Immigration
Canada’s new biometrics rules start July 31: Here’s what you need to know
Known as biometrics, the fingerprints and photo will be required for identification purposes.
This requirement will be extended to Asia, Asia-Pacific and the Americas on December 31, 2018.(Photo: CIC News)
Starting July 31, fingerprints and a photo will become mandatory for many people applying from Europe, the Middle East and Africa for a Canadian visitor visa, work or study permit, permanent residence or for asylum in Canada.
Known as biometrics, the fingerprints and photo will be required for identification purposes. This requirement will be extended to Asia, Asia-Pacific and the Americas on December 31, 2018.
Travellers from visa-exempt countries who are coming to Canada as tourists with a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) will not be required to provide biometrics. For a full list of exemptions, please see the end of this article.
The Government of Canada says the collection of biometrics will facilitate application processing and simplify entry into Canada for low-risk travellers.
All travellers between the ages of 14 and 79 must provide biometric information, except in asylum cases, for which there is no upper age limit.
The process of providing your biometric information only takes a few minutes and costs CAD for an individual or CAD 0 for a family that is applying together.
