Biometrics for Canadian Immigration

Most people applying for a Canadian visitor visa, study or work permit, or permanent residence give biometrics: fingerprints and a photo, taken in person at an official collection site, usually a visa application centre. The fee is $85 per person, capped at $170 for a family applying together. US citizens applying for a temporary stay, children under 14 and people 80 or older are generally exempt.

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Last verified: November 2026

$85
The biometrics fee per person, paid with the application
$170
The most a family applying at the same time pays
30 days
To give your biometrics after you get your Biometric Instruction Letter
10 years
How long biometrics given for temporary residence can generally be reused

Where do you give your biometrics?

Your fingerprints and a digital photograph are collected in person at an official collection site: outside Canada and the US, a visa application centre (VAC); in the US, an application support centre or a VAC; in Canada, a designated Service Canada office.

At a port of entry, only if you are eligible to apply for a study or work permit there and you start and finish the application there. You cannot provide biometrics at home or submit them digitally yourself.

Who has to give biometrics, and can you reuse them?

Under IRPR, biometrics are required from most foreign nationals applying for:

A Temporary Resident Visa (visitor visa / TRV)
A work permit
A study permit
Permanent residence
Refugee or asylum status
An extension of your stay in Canada (visitor record), unless you are from a visa-exempt country, and a work or study permit extension (US nationals excluded), unless your biometrics on file can be reused

IRCC says temporary residence applicants (visitor, study, or work) need to give their biometrics only once every 10 years. However, IRCC can't issue a visa or permit for more than 10 years from the date you gave your biometrics. You can check whether yours are still valid with IRCC's Check status tool, and you may give them again to get a longer visa or permit.

Permanent residence works differently: you must give your biometrics every time you apply for permanent residence, even if you have already given them. A temporary residence application can reuse biometrics given for a permanent residence application while that permanent residence application is open. IRCC will tell you in your application instructions whether you need to give biometrics.

Who is exempt from biometrics?

US citizens: Exempt for temporary residence: a work or study permit, an extension of stay, a temporary resident permit or restoration of status (IRPR s.12.2(1)(c)(ii)). The exemption does not cover permanent residence: a US citizen applying for permanent residence gives biometrics.
Children under 14: Children who are under 14 years of age at the time of application are not required to provide biometrics. If your child was 13 or under when you submitted the application, the child doesn't need to give biometrics.
Adults over 79: Applicants who are 80 or older are exempt, based on age on the date the application is made. If you were 79 or younger on the date you submitted your application and you are now 80, you must give your biometrics.
Visa-exempt visitors, including on an eTA: A visa-exempt national coming to Canada to visit only, including one applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), does not give biometrics, and neither does a visa-exempt visitor who applies to extend their stay. Visa-exempt nationals who apply for a study or work permit, or for permanent residence, do need to give biometrics.
Heads of state and government: Heads of state and heads of government are exempt, as are applicants who qualify for or hold a diplomatic or official visa.
PR card and travel document: No biometrics are needed for a PR card or a permanent resident travel document, unless you were exempt by age when you applied for permanent residence and are now 14 or older.

The rule

Biometrics are not collected from a person under 14 or over 79, unless the older person claims refugee protection in Canada.

IRPR s.12.2(1)Verify on justice.gc.ca

How much do biometrics cost?

$85 per individual: One person applying for any immigration document.
$170 family maximum: Two or more eligible family members applying at the same time. A cap, not a per-person add-on.
$255 performing-arts group maximum: Groups of three or more performing artists and their staff applying for work permits at the same time.

The biometrics fee is separate from the government application or processing fee (for example, IRCC lists a $100 visitor-visa fee). There is no fee to give biometrics for a transit visa.

How does the biometrics appointment work?

After paying the biometrics fee, you will receive a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL) from IRCC. You must bring this letter to your appointment.

