July 30, 2018 – Ottawa, ON – The Government of Canada is committed to the safety and security of all Canadians and to the integrity of our immigration system.
On July 31, 2018, all nationals from countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East are required to provide biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) if they are applying for a Canadian visitor visa, a work or study permit, or permanent residence.
Accurately establishing identity is an important part of immigration decisions and helps keep Canadians safe. For more than 20 years, biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) have played a role in supporting immigration screening and decision-making in Canada.
Canada currently collects biometrics from in-Canada refugee claimants and overseas refugee resettlement applicants, individuals ordered removed from Canada and individuals from 30 foreign nationalities applying for a temporary resident visa, work permit, or study permit.
Biometric screening has proven effective in protecting the safety and security of Canadians and the integrity of the immigration system. Systematic fingerprint verification allows border service officers to confirm a traveller’s identity and better manage traffic flow at the border. This will in turn make international travel a convenient, predictable and secure process for travellers with genuine identities.
The Government of Canada has taken several steps to make giving biometrics easier for travellers, including only requiring that temporary residents provide their biometrics once every 10 years (those applying for a visa, or a study or work permit). Canada is also increasing its Visa Application Centre (VAC) presence in the next 2 years. Canada has one of the largest VAC networks in comparison with other countries; more than 97% of applicants can access a VAC in their country of residence. By November 2019, Canada will have a network of at least 157 VACs in 105 countries. In addition, applicants living in the U.S. can use the extensive network of 135 U.S. Application Support Centers for biometrics collection.
In advance of additional VACs opening this summer and fall, some Canadian embassies in Europe will offer interim biometrics collection service points for applicants who have applied online or by mail and have received a Biometrics Instruction Letter. Please see: To support biometrics expansion, Canada is opening new Visa Application Centres and offering interim services at some missions.
More than 70 countries are using biometrics in immigration and border management. Canada’s Migration 5 partners – the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, and New Zealand – have implemented biometric programs; so have the 26 Schengen states in Europe, and other countries around the world like Japan, South Africa and India.

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News releaseJune 29, 2018 – Ottawa, ON – In 2018, Canada will expand its biometrics program. Expanding biometrics will strengthen Canada’s immigration programs through effective screening and will also facilitate application processing and travel – while maintaining public confidence in our immigration system.
Canada currently collects biometrics from in-Canada refugee claimants and overseas refugee resettlement applicants, individuals ordered removed from the country and individuals from 30 foreign nationalities applying for a temporary resident visa, work permit, or study permit.
On July 31, 2018, nationals from countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East will be required to provide biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) if they are applying for a visitor visa, a work or study permit, or permanent residence.
To accommodate increased demand this summer and fall in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the Government of Canada is pleased to announce that additional Visa Application Centres (VACs) will open in:

• Kigali, Rwanda; Stockholm, Sweden; and Tel Aviv, Israel by mid-September 2018
• Athens, Greece; Berlin, Germany; Lyon, France; and Vienna, Austria in early November 2018 and
• Antananarivo, Madagascar and Cape Town, South Africa in early December 2018

Additional VACs will also open in 2019. These will be announced at a later date.
In advance of these VACs opening, some Canadian embassies in Europe will offer interim biometrics collection service points for applicants who have applied online or by mail and have received a Biometrics Instruction Letter.
Applicants can also provide their biometrics at any nearby VAC:

• From July 31 to mid-September 2018: In Stockholm, at the Embassy of Canada to Sweden, for applicants from Sweden and neighbouring 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 neighbouring countries.
• From July 31 to early November 2018: In a leased commercial space in Lyon, France for applicants from France and neighbouring countries.

All of the above temporary service points will only collect biometrics. Applications will not be accepted at these locations.
Applicants must first apply on Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada’s website or by mail, and must have received a Biometrics Instruction Letter, before providing their biometrics in support of an application.

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As of June 5th, 2018, Emirati citizens will no longer need a visa to visit Canada for up to six months. This is a major step for UAE’s Race to the Very Top, with the UAE’s Passport Force Initiative.  
In addition to Canada, UAE has visa waivers coming in force from Brazil and Guyana, resulting in a total visa-free score of 151 by beginning of June, pushing it on the 14th rank on the Passport Index’ power ranking shared with Cyprus. 
In 2017, the UAE announced a daring goal: position the country’s passport on the list of the five most important passports in the world by 2021. Having the tallest, biggest, and the best is part of their DNA, and being granted visa-free access into Canada is a key step in achieving this goal. 
The UAE has strong ties with Canada, with nearly 40,000 Canadians living and working in the nation, and some 150 Canadian companies with strong operational presence in the UAE. Additionally, the UAE is Canada’s top export market in the Middle East and North Africa with recorded exports of C$1.79 B in 2016. 
“Trade ties between the UAE & Canada are robust and evolving steadily” stated His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy, UAE. 
Emirati citizens, like other visa-exempt travelers, will need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through a Canadian airport. The eTA allows Canadian officials to screen travelers for admissibility before they board their flight to Canada.  
“The United Arab Emirates is a key strategic partner and lifting the visa requirement will help reaffirm the strong relationship between our two countries. It will also promote increased tourism, cultural, academic and study exchanges, as well as foster new business, trade, and investment opportunities”, confirmed The Honorable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 
Over the last decade, the UAE passport has seen immense growth in its global visa-free score and is amongst the list of nations that has experienced the fastest growth in the world. Having gained the trust and respect of over 35 countries in the past decade, UAE’s passport power is slowly but surely reaching the su