Canada Visa: Biometric Submission Now Mandatory

June 23rd, 2023 at 12:33 am

Canada Visa: Biometric Submission Now Mandatory

In a recent update, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has changed how it collects personal information from people who want to become permanent residents.

As of June 14, everyone who wants to get permanent residency must submit their biometrics, even if they already did so for a temporary residence card.

IRCC Return to Pre-Pandemic Procedures

The new policy brings permanent resident applications to Canada back to the way they were done before the pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC temporarily changed the Global Case Management System (GCMS) so that PR applicants didn’t have to resend biometrics if they had already done so with a temporary resident application within the last 10 years.

Resumption of Regular Processes

Newcomers who had submitted fingerprints to IRCC within ten years could apply for permanent residency in September 2020.

This adjustment was made due to pandemic-related closures of many Visa Application Centres (VACs).

IRCC is steadily returning to pre-pandemic service standards as pandemic constraints are relaxed. The department can now function at full capacity and process applications faster due to the reduced backlog.

In an email to the Canadian Bar Association’s Immigration Section, an IRCC staffer indicated recycling fingerprints for permanent residence applications was a temporary solution during the pandemic. After the pandemic, IRCC will ask all PR applicants to resubmit their fingerprints, even if they did so during the pandemic.

Exemptions and Impact

It’s important to know that these changes don’t apply to people who want to become temporary residents but don’t have work, tourist, or student visas. Also, people who want to extend their temporary status do not have to send in their biometrics again.

Understanding Biometrics Requirements

Biometrics, which include fingerprints and a photo of the face, are required parts of all Canadian immigration forms. At the moment, you have to pay $85 CAD to send in your fingerprints.

These steps are taken to make sure that Canadians are safer and that the immigration system stays honest. Biometrics are thought to be safe for applicants and make it easy to identify people.

Exemptions

There are a few exceptions to the fingerprints rule that you should know about.

People from more than 60 countries don’t need a visa to visit Canada, so they don’t have to give their fingerprints. However, everyone except U.S. citizens needs an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

Additionally, the following categories of applicants are not required to provide biometrics:

1. Canadian citizens, people who want to become citizens (including people who want a passport), or people who are already permanent residents
2. Children younger than 14 years old
3. Applicants who are older than 79 (except refugee seekers)
4. Heads of state, heads of government, cabinet ministers, and accredited agents from other countries and the United Nations who are on official business in Canada
5. U.S. visa holders passing through Canada
6. Refugee claimants or protected persons who have already given their biometrics and are asking for a study or work permit
7. Temporary resident applicants who have already given data as part of a permanent resident application that is still being processed.

These exemptions give some people more freedom and make the application process easier, while still keeping the security steps that are needed.

Final Words

In conclusion, the updated IRCC policy that requires permanent resident applicants to submit biometrics shows a return to the way things were done before the pandemic and a return to normal processing standards. By following these rules, IRCC hopes to keep the immigration system’s purity and make sure Canadians are safe.

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