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28 March 2024

Are you from Pakistan, Syria, Bangladesh or Iran? Canada needs your fingerprints

Published
By Majorie van Leijen

If you are considering applying for one of the immigration programs to Canada, this news might apply to you. At least one more requirement is added to the list of required data for certain temporary workers.

Applicants from certain nationalities will be required to provide their biometric data, the data consisting of finger prints and photographs taken at the nearest Canadian Visa Application Center (VAC) or Visa Office before coming to Canada.

The new specification applies to a restricted list of nationalities, including Pakistani’s, Bangladeshi’s, Iranians, and most Arab nationalities (for a full list of nationalities, see below).

The aim of the new requirement is to enhance safety and security, said the Canadian government.

Requiring biometric data from visa applicants was first announced in the Budget Plan 2008, but had not been implemented until last month, when the first stage of the implementation was realised.

Per September 4, applicants of the countries Colombia, Haiti, and Jamaica were requested to submit the additional data.

The second phase if the implementation will commence on October 23, targeting Saudi residents and applicants from a list of Africa countries. The third and last stage will commence on December 11.

Individuals who require biometrics must pay a fee of CAD85 CAD or up to CAD170 CAD per family.

Before a visa is issued, biometric information will be checked to ensure that the applicant is eligible for entry to Canada, and is not committing fraud of any kind.

After that, the fingerprints will be sent to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and photographs will be stored by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

Once the applicant has submitted the biometrics and has received the visa, no additional information will be required during his/her stay unless s/he chooses to apply for a study or work permit.

Furthermore, in certain cases the applicant is exempted from the new requirements. This applies to applicants under 14 years old or 80 years old and older, or if the applicant is a diplomat, consular officer, or representative of a country, the United Nations or an intergovernmental organization that Canada is a member of when traveling to Canada on official business.

When the applicant is on transit to the US for less than 48 hours, the requirement does not apply, considered the visitor holds a valid US entry visa.

Biometric requirements for approval of a visa is common in other countries than Canada such as United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia.

Biometric data in these countries are not acknowledged in Canada.