Operational Bulletin 520-A – September 03, 2013

Biometric Information Collection from Temporary Residence (TR) Applicants Outside Canada

Summary

This Operational Bulletin (OB) provides operational information to the officers belonging to:

• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and,
• The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

It informs them about the process for collecting biometric information from applicants for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

The biometric information collected by the officers would typically include:

• Biographical data
• Fingerprints and,
• Digital photographs

In addition, this OB replaces the guidance and information provided in OB 520. The authorities had published OB 520 on May 13, 2013.

Background

The authorities have mandated that people from 29 countries and one territory would need to appear in person at:

• A Visa Application Centre (VAC)
• A United States Application Support Centre (US ASC) or,
• A Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) office outside Canada

These individuals would appear in person at the above-mentioned centres for enabling officers to:

• Electronically scan their fingerprints and,
• Take their digital photographs

However, these individuals would only need to do this when they apply outside Canada for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

This directive comes into effect from the timelines specified subsequently in this OB.

Officers would need to commence the mandatory collection of biometric information according to the timelines specified below. This is in accordance with R12.1 of the c

• With effect from September 04, 2013, the officers would begin the mandatory collection of biometric information for nationals of:
• Colombia
• Haiti and,
• Jamaica
• With effect from October 23, 2013, the officers would begin the mandatory collection of biometric information for nationals of:
• Albania
• Algeria
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Eritrea
• Libya
• Nigeria
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan and,
• Tunisia
• With effect from December 11, 2013, the officers would begin the mandatory collection of biometric information for nationals of:
• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Cambodia
• Egypt
• Iran
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Pakistan
• Palestinian Authority
• Sri Lanka
• Syria
• Vietnam and,
• Yemen

The Implementation

The deployment of biometric collection equipment will take place over several months. In May 2013, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) began deploying the Canadian Immigration Biometric Identification System (CIBIDS) to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices in:

• Kingston, Jamaica and,
• Bogota, Colombia

It also began deploying this equipment to the associated Visa Application Centres (VACs) at the above-mentioned locations.

The authorities plan to provide a stabilisation period lasting for up to two months. Thereafter, the authorities would continue to deploy the Canadian Immigration Biometric Identification System (CIBIDS) over the next several months to:

• The Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices and,
• Their associated Visa Application Centres (VACs)

By the end of March 2014, the authorities aim to equip all the following offices with biometric information collection capability:

• All Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices outside Canada that process Temporary Residence (TR) applications and,
• All Visa Application Centres (VACs)

In addition, the authorities are aware that they would need to provide officers with the requisite training on the manner in which the officers would be using the Canadian Immigration Biometric Identification System (CIBIDS). Therefore, they are aiming to providing training on using the Canadian Immigration Biometric Identification System (CIBIDS) at each of the following locations, once the installation of biometric information collection equipment is completed.

The authorities would equip all Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices outside Canada that process Temporary Residence (TR) applications with the Canadian Immigration Biometric Identification System (CIBIDS). However, officers at these locations would only collect biometric information on an exceptional basis only. In short, the authorities aim to have the following offices as the primary channels for the collection of biometric information:

• United States Application Support Centres (US ASCs) and,
• Visa Application Centres (VACs)

The authorities have also made the necessary updations to the Biometric Procedures (BP 1) manual. According to the instructions specified in this manual, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices outside Canada would ensure that they implement various processes. These processes would help officers ensure that they collect biometric information at Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices outside Canada only in the exceptional circumstances cited in the Biometric Procedures (BP 1) manual.

The Voluntary Collection Phase

Officers would need to encourage applicants to provide their biometric information on a voluntary basis. They would need to do this if the applicants are:

• Citizens of one of the 29 countries and one territory that the authorities have highlighted as essential for providing biometric information
• Applying for:
• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)
• Applying in person and,
• Applying at one of the following locations that have the necessary capability for collecting biometric information:
• A visa office or,
• A Visa Application Centre (VAC)

Officers would need to encourage these applicants to provide their biometric information voluntarily, especially before the provision of biometric information becomes mandatory for a nationality.

The authorities have identified various benefits that accrue from collecting biometric information from applicants on a voluntary basis, prior to the beginning of mandatory collection.

Clients would benefit from this practice as:

• They would not need to pay the new biometric fee, if they voluntarily provide their biometric information during the voluntary collection phase (Refer to the section titled “The Biometric Fee” subsequently in this document)
• This implies that a person who voluntarily provides biometric information and receives a long-term, multiple entry Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) would not need to:
• Pay the biometric fee or,
• Provide biometric information again for several years
• This individual would only need to provide biometric information again, if the individual:
• Submits a new application for a:
• Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
• Work Permit (WP) and,
• Study Permit (SP)
• Needs to provide biometric information at the Port of Entry (POE)
• In addition, clients who voluntarily provide their biometric information during the voluntary collection phase would not need to pay for the core application-handling services offered at a Visa Application Centre (VAC)

Similarly, the Visa Application Centre (VAC) or the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices would benefit from this practice as:

• The voluntary collection of biometric information would accustom staff to using the Biometric Collection System immediately after the installation of the equipment and the provision of the training, while the training is still fresh and,
• The voluntary collection of biometric information enables the Visa Application Centres (VACs) or the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices to adjust office procedures and work processes for accommodating biometric information collection prior to the commencement of mandatory collection

Therefore, officers would come across applicants who are willing to provide their biometric information on a voluntary basis. They must ensure that these applicants have read and signed the Applicant’s Consent for Voluntary Submission of Biometric Information (Appendix A). Thereafter, the officers must place the original form in the applicant’s file.

Once the mandatory date for each nationality comes into force, the voluntary period for that particular nationality terminates.

The Mandatory Collection Phase

With the passage of time, the mandatory collection date for each of the countries specified will come nearer. On reaching the mandatory collection date, all nationals of those countries and territories for whom biometric collection has become mandatory, would need to appear in person. They would need to do this for providing their biometric information. This is regardless of where outside Canada they submitted their applications for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

This also means that applicants for whom biometric information has become mandatory would need to provide their biometric information in person. Situations could arise where applicants needing to provide their biometric information might be in locations where:

• The authorities have no foreseeable plans for establishing a biometrically equipped Visa Application Centre (VAC) or,
• There is no Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) office

In this scenario, these applicants would need to travel to the nearest biometric equipped location for providing their biometric information.

In addition, officers would need to be aware of the mandatory collection date for each of the countries and territories specified. The Global Case Management System (GCMS) will aid them in this. It will automatically mark the applicants who need to provide their biometric information. The Global Case Management System (GCMS) will mark these applicants based on:

• The age of the applicant and,
• The passport or the travel document of the applicant

The authorities would communicate the relevant information to the applicants about:

• Biometric information and,
• The biometric points of service

They will communicate this information:

• On the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website or,
• When the applicants make an online application

The Instructions

The authorities have specified the Biometric Procedures (BP 1) manual as being the primary reference guide for Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) staff. Therefore, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) staff could refer to this manual if they are involved in:

• The collection of biometric information
• The processing of biometric information and,
• The use of biometric information

The authorities have published the Biometric Procedures (BP 1) manual online since May 2013. In addition, the authorities will keep publishing revisions prior to the first mandatory coming into force date

The Biometric Procedures (BP 1) manual explains how the authorities plan to integrate the biometric information into the Temporary Residence (TR) application processes. It documents the manner in which:

• The officers would need to execute the collection of biometric information
• The Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices would use the results emanating from the biometric checks and,
• The authorities would establish the underlying operational support for ensuring the proper management of biometric information

In addition, the Biometric Procedures (BP 1) manual also details the responsibility of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices overseas. These offices would need to oversee the collection of biometric information at the various Visa Application Centres (VACs).

The authorities have also made several changes to various other Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) manuals. These changes typically reflect the implementation of the biometric information collection and processing activities. Officers and staff would need to view the Updated Chapters – Biometric Collection / Mise á jour des chapitres – Collecte des données biométriques (Appendix B) for obtaining more information on the subject.

In addition, the authorities have also updated the application forms and guides for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

The updations reflect the new biometric requirement when the mandatory collection activity commences in September 2013.

The Global Case Management System (GCMS)

The authorities have made extensive changes in the Global Case Management System (GCMS) too. These amendments incorporate the submission of biometric information. In addition, they also incorporate the results of the biometric checks by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The authorities plan to publish these changes in the GCMS Release Notes.

The Collection Process

The officers would collect the biometric information from the applicants. Thereafter, they would need to send this information electronically to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Headquarters (CIC HQ). The Citizenship and Immigration Canada Headquarters (CIC HQ) would in turn, send:

• The biographical information to the Global Case Management System (GCMS)
• The live photograph to the e-Storage database and,
• The fingerprints to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) would thereafter, run an automatic search for the fingerprints received from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). It would run these fingerprints against its databases of criminal and deportee fingerprints. It would also run these fingerprints against its fingerprint records of refugee claimants and previous applicants. Once the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) completes these searches, it would send a search response directly to the Global Case Management System (GCMS).

The Global Case Management System (GCMS) would then, display the following pieces of information:

• The search response from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
• The quality of each collected fingerprint
• The reasons behind why any fingerprint was not collected (if applicable) and,
• The photograph from e-Storage

Eventually, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) office would finalise an application. Thereafter, the Global Case Management System (GCMS) would send the following pieces of information to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA):

• The applicant’s live photograph
• The search response
• The assessment of the applicant’s admissibility (if applicable) and,
• The final decision on the application

All automated Ports of Entry (POEs) would make this information available to the officers of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Border Services Officers have the authority to compare the applicant’s physical appearance, passport photograph and application information with the live photograph and other information taken at the time of enrollment. These officers could conduct these checks at:

• The primary inspection line and,
• The immigration secondary examination at automated Ports of Entry (POEs)

The authorities will also equip selected Ports of Entry (POEs) with the capability of taking an applicant’s fingerprints at the time of the immigration secondary examination. This would enable the officers to compare the latest set of fingerprints with the fingerprint records collected overseas at the time of application.

