All biometrically enrolled applicants, regardless of enrolment location or department, will have an immigration identification number (IID) assigned to their fingerprints. IRCC and CBSA biometrics enrolments are completely separate. If a person applies to IRCC they must complete all of their processes with the IRCC service providers. The CBSA will not be providing biometric enrolment services for IRCC applications; however, the CBSA will verify the fingerprints of all biometrically enrolled applicants.
Biometrics are collected by the Government of Canada from all foreign nationals who are:
1. Applying for a temporary resident visa or permit, a work permit or a study permit, or temporary resident permit (excluding U.S. nationals);
2. Applying for permanent residence; or
3. Claiming refugee or asylum status.
At all automated Ports of Entry (POEs):
CBSA officers working in Primary Inspection are expected to:
4. Conduct a facial comparison of the Biometric Photo with the traveler, passport photo, and c-Passport photo.
At 57 biometrically enabled POEs:
CBSA officers working in Immigration Secondary are expected to:
5. Conduct a 1: 1 fingerprint (10) verification of biometrically enrolled travellers; and
6. Biometrically enrol fingerprints (10) and digital photo for Study, Work and Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) applications initiated at POE.
How are the biometrics taken?
The officer will take three images in the following order:
To start the fingerprint capture process, the officer will select “Capture”.
The officer will see the fingerprints images of the traveller currently being captured when a hand is placed on the scanner. The officer will also see a “Capturing” message. A quality set of fingerprints will be represented by green boxes around each of the fingers/thumbs that the officer is capturing. If the prints are not of sufficient quality; such as if too much pressure is being placed on the scanner, the officer will see a red box around the print. When the issue with the print is corrected, the box will turn green. This light system is mirrored on the fingerprint scanner for the traveller to see. When all boxes are green, the fingerprint scanner will beep and a message will appear indicating that the fingerprints have been successfully captured.
At any time, the officer can select “Override”; this will prompt SP to capture any quality prints and will allow the officer to move forward with the examination without all fingerprint quality indicators (the boxes) showing as green.
When both hands and thumbs have been captured, the “Verify” button will become enabled. Clicking “Verify” will allow CBSA to send the transaction to the RCMP. Within 10 seconds, a biometric result will be returned from the RCMP.
Global Case Management System (GCMS) and Permit Applications
Using GCMS, biometrics will be required in support of Study, Work and Temporary Resident Permit applications. GCMS will prompt the officer to collect biometrics for eligible travellers. Biometrics are not required in support of other applications, such as a Visitor Record; however, the discretionary authority may be exercised.
In order for the biometrics to be automatically associated to the client, the application (WP, SP, and TRP) must be created in GCMS prior to capturing the traveller’s fingerprints using the LiveScan device.
In order to create an application, an integrated search must first be conducted. Once the results are returned and reviewed the application can be completed.
When a permit application is initiated in GCMS, the system will automatically identify applicants who are required to provide biometric information based on the primary citizenship for the client.
Dual citizens may be afforded their application in citizenship which provides them to the most benefit.
If an applicant’s Country of Residence (COR) is Canada, the officer may need to amend the Biometric Assessment from “Exempt-Public Policy” to “Required”, should that applicant be of a biometrically required citizenship. This is likely to occur if an applicant is flagpoling at the POE and/or has a previous application with IRCC. The biometric fee should be collected.
Biometric Results GCMS
Once the results of the biometric enrolment have been returned by the RCMP, the biometrics will be automatically be associated to the permit application in GCMS assuming the application was created prior to the biometric enrolment.
In order to verify if the biometrics have been associated to the application, proceed to the Admissibilities-Criminality tab. In the sub-activity window, the Biometrics-RCMP status should display a “Received – … ” status. A status of “Not Started” means that biometrics have not yet been associated.
Only once the biometrics have been associated, the permit application can be Approved. Setting the final assessment to Approved prior to the biometrics being associated to the application will prevent future biometric verification from occurring.
The biometrics results should be reviewed to assess results and for accuracy
Once the application is approved, the biometrics are transmitted to the verification database allowing the clients biometrics to be verified in the future.
Immigration Information Sharing
There is no requirement to conduct an international immigration information sharing request in GCMS as it pertains to applicants in support of their biometric emolument; however, an officer may submit a request at their discretion should they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the applicant has an immigration history with one of the Migration Five (M5) partners.
It should be noted that the permit should not be issued without the biometric result from the RCMP and from any subsequent information sharing request.