OTTAWA – Canadist: Canada Immigration Biometrics have become a routine part of the application process for many foreign nationals seeking to visit, study, work or settle in Canada. Fingerprints and a photograph are used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to confirm an applicant’s identity and support immigration screening.
Recent immigration coverage has again highlighted how important it is for applicants to complete biometrics promptly, particularly because an application can remain incomplete while the required biometric step is outstanding. IRCC’s current guidance also makes clear that the requirement does not apply to everyone, and previous biometrics may remain valid for temporary-residence applications. So, who actually needs to provide biometrics, who is exempt and what happens after an applicant receives the instruction letter?
Canada Immigration Biometrics: Who Must Provide Them?
For many people applying to come to Canada temporarily, biometrics are a standard part of the process. IRCC says applicants generally need to provide fingerprints and a photograph when applying for a visitor visa, an initial work or study permit, or an extension of a stay, unless an exemption applies. Permanent-residence applicants are also generally required to provide biometrics.
The requirement can also apply to people seeking refugee or asylum protection. IRCC maintains a specific set of exemptions, meaning applicants should not assume that every person travelling to Canada has to complete the procedure.
A key distinction concerns the type of travel document involved. A visa-exempt foreign national who is coming to Canada only as a visitor and applies for an electronic travel authorization, or eTA, does not normally provide biometrics for that application.
The same principle can apply to some people extending their stay. A citizen of a visa-exempt country applying for a visitor record is generally exempt from biometrics for that extension.
Children and older applicants can also fall outside the standard requirement. IRCC assesses age according to the applicant’s age when the application was submitted.
A child who was 13 or younger on the date of application does not normally need to give biometrics. Applicants who were 80 or older when they submitted their application are also generally exempt, although there is an important exception for asylum claimants.
The age rule can create confusion. If someone was 79 when an application was submitted and turns 80 while the application is being processed, IRCC says the person must still provide biometrics.
That detail matters because the relevant age is not necessarily the applicant’s age on the day of the appointment. It is the age at the time the application was submitted.
The Main Exemptions Applicants Should Know
There are several other exemptions that can change the answer.
Canadian citizens and citizenship applicants, including people applying for Canadian passports, do not normally provide biometrics under the immigration biometrics program. Existing permanent residents are also generally exempt, although special rules apply when certain permanent residents renew or replace their PR cards after previously receiving an age-based exemption.
Heads of state and heads of government coming temporarily to Canada are exempt. Applicants who qualify for or hold a diplomatic or official visa are also among those excluded from the ordinary biometrics requirement.
Another specific exemption applies to U.S. visa holders who are transiting through Canada.
There is also an important rule for applicants who have already provided biometrics as part of a permanent-residence application that is still being processed. If they subsequently apply for a visitor visa, study permit or work permit, they may not need to provide biometrics again.
These exemptions are one reason applicants should check their individual circumstances rather than relying on general statements about Canadian visas.
IRCC provides an online tool that allows applicants to determine whether biometrics are required. The government recommends using the eligibility information for the particular immigration document being sought.
Official Government of Canada biometrics guidance
What the Biometrics Appointment Actually Involves
For applicants who do need biometrics, the process is relatively straightforward but must be completed at an authorized collection location.
The biometric information consists of fingerprints and a photograph. Applicants receive instructions from IRCC after submitting the relevant immigration application and, where required, paying the biometrics fee.
The crucial document is the biometric instruction letter, commonly known as the BIL. Applicants should not simply turn up at a collection centre without following the instructions connected to their application.
Once the BIL arrives, the applicant should arrange an appointment as soon as possible. IRCC says appointments are free to book, and applicants generally have 30 days from the date they receive the instruction letter to provide their biometrics.
The collection itself is completed at an official biometric collection location. Depending on where the applicant lives and the circumstances of the application, this may be a Visa Application Centre or another authorized location.
Applicants should read the instructions contained in their BIL carefully because the available collection locations and procedures can vary.
The government advises applicants to act quickly after receiving the letter because failure to complete the biometric step can contribute to processing delays.
What Happens at the Appointment?
The applicant’s fingerprints are collected electronically and a digital photograph is taken.
The procedure is designed to establish and verify identity. It is not the same thing as a medical examination, nor does giving biometrics by itself mean that an application has been approved.
Applicants should therefore view biometrics as one part of the wider immigration assessment.
The collection centre sends the information electronically through the designated system. IRCC says the fingerprints and photograph are encrypted before being sent to a secure Government of Canada database.
The information can then be used as part of identity verification and immigration screening.
How Much Do Canada Immigration Biometrics Cost?
For applicants who are required to provide biometrics, the current fee is CAD $85 for an individual.
Families applying at the same time can pay a maximum total biometrics fee of CAD $170, subject to the applicable rules. IRCC also lists a maximum fee of CAD $255 for groups of three or more performing artists and their staff who apply for work permits at the same time.
The biometrics fee is separate from the underlying immigration application fee.
This distinction is important because paying the application fee does not necessarily mean every required step has been completed. Where biometrics are required, applicants should make sure the appropriate fee has been paid and then wait for the biometric instruction letter.
IRCC warns that failing to pay the required biometrics fee when submitting an application can lead to delays.
For example, the biometrics fee appears separately from the visitor-visa processing fee in IRCC’s current visitor-visa instructions.
When Previous Biometrics Can Be Reused
One of the most important points for repeat applicants is that biometrics are not necessarily collected every time a person submits a temporary-residence application.
For temporary-residence applicants, biometrics are generally valid for 10 years.
If an applicant gave biometrics within that period, IRCC can automatically attach the existing biometric record to a new visitor visa, work permit, study permit or extension application.
That means a person who previously completed biometrics may not have to attend another appointment for every subsequent temporary-residence application.
There is, however, a limit. Canada cannot issue a temporary visa or permit beyond the expiry date of the applicant’s biometrics.
An applicant whose biometrics are approaching expiry can choose to provide them again when applying if they want the possibility of a document with a longer validity period, subject to the immigration rules governing that document.
IRCC also makes clear that a person cannot simply submit new biometrics after a visa or permit has already been issued in order to extend the document’s validity. A new application or extension process is required.
Permanent Residence Is Different
The rules for permanent residence are more demanding.
Most permanent-residence applicants must provide biometrics each time they apply. This is different from the 10-year reuse system that applies to many temporary-residence applications.
There are circumstances in which biometric information can be reused between applications, but applicants should not assume that a biometric record from an old temporary visa will automatically satisfy a new permanent-residence requirement.
For people moving from temporary status toward permanent residence, this distinction can be especially important.
IRCC’s guidance also explains that if a person has provided biometrics for a permanent-residence application that remains in progress, those biometrics may be used in support of a subsequent temporary-residence application.
If the permanent-residence application is refused, however, those biometrics cannot simply be relied upon for future applications.
What Happens After Biometrics Are Submitted?
Providing fingerprints and a photograph does not mean the application has reached a final decision.
Once the biometric information has been collected, it is transmitted electronically to the Canadian government’s secure database. The information forms part of the identity and security checks associated with the immigration application.
The application can then continue through the other stages of IRCC processing.
This is particularly relevant for applicants watching their online accounts. A biometric appointment being completed does not necessarily mean that a visa, study permit, work permit or permanent-residence application will be approved immediately.
Recent immigration reporting has highlighted the uncertainty applicants can experience while waiting after completing biometrics. In one recent account involving a study-permit application, an applicant had completed biometrics but was still waiting while the application remained under processing. The example illustrates an important point: biometrics are a required procedural step for many applicants, but they are not a guarantee of a rapid decision.
IRCC may still need to assess documents, eligibility, admissibility, security considerations and other elements of the application.
Applicants should therefore avoid interpreting a biometric update as either an approval or a refusal.
Common Mistakes That Can Delay an Application
One of the most avoidable problems is waiting too long after receiving the biometric instruction letter.
IRCC says applicants generally have 30 days to provide their biometrics after receiving the BIL. Anyone who cannot meet that deadline should follow the instructions provided by IRCC rather than simply allowing the deadline to pass.
Another mistake is assuming that biometrics given to another country can be transferred to Canada.
For example, a foreign national who has already provided fingerprints to U.S. immigration authorities may still have to provide biometrics to Canada. Canadian and U.S. biometric systems are not interchangeable for the purpose of satisfying Canada’s immigration requirement.
Applicants should also use the BIL associated with the current application. If an application was refused because biometrics were not provided, IRCC instructs the applicant to reapply, pay the applicable fees and wait for a new biometric instruction letter rather than attempting to use the old one.
Using an outdated instruction letter can cause additional delays or complications.
Canada Immigration Biometrics and the Wider Immigration Process
Biometrics are only one component of Canada’s immigration screening system, but they are an important one.
The program was expanded in stages, with the requirement covering applicants from Europe, the Middle East and Africa from July 31, 2018, and extending to nationals from Asia, Asia-Pacific and the Americas from December 31 of that year.
The policy was introduced to strengthen identity verification and help Canadian authorities identify people who may have previously used another identity or immigration document.
Today, the requirement covers a broad range of temporary and permanent immigration applications, while exemptions continue to apply to specific categories.
For applicants, the practical message is simple: determine whether biometrics are required before submitting an application, pay the applicable fee when required, watch for the biometric instruction letter and arrange the appointment promptly.
A person who has previously given biometrics should also check whether those biometrics remain valid before assuming another appointment is necessary.
What Applicants Should Check Before Applying
Before submitting a Canadian immigration application, applicants should establish exactly which immigration document they are seeking.
A visitor visa, study permit, work permit, permanent-residence application and refugee or asylum claim can involve different biometric rules.
The applicant should then check whether an exemption applies based on nationality, age, immigration status or another specific circumstance.
If biometrics are required, the applicant should make sure the fee is included where applicable and monitor the application account for the biometric instruction letter.
After receiving the BIL, the next priority should be arranging the appointment at an authorized collection location.
Applicants should keep records of their appointment and biometric submission and continue monitoring their immigration application after the collection is completed.
The most important point is that biometrics do not replace the rest of the immigration application. A person can complete biometrics correctly and still need to satisfy all other requirements before IRCC can make a decision.
For that reason, applicants should treat biometrics as a necessary identity-verification stage rather than as an indication that approval is imminent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who usually needs Canada immigration biometrics?
Most applicants for permanent residence and many applicants for visitor visas, study permits, work permits and certain extensions must provide fingerprints and a photograph unless they qualify for an exemption.
Are children required to give biometrics?
Children who are 13 or younger when they submit their application are generally exempt. Age is assessed at the time the application is submitted.
How long are Canadian biometrics valid?
For temporary-residence applicants, biometrics are generally valid for 10 years. Most permanent-residence applicants must provide biometrics each time they apply.
How much does biometrics cost?
The standard fee is CAD $85 for an individual. Families applying together can generally pay a maximum of CAD $170, while a special maximum of CAD $255 applies to qualifying groups of three or more performing artists and their staff.
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