 Schengen countries, including France, Spain, and nan Netherlands.
This automated registration collects travellers’ biometric information (facial scans, fingerprints) and travel details, marking a important measurement toward stricter separator information and visa monitoring.

Key features of nan EES:

• Replaces manual passport stamping
• Tracks full days spent successful nan Schengen area
• Prevents overstays and identifies repetition offenders
• Applies to each non-EU visitors, including Canadians

Canadians visiting these countries do not require a visa for stays up to 90 days, but longer stays now request pre-approved Schengen visas.

Canada’s Broader Message: Stay Informed, Stay Secure

Through these advisories, nan Canadian authorities reinforces its world telephone for informed travel amid shifting information and regulatory landscapes.

While destinations for illustration France, Spain, and nan Netherlands grapple pinch coercion risks, and others for illustration Costa Rica, Chile, and nan Dominican Republic look expanding crime and fraud, nan overarching connection remains accordant — recreation smart, enactment alert, and support documents safe.

As world recreation evolves nether stricter visa systems and rising information concerns, Canadians are reminded to:

• Register pinch nan Registration of Canadians Abroad service
• Monitor nan latest advisories connected charismatic authorities websites
• Keep emergency interaction specifications accessible while abroad

Costa Rica has joined Trinidad and Tobago, France, Chile, nan Netherlands, nan Dominican Republic, and different nations arsenic Canada issues a caller world recreation advisory amid escalating crime risks, coercion threats, and stricter visa-entry regulations introduced crossed aggregate regions. The update intends to protect Canadian travellers arsenic respective destinations tighten separator information and enforce enhanced recreation monitoring measures.

The advisory update underscores that while recreation remains unfastened and vibrant, individual information consciousness is nan traveller’s strongest visa of protection successful today’s analyzable world.