If you wish to enter Canada as a visitor, applicant for a temporary residence permit or permanent residence or asylum seeker, you will likely need to provide your biometric data.
Canada's immigration and citizenship services require most travelers aged 14 to 79 to provide their biometric data (photo and fingerprints). This data can be submitted at a Visa Application Center (VAC), an Application Support Center (ASC) in the United States, or designated Service Canada offices. Determine if you need to provide your biometric data by clicking on . For more information on biometric data collection locations, you can visit .
Exemptions from Biometric Data Requirements in Canada
Applicants for a visitor visa, study permit, and work permit are only required to provide their biometric data once every ten years. Therefore, if you have already provided your biometric data to obtain a two-year study permit, for example, you will not need to provide your biometric data again if you apply for a work permit when your study permit expires. You can use the to check if your data is still valid.
Good to know:
Since June 14, 2023, if you submit a permanent residence application, you must provide your biometric data, even if you have provided it in the past 10 years. Indeed, since June 14, 2023, the Canadian government has resumed collecting biometric data from all permanent residence applicants in Canada.
Here is a list of individuals who are :
- Canadian citizens, citizenship applicants (including passport applicants), and current permanent residents;
- foreign nationals exempt from the visa requirement who come to Canada as visitors only;
- children under 14 years old;
- applicants over 79 years old (there is no maximum age limit for asylum seekers);
- Heads of State and Heads of Government;
- holders of a diplomatic or official visa;
- individuals holding a U.S. visa transiting through Canada;
- asylum seekers or protected persons who have already provided biometric data and are applying for a work or study permit;
- temporary residence applicants who have already provided their biometric information in support of a pending permanent residence application.
Good to know:
There are currently in place for collecting biometric data from certain refugees and temporary or permanent residence applicants. This is particularly the case for Afghans, Ukrainians, and certain locations in Europe where demand for biometric data collection appointments is high.
If you cannot secure an appointment before the deadline indicated in your biometric data collection instruction letter, you can request an extension of the deadline using the to explain why you need more time.
Procedure for Providing Biometric Data in Canada
To know when to provide your biometric data, carefully read the instruction guide provided by Immigration and Citizenship services when you submit your visa, permit, or permanent residence application. If you have applied for a visitor visa, a study permit, or a work permit, your application will not be processed until you have provided your biometric data.
Each individual applicant must pay a biometric fee of CAD $85. The fee cannot exceed CAD $170 for family members who submit their applications at the same time. The family rate applies to your spouse, common-law partner, and your dependent children or their dependent children. Make sure to check if your child is considered a dependent.
Groups consisting of 3 or more performing artists and their staff who apply for a work permit at the same time must pay a maximum total of CAD $255. Note that the procedure is free for those applying for a transit visa.
You will pay these fees at the same time you . You will then receive a letter indicating the procedure to follow. You generally have 30 days to complete this step.
After providing your biometric data, your fingerprints and photo will be encrypted and electronically sent to a secure Canadian government database.
Under the Canadian Privacy Act, you have access to your personal information at any time and can make an to view it. Biometric data exchange agreements are in place, notably with Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For more information, you can visit on the Canadian government website.
Good to know: Since 2019, Canada has expanded its biometric data collection program to countries in Asia, the Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. This means that more people are required to provide their biometric data when applying for a visitor visa, study or work permit, or permanent residence.
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