However, officers would need to note that the fingerprint verification at the immigration secondary examination does not typically include of the:

• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) criminal databases
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) deportee databases or,
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) asylum databases

The fingerprint verification conducted at the Port of Entry (POE) would only serve one objective. It would only provide a confirmation of whether the visa holder is the same individual who applied for the visa abroad or not.

Officers might need to refer to information on biometric information collection in greater detail. For this, they would need to visit the biometrics page on Connexion.

The Exemption from Biometric Collection

According to the provisions specified in Regulation 12.1 (2), certain individuals are exempt from biometric collection, when they apply for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

These individuals include:

• People under the age of 14 years Or those aged 80 years and over
• Diplomats and officials travelling to or through Canada on official business and their accompanying family members
• People holding valid US entry visas, who are transiting Canada directly to or from the United States and,
• People who are refugee claimants in Canada or who have received refugee status in Canada and people who are members of the Convention refugees abroad class or of a humanitarian-protected persons abroad class and who are only applying for:
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

The Process for Applicants in Canada and at Port of Entries (POEs)

In addition, the Minister has established a public policy exemption from the biometric requirements, for certain categories of applicants. These include:

• People lawfully admitted and present in Canada, who have the authority to make (and who are making) an application for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to a Case Processing Pilot Office in Canada
• People lawfully admitted and present in Canada, who have the authority to make (and who are making) an application to an office in Canada for a Work Permit (WP) under R199 or a Study Permit (SP) under R215 in accordance with the specifications listed in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) and,
• People authorised to make (and who are making) an application at a Port of Entry (POE) for a Work Permit (WP) under R198 or a Study Permit (SP) under R214 in accordance with the specifications listed in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)

Applicants from biometric-required countries or territories, who are residing in Canada, would not receive exemptions from the biometric requirements under the public policy. This is especially the case if these applicants apply to Visa Application Centres (VACs) or the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices situated outside of Canada for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

These applicants would need to appear in person at a biometric collection location outside Canada. Thereafter, they would need to provide their biometric information at these locations.

The Process for Holders of Existing Visas or Permits

At present, the authorities have no plans for collection biometric information from:

• The holders of valid and subsisting visas and,
• The holder of valid and subsisting Work Permits (WPs)

This is especially the case if the authorities issued these visas and Work Permits (WPs) prior to the commencement of mandatory biometric collection.

The authorities would only collect biometric information from these clients if they apply for new:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

Typically, these clients would only apply for new documents once their current visas or permits are no longer valid.

The Biometric Fee

Applicants typically need to pay certain prescribed fees once they apply for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

In addition to these fees, the authorities have also established a new biometric fee. At present, the biometric fee is CAD $85 per individual. There is also a maximum family rate of CAD $170 for family members applying together at the same time and place. In addition, there is a group rate of CAD $255 for groups of three or more performing artists and their staff submitting their applications at the same time and place.

The biometric fee typically includes the core application handling services provided by the Visa Application Centres (VACs). Therefore, applicants who submit their applications at these Visa Application Centres (VACs) would no longer need to pay an additional Visa Application Centre (VAC) fee for core application handling services.

The R315.1 (2) specifies a variety of exemptions from the requirement of having to pay the biometric fee. The authorities have established these exemptions. In many cases, these exemptions to the biometric fee replicate existing exemptions given to the cost recovery fees for:

• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)
• Work Permits (WPs) and,
• Study Permits (SPs)

However, this is not always the case.

Therefore, officers would need to refer to the Regulations. In addition, they would need to refer to the Biometric Procedures (BP 1) manual. These documents provide detailed information on:

• The biometric fee and,
• The biometric fee exemptions

The authorities have also created new fee codes in the Global Case Management System (GCMS). These fee codes concern:

• The biometric fee and,
• The biometric fee exemptions

Officers would need to use the new fee codes once biometric collection becomes mandatory for a given nationality. However, officers would need to note that they do not need to enter a biometric fee code or exemption code during the voluntary collection phase.

Contacts

The authorities would be monitoring the installation of the Biometric Collection System in visa offices and Visa Application Centres (VACs). However, they are aware that situations could arise where the staff might have various queries or concerns related to the new biometric programme.

Therefore, the authorities have created a new Biometric Operational Support Unit (BOSU) in the Query Response Centre (QRC). Officers would need to direct all enquiries, questions and concerns related to the new biometric programme by e-mail to the Biometric Operational Support Unit (BOSU). This is regardless of the nature of these enquiries, questions and concerns.

The Biometric Operational Support Unit (BOSU) would also handle all requests from all visa offices and Visa Application Centres (VACs). Such requests would typically comprise:

• Requests for technical support and,
• Questions about operational procedures

The Biometric Operational Support Unit (BOSU) would route all these enquiries to the appropriate Citizenship and Immigration Canada Headquarters (CIC HQ) division.

The contact address for the Biometric Operational Support Unit (BOSU) is: BOSU-USOB@cic.gc.ca.

The Appendices

• Appendix A – Applicant’s Consent for Voluntary Submission of Biometric Information form
• Appendix B – Updated Chapters – Biometric Collection / Mise á jour des chapitres – Collecte des données biométriques announcement to staff

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)