What is biometrics?
Biometrics means digital images of the face and digital fingerprints for every 10 fingers. Biometric information is recorded in the Canadian Immigration Service system. Whenever you travel or immigrate to Canada, a border officer compares your face to a photo recorded in a biometric system to make sure the visa applicant and the person at the border are the same. Fingerprints can also be used to check the applicant’s background.
Applicants who must apply for biometrics:
- Canada TRV Visa Application
- Apply for a Work Permit
- Apply for a Study Permit
- Apply for a TRP Canada Permit
- Immigration Application to Canada
Biometrics are not required if the applicant is less than 14 years old or 80 years old or older.
Who does biometrics?
A private company called VFS Global has contracted with the Government of Canada to perform biometrics. The company has branches in several countries around the world. These branches are called Visa Application Center or VAC. In addition, there are a number of application centers within the United States called the Application Support Center (ASC) that also do biometric work. For residents of Iran, the nearest centers are currently Ankara, Istanbul, Tbilisi, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Yerevan. Many of these centers allow you to make time for biometrics in advance. This way, you will be less procrastinating when you go to the center. Note that by default you can do biometrics in any center. For example, if you are in France, you can go to the center of Paris and there is no need to return to Turkey.
In addition to the VAC and ASC centers, the Canadian Customs Service (CBSA) performs biometric work at many entry points. However, this option is only available to those who are exempt from a Canadian visa and are applying for a work permit at the Canadian border. There is currently no center for biometrics in Canada.
Biometric cost:
The cost of biometrics per person is C $ 85. For a family of two or more, the cost is $ 170. If a group of artists enter Canada, the maximum is $ 255. Note that if these people do not act collectively, virtually each individual will have to pay $ 85.
Biometric validation:
Biometric Canada Temporary Visa is valid for 10 years.
Two very important points about biometric validation:
The biometrics you give for a temporary visa are not valid for immigration to Canada, and unfortunately you have to give a biometrics for a separate immigration.
If your facial features change drastically, you will need to have biometrics done again, otherwise you may have problems at the border.
After biometric:
After the biometrics, the VAC center registers the information in the immigration office system. Nothing special happens after that. Of course, if you have applied for a biometric visa temporarily, you will usually receive a letter from the visa office one or two days before the application process showing biometric validity. In the case of Canadian immigration, there is usually no correspondence on biometrics because immigration biometrics only apply to that particular case.
New biometric rules:
Due to the pandemic, Canadian biometric must be done with an appointment. Biometric offices will not accept Canadian visa fingerprint applicants without a fingerprint appointment. Therefore, Canadian visa applicants in Iran, must first determine the city of their choice to do Canadian visa fingerprinting, be sure to specify the day and time and before their trip, get a time slip.
The fingerprint center you previously planned for biometrics may be closed, but the Immigration Office has replaced the offices with previous ones.
You can better plan your biometrics by visiting the website below.
https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/where-to-give-biometrics.asp#wb-auto-6
FAQ :
- How long is biometric information valid?
Answer: Biometric validity is valid for up to 10 years, and if you are applying for a visa and did biometrics 10 years ago, you will have to do biometrics again.
- Can I go to the biometric offices without appoiment and wait in line ?
Answer: No, according to the pandemic conditions (COVID-19), you must make an appointment in advance and then plan a trip and get a plane ticket.
- What documents should I have with me when taking biometrics?
Answer: For the embassy, you must have the biometric form printed for you by the immigration office, as well as your identity documents, such as your passport. It is better to have 2 identity documents, for example, the original and the translation of the identity card
- Did I have the biometric sheet sent by the Immigration Office important ?
Answer: Yes, this document is very important. It is recommended that you have several photocopies of it and save its PDF in your emails.
- On what site can I check offices that do biometrics?
Answer: https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/where-to-give-biometrics.asp
On the official website of the Immigration Canada you can see the list of all offices that do biometrics and choose the country of your choice and book your biometric appointment.
- My child is 10 years old. Does he need biometrics?
Answer: No, people under 14 and over 79 do not need biometrics.
- How can I apply for a fingerprint before applying? A trip to Turkey came to me. I wanted to see if there was a way for me to do fingerprinting and then apply for a visa and university admission ?
Answer: It is not possible and your file must be submitted first and then the fingerprint request letter will be sent to you by the Immigration Office.
- is it possible to move the given biometric appointment?
Answer: No, it is not possible to move biometric appointment
- The question I had was what are the fingerprinting conditions for someone who has only 5 healthy fingers? Do they not fingerprint him or do they just fingerprint the same 5 fingers?
Answer: If you are applying for a Canadian visa, you must do fingerprinting. In the case you mentioned, there is no problem and they get fingerprints from healthy fingers.
- When will the vac office in Istanbul, which is closed in Turkey due to global quarantine, start operating ?
Answer: Check the website of fingerprint offices. In such cases, temporary replacement offices have been opened for other deductions that you can refer to.
- I have been to Canada before. Do I need to go to Ankara again to get a visa and do all the steps I have already done or just upload my document ?
Answer: If you mean re-obtaining a tourist visa, people who have done fingerprinting in the last ten years will not need to be fingerprinted again, according to the Canadian Immigration Service, due to the corona outbreak and its problems. Also, be sure to check the Immigration and Citizenship Canada website.