Book an appointment
Book through the website of your VAC, of Service Canada (in Canada), or of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (for a US application support centre). Booking an appointment is free.
Attend with your documents
Bring your Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL), valid passport, and any other documents the VAC requires.
Fingerprint scanning
Your fingerprints are taken in person. Your hands must be henna-free, and any cuts or cracks on your fingers healed.
Digital photograph
Your photo is taken at the appointment. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are not allowed, tinted prescription lenses included.
Processing confirmation
Once collected, your fingerprints and photo are encrypted and sent electronically to a secure Government of Canada database. The collection site doesn't keep your biometric information.

You have 30 days from the time you get your Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL) to give your biometrics. If you do not give your biometrics, IRCC may refuse your application. If you cannot make the deadline, IRCC provides a web form to explain why you need more time.

How is your biometric data used, stored and shared?

Biometric data collected by IRCC is stored securely in government databases and is subject to the Privacy Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. P-21). The data is used for:

A fingerprint check by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), used to support the decision on your application
Identity verification by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) when you arrive in Canada
Possible sharing with other law enforcement agencies in Canada, according to Canada's privacy laws

IRCC says your fingerprints and photo may also be shared with the US, the United Kingdom (UK), Australia and New Zealand in a way that respects privacy laws, civil liberties and human rights, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

IRCC names the personal information banks that hold this data: IRCC PPU 039, 068 and 042 for personal information, and RCMP PPU 030 for fingerprints. Applicants have rights under the Privacy Act to see or update their own personal information by sending an access to information request that names these banks.

Which free tool checks your own case?

Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.

What do people ask?

What does biometrics mean for Canadian immigration?

Biometrics means your fingerprints and a digital photo, collected in person. IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency use them to confirm who you are, and IRCC says the information also helps assess your application. The Privacy Act protects the data.

Do US citizens need to give biometrics for Canada?

Not for a temporary stay. US citizens are exempt from Canadian biometrics when they apply for a work or study permit, an extension of stay, a temporary resident permit or restoration. A US citizen applying for permanent residence gives biometrics. Children under 14, people 80 or older, and visa-exempt nationals coming to visit only, including on an eTA, are generally exempt too. Visa-exempt nationals who apply for a study or work permit or for PR generally still give them.

How much does biometrics cost for Canadian immigration?

The biometrics fee is $85 CAD per person. A family applying together pays at most $170, and a group of three or more performing artists pays at most $255. The fee is separate from the application fee and is paid up front, before your appointment. There is no fee to give biometrics for a transit visa.

Where can I get biometrics for a Canada visa?

Outside Canada and the US, you give biometrics in person at a visa application centre (VAC). In the US, IRCC says "You can give your biometrics at an application support centre (ASC) or a visa application centre (VAC)", and you must already be legally in the US. Inside Canada, some applicants use a designated Service Canada office. You cannot give them from home.

How do I book a biometrics appointment for Canadian immigration?

You book once IRCC sends your Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL), which arrives after you apply and pay the biometrics fee. Book through the VAC's website (or Service Canada in Canada); booking is free, and to avoid fraud IRCC says to find your local VAC through its official website. You have 30 days from the time you get the letter. If you cannot meet that deadline, IRCC has a web form to ask for more time.

What documents are required for biometrics for a Canada visa?

Bring your Biometric Instruction Letter and a valid passport to the appointment, plus any other document the VAC lists on its website. Your photo is taken at the appointment.

What is the Canada biometrics processing time?

The wait that matters is your application's processing time, which depends on the application type and the country you apply from. What you control is the 30-day window to give them after you get your BIL. If you do not give them, IRCC may refuse your application.

Do I need to give biometrics again for Canadian PR?

Yes. IRCC says you must give your biometrics every time you apply for permanent residence, even if you have already given them. The 10-year reuse applies only to temporary residence: visitor, study and work applications. No biometrics are needed for a PR card or a permanent resident travel document, with one age exception. Reuse is never an approval; an officer decides each application.

Part of:Visiting Canada

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.