Who needs to give their fingerprints and photo

On this page

• Who needs to give their fingerprints and photo (biometrics)
• Who’s exempt from giving their biometrics
• If you’re not sure whether you need to give your biometrics

Who needs to give their fingerprints and photo (biometrics)

Unless you’re exempt, you need to give biometrics when you apply for

• a visitor visa
• an initial work or study permit or extension (excluding US nationals)
• an extension of your stay in Canada (visitor record) unless you’re from a visa-exempt country
  • If you’re visiting from visa-exempt country, you’re exempt from giving biometrics when you apply to extend your stay.
• permanent residence
• a new PR card, for applicants who were previously exempt because of their age (i.e. they were 13 years of age or younger when they applied for PR)
• refugee or asylum status

Temporary resident applicants

If you’ve given your biometrics before

• you may not need to give your biometrics when you apply
• we can’t issue you a visa or permit for longer than 10 years from the last date you gave your biometrics.

If you’d like a visa or permit for longer than your current biometrics are valid for, you can choose to give your biometrics again, even if they’re still valid.

Learn how to give your biometrics voluntarily.

Foreign nationals applying with a travel document that’s not a passport

You need to give your biometrics, regardless of the country of issue, if you’re applying with one of the following:

• a refugee travel document
• a certificate of identity or
• a valid US Refugee Travel Document (alien’s passport) and official proof of your lawful permanent resident status
  • for lawful permanent residents of the US only

Who’s exempt from giving their biometrics

You don’t need to give your biometrics if you’re

• a Canadian citizen or citizenship applicant (including passport applicants)
• an existing permanent resident, unless you’re in both of the following situations:
  • You’re applying to renew or replace your permanent resident card.
  • You were exempt from giving biometrics because of your age when you applied for permanent residence.
• a visa-exempt national coming to Canada to visit only
• a head of state or head of government
• an applicant who qualifies for or holds a diplomatic or official visa
• US visa holder transiting through Canada
• an applicant applying for a visitor visa, a study permit or a work permit who has already provided biometrics for a permanent resident application that’s still being processed
• a child under the age of 14
• an applicant over the age of 79
  • There is no upper age exemption for asylum claimants.

How we assess the age of the applicant

We use the age you were when you submitted your application. If your child was 13 or under when you submitted the application, the child doesn’t need to give biometrics. If you were 79 or younger on the date you submitted your application, and you are now 80, you must give your biometrics.

If you’re not sure whether you need to give your biometrics

You can answer a few questions to find out if you need to give biometrics.