Where to give your fingerprints and photo
You need to make an appointment to give your biometrics.
- Appointments are free to book.
- Book your appointment as soon as you receive your biometric instruction letter (BIL) to avoid delays.
- You have 30 days from the time you get your BIL to give your biometrics.
- Read the Important information section of your BIL for more information.
If you can’t give your biometrics within 30 days of receiving your BIL
If you can’t given your biometrics before your BIL expires, use the web form to tell us why you need more time.
Make sure you provide details about your situation.
For example, if you weren’t able to get an appointment by the deadline in your BIL,
- tell us the date of your appointment
- upload a screenshot of the appointment confirmation
Giving your biometrics outside Canada (except the US)
You can give your biometrics at a visa application centre (VAC) by making an appointment.
- Biometrics appointments are free.
- Don’t pay anyone for an appointment.
Before you go, make sure to visit the VAC’s website to find out what services are available. All VACs have biometric collection services.
If there's no VAC in the country or territory you're applying from, you can go to any other VAC location.
Biometrics collection sites
| Collection site location | Website |
|---|---|
| Montevideo, Uruguay VAC | Uruguay VAC |
| Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VAC | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VAC |
| Taipei, Taiwan VAC | Taiwan VAC |
| Pristina, Kosovo VAC | Kosovo VAC |
| Tirana, Albania VAC | Albania VAC |
| Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates VAC | United Arab Emirates VACs |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates VAC | United Arab Emirates VACs |
| Buenos Aires, Argentina VAC | Argentina VAC |
| Yerevan, Armenia VAC | Armenia VAC |
| Melbourne, Australia VAC | Australia VACs |
| Perth, Australia VAC | Australia VACs |
| Sydney, Australia VAC | Australia VACs |
| Vienna, Austria VAC | Austria VAC |
| Baku, Azerbaijan VAC | Azerbaijan VAC |
| Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso VAC | Burkina Faso VAC |
| Sylhet, Bangladesh VAC | Bangladesh VACs |
| Chittagong, Bangladesh VAC | Bangladesh VACs |
| Dhaka, Bangladesh VAC | Bangladesh VACs |
| Manama, Bahrain VAC | Bahrain VAC |
| Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina VAC | Bosnia and Herzegovina VAC |
| La Paz, Bolivia VAC | Bolivia VAC |
| Porto Alegre, Brazil VAC | Brazil VACs |
| Recife, Brazil VAC | Brazil VACs |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil VAC | Brazil VACs |
| Sao Paulo, Brazil VAC | Brazil VACs |
| Brasilia, Brazil VAC | Brazil VACs |
| Bridgetown, Barbados VAC | Barbados VAC |
| Santiago, Chile VAC | Chile VAC |
| Shanghai, China VAC | China VACs |
| Shenyang, China VAC | China VACs |
| Wuhan, China VAC | China VACs |
| Beijing, China VAC | China VACs |
| Chengdu, China VAC | China VACs |
| Chongqing, China VAC | China VACs |
| Guangzhou, China VAC | China VACs |
| Hangzhou, China VAC | China VACs |
| Jinan, China VAC | China VACs |
| Kunming, China VAC | China VACs |
| Nanjing, China VAC | China VACs |
| Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR VAC | Hong Kong VAC |
| Abidjan, Ivory Coast VAC | Ivory Coast VAC |
| Yaoundé, Cameroon VAC | Cameroon VAC |
| Kinshasa, Democratic Rep. of Congo VAC | Democratic Rep. of Congo VAC |
| San Jose, Costa Rica VAC | Costa Rica VAC |
| Berlin, Germany VAC | Germany VACs |
| Düsseldorf, Germany VAC | Germany VACs |
| Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic VAC | Dominican Republic VAC |
| Algiers, Algeria VAC | Algeria VAC |
| Quito, Ecuador VAC | Ecuador VAC |
| Cairo, Egypt VAC | Egypt VAC |
| Madrid, Spain VAC | Spain VAC |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia VAC | Ethiopia VAC |
| Helsinki, Finland VAC | Finland VAC |
| Suva, Fiji VAC | Fiji VAC |
| Lyon, France VAC | France VACs |
| Paris, France VAC | France VACs |
| London, United Kingdom VAC | United Kingdom VAC |
| Tbilisi, Georgia VAC | Georgia VAC |
| Accra, Ghana VAC | Ghana VAC |
| Conakry, Guinea VAC | Guinea VAC |
| Athens, Greece VAC | Greece VAC |
| Guatemala City, Guatemala VAC | Guatemala VAC |
| Georgetown, Guyana VAC | Guyana VAC |
| Tegucigalpa, Honduras VAC | Honduras VAC |
| Port-au-Prince, Haiti VAC | Haiti VAC |
| Bali, Indonesia VAC | Indonesia VACs |
| Jakarta, Indonesia VAC | Indonesia VACs |
| Bengaluru, India VAC | India VACs |
| Chandigarh, India VAC | India VACs |
| Chennai, India VAC | India VACs |
| Hyderabad, India VAC | India VACs |
| Jalandhar, India VAC | India VACs |
| Kolkata, India VAC | India VACs |
| Mumbai, India VAC | India VACs |
| New Delhi, India VAC | India VACs |
| Pune, India VAC | India VACs |
| Ahmedabad, India VAC | India VACs |
| Dublin, Ireland VAC | Ireland VAC |
| Erbil, Iraq VAC | Iraq VAC |
| Tel Aviv, Israel VAC | Israel VAC |
| Rome, Italy VAC | Italy VAC |
| Kingston, Jamaica VAC | Jamaica VACs |
| Montego Bay, Jamaica VAC | Jamaica VACs |
| Amman, Jordan VAC | Jordan VAC |
| Osaka, Japan VAC | Japan VACs |
| Tokyo, Japan VAC | Japan VACs |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan VAC | Kazakhstan VACs |
| Astana, Kazakhstan VAC |
Kazakhstan VACs |
| Nairobi, Kenya VAC | Kenya VAC |
| Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan VAC | Kyrgyzstan VAC |
| Phnom Penh, Cambodia VAC | Cambodia VAC |
| Seoul, South Korea VAC | South Korea VAC |
| Kuwait City, Kuwait VAC | Kuwait VAC |
| Beirut, Lebanon VAC | Lebanon VAC |
| Castries, Saint Lucia VAC | Saint Lucia VAC |
| Colombