As of December 31, 2018, foreign nationals from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas must provide their biometrics when applying for a visitor visa, study or work permit, or for permanent residence. Applicants from Europe, the Middle East and Africa have been subject to this biometric requirement since July 31, 2018.
IRCC states that the intention of this expansion is to effectively manage identity, facilitate application processing, simplify entry for travelers with legitimate identities, and increase biometric-based information sharing between Canada and the US, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
This new biometrics requirement adds an additional step in the application process, as well as a fee of $85 per individual. Foreign nationals who require a visa to enter Canada must complete their biometrics exam only after they have filed their application and received a biometrics instruction letter from IRCC. Since IRCC will not process applications until biometrics have been completed, this step will likely cause delays to application processing times.
This new requirement has created a number of practical considerations that must be taken into account for certain types of applications as well as each applicant’s individual circumstances.
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