Info: Depending on your nationality, you may need to give your biometrics as soon as this summer.
- Starting July 31, 2018 – applicants from Europe, Middle East and Africa
- Starting December 31, 2018 – applicants from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas
Everyone who applies for from outside Canada, now:
There are some exemptions:
Temporary exemption: Applying in Canada
If you are applying for a visa, study or work permit, or permanent residence in Canada – you are exempt until the in-Canada service is established.
Visitor visa, study and work permit applicants
You only need to give your biometrics once every 10 years.
If you have a valid visitor visa, or a study or work permit, and you gave your biometrics in the past, your biometrics are valid from the date you gave your biometrics for a period of 10 years. You do not need to give your biometrics until the 10-year period expires.
Permanent residence applicants
You will need to give your biometrics and pay the fee, regardless of whether you gave your biometrics in the past to support a visitor visa, study or work permit application, or a different permanent resident application.
Biometrics collection is recognized globally as a reliable, accurate tool for establishing identity. More than 70 countries around the world are using biometrics in their immigration programs.
Biometrics collection allows the Government of Canada to effectively manage identity, facilitate application processing and simplify entry for travellers with legitimate identities. It helps deter, detect and stop the entry of those who pose a risk to the health, safety and security of Canadians.
Biometrics will provide immigration officers with additional information to help make decisions on a person’s admissibility and by simplifying the travel of low-risk individuals.
The fingerprints are stored by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on the National Repository and checked against its immigration and criminal records. The biometric check confirms if someone applied to enter Canada before using the same or a different identity, has a previous Canadian criminal record, or has been removed from Canada before.
Biometrics-based information sharing with the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom will further support the integrity of Canada’s immigration system, in a manner that respects Canada’s privacy laws, civil liberties and human rights commitments, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
At the border, the Canada Border Services Agency will be able to quickly and accurately confirm whether a traveller’s identity is legitimate. This will contribute to more efficient and timely entry for travellers.
At 8 major Canadian airports, fingerprint verification will be automatically conducted at a primary inspection kiosk.
At other airports and land ports of entry, discretionary fingerprint verification will be conducted by a border services officer upon referral to secondary inspection, where the traveller’s identity will be verified to ensure that the person seeking entry to Canada is the same person who was approved overseas.
Make sure you need to give your biometrics
Go to an official location to give your biometrics
Once you receive the letter from us that says you need biometrics, you have to go in person to an official biometrics collection service location.
Outside Canada
Canadian port of entry
Only available for
In Canada
When you arrive, we will check your identity to make sure that you are the same person who was approved to travel to Canada.
How this is done will depend on where you enter Canada.
Visitors, student and workers
If you pass the identity check and meet the entry requirements, the border services officer will stamp your passport or let you know how long you can stay in Canada. You are normally allowed to stay in Canada for up to 6 months.
In some cases, the officer may limit or extend your time in Canada to cover the planned purpose of your visit. Ask questions if you are not sure about something.
Permanent residents
If you applied for permanent residence outside of Canada and you arrive in Canada for the first time, see the entry requirements for your program to find out more about the process: