Some Visa Application Centres (VACs) across the globe are starting to open to clients. These VACs will provide limited services until further notice. This means foreign nationals will be able to complete their biometrics at these locations, which are essential to their visitor visa applications, work and study permits and permanent residency.
It is advised to visit the VAC’s website to find out the available services such as collection of Bio Metrics and submission of Passports etc.,
A total of 23 reported VACs in 12 countries are now open, with limited services.
1. Austria– Vienna
2. Bahrain– Manama
3. China-Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jinan, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang
4. Germany-Düsseldorf
5. Greece-Athens
6. Iraq-Erbil
7. Israel-Tel Aviv
8. Italy-Rome
9. Japan-Osaka, Tokyo
10. Malaysia– Kuala
11. The Netherlands– The Hague
12. United Arab Emirates– Abdu Dhabi, Dubai
All the Visa Application Centres (VAC’s) in India are still temporarily closed in India until further notice.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says they are taking steps to assist employees and people using the facilities at VACs in their health and safety. Maintaining social distance and hand hygiene at the centre of their activities, the limited number of people may be permitted in a VAC and staff must also often clean the VAC. They are going to use hats, face masks, and face shields too. Thermal screening can extend to both staff and visitors, and of course, no list of safety measures would be complete without a hand sanitizer.
Travel restrictions are still in place
Canada's travel limits for certain foreign nationals are still in force until June 30. Immediate family members of Canadians are currently excluded from this step, as are holders of work permits who are coming to do an important service in the country, and students whose study permits were accepted prior to March 18. Anyone who is not a resident of Canada must prove they come to Canada for an essential reason.
All travellers to Canada must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival and be able to demonstrate an appropriate quarantine plan to officers of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).
A surge in immigration applications is expected to cause delays in processing after the travel restrictions have been scaled back.
