COVID-19: How it is affecting immigration, refugees, citizenship and passport services– biometrics

By Crease Harman

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Last updated: March 29, 2020

On this page:

Automatic biometrics extension

You now automatically have 90 days (instead of 30) to give your biometrics. You have 90 days, even if your biometrics instruction letter (BIL) says that you have 30 days.

You don’t have to contact us to get this extension, and you don’t need a new BIL for a future appointment.

If you cannot give biometrics within 90 days, use the Web form to tell us why.

Your application won’t be refused or closed if you can’t give your biometrics during this period.

Biometrics collection in Canada

As a temporary measure, to help keep everyone safe

  • all biometrics appointments, including walk-ins, at Service Canada offices are cancelled until further notice
  • no application will be refused or closed if you aren’t able to give your biometrics within the period indicated on your BIL

While the service is temporarily suspended at Service Canada locations, don’t go to another biometrics collection service, including

  • Canadian ports of entry
  • other international biometrics collection locations

When Service Canada resumes collecting biometrics, you’ll have to make a new appointment at a designated Service Canada office. You won’t need a new BIL.

Biometrics collection outside Canada

If you can’t give your biometrics due to a location closure near you or a service disruption, don’t go to another biometrics collection service, including

  • Canadian ports of entry
  • other international biometrics collection locations, like a visa application centre (VAC)

If you have a biometrics appointment scheduled

  • at a VAC, the VAC will notify you if your appointment is cancelled
  • at a United States application support center (ASC), all ASCs are closed until further notice

When biometrics collection resumes, you’ll have to make a new appointment at a VAC or ASC when they start collecting biometrics again. You won’t need a new BIL.

How to find out when biometrics collection resumes

Keep visiting canada.ca/biometrics for updates on when biometrics collection will start again.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/biometrics.html

Back to top