ARCHIVED – Operational Bulletin 267 - January 27, 2011

Temporary Transfer of Visa and Immigration Services from the Canadian Embassy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast to the Canadian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal

This Operational Bulletin has expired.

Summary

This operational bulletin (OB) describes the temporary transfer of visa and immigration services from Abidjan to Dakar due to the tumultuous situation in Abidjan.

Issue

The purpose of this OB is to provide information regarding the temporary transfer of visa and immigration services from the Canadian Embassy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast to the Canadian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.

Background

On December 8, 2010, due to circumstances beyond the Embassy’s control, the services of the Visa and Immigration Section at the Canadian Embassy in Abidjan were temporarily suspended.

Due to the temporary closure of the visa office in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, the visa office in Dakar is currently responsible for permanent resident applications (except Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Quebec-selected Skilled Worker) from Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea (except refugees), Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.

Dakar is also currently responsible for temporary resident applications from Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau Mauritania and Senegal (see OB 239 issued September 20, 2010).

Instructions

Temporary resident processing

Applicants may submit visitor visa, study permit and temporary work permit applications to any other Canadian visa office in person. Applicants should not send any correspondence or applications to the visa Section in Abidjan.

Permanent resident processing

Permanent resident applications (except for FSW and Quebec-selected Skilled Worker) and additional documentation on applications already in process should be submitted to:

Embassy of Canada, Visa Section
P.O. Box 3373
Rue Galliéni x Amadou Cissé Dia
Dakar, Senegal

Applicants that have already sent documents to the Canadian Embassy in Abidjan, do not need to re-send them to Dakar.

Federal Skilled Worker applications

New FSW applications should continue to be submitted to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO). Applicants that have been instructed to submit any additional documents in support of their FSW applications should send those documents to the Canadian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.

Applicants who have been instructed to submit a complete application within 120 days should send it to the Canadian Embassy in Dakar. Applicants will not be penalized if the submission is not received within that timeframe.

Applicants that have already sent any requested documents to the Canadian Embassy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, do not need to re-send them to Dakar.

Quebec-selected Skilled Worker applications

New Quebec-selected Skilled Worker applications should be sent to the CIO in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Please use the following address:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Centralized Intake Office
Quebec Skilled Worker
PO Box 8888
Sydney, NS B1P 0C9
CANADA

Returning Permanent Residents

Returning permanent residents may submit applications for a Permanent Resident Travel Document to any other Canadian visa office in person. Applicants should not send any correspondence or applications to the visa section in Abidjan.

Unfortunately, all applicants can expect additional delays in processing due to the reduced ability to deliver services in Abidjan. Further updates to these instructions will be posted, depending upon the prevailing situation in Abidjan.

For further information outlined in this OB, please contact your supervisor or your Regional Program Advisor (RPA). RPAs may in turn contact Operational Management and Coordination Branch.