The Government of Canada is opening new visa centers and service points in Europe, Africa and the Middle East to expand its biometric program. New visa centers (VACs) and service points will help in the collection of biometric data, including fingerprints and a photo to identify people who all foreigners from Europe, the Middle East and Africa who want to visit, work, study or settle in Canada will have to take from July 31.
Foreign citizens from Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas will also have to provide their biometrics when applying for a visa for entry, work permit or study or permanent residence from December 31, 2018.
New VACs will open in:
Kigali, Rwanda; Stockholm, Sweden;
Tel Aviv, Israel, by mid-September 2018 Athens, Greece;
Berlin, Germany; Lyon, France; and Vienna, Austria, in early November 2018
Antananarivo, Madagascar and Cape Town, South Africa in early December 2018
The federal government claims that an even larger number of VACs will open in 2019.
Meanwhile, transitional collection points for biometric charges are now open to applicants in some Canadian embassies in Europe.
From July 31 to mid-September 2018: in Stockholm, at the Canadian Embassy in Sweden, for applicants from Sweden and neighboring countries.
From July 31 to early November 2018: Canadian embassies in Athens, Greece; Berlin, Germany; and Vienna, Austria for applicants from Greece, Germany, Austria and neighboring countries.
From July 31 to early November 2018: in the leased commercial space in Lyon, France for applicants from France and neighboring countries. Before visiting the biometric service station, applicants must first obtain a letter with a biometric instruction from the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada.
The following applicants are exempted from the requirement of biometrics:
Citizens of Canada, applicants for citizenship (including passport applicants) or existing permanent residents;
children under the age of 14; applicants over the age of 79 (there are no exceptions to the maximum age for asylum seekers);
citizens who do not have visas and come to Canada as tourists who have a valid electronic travel authorization;
Heads of State and Heads of Government;
ministers of the Cabinet of Ministers and accredited diplomats of other countries and the United Nations arriving in Canada on official business;
US visa holders who transit through Canada;
refugees or protected persons who have already provided biometric data and apply for a study or work permit;
temporary residents who have already provided biometric data for a permanent residence;
The federal government uses biometrics to prevent:
identity fraud and theft;
known criminals from entering Canada;
deportees from re-entering Canada without permission; and
failed refugee claimants from re-entering Canada using false identity documents.
Is it secure?
The Government of Canada says biometrics information is handled with the highest level of security and privacy. It is also stated that all information collected at a service point is deleted once it has been sent to the Canadian Immigration Biometrics Identification System, where the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stores fingerprints in the National Repository.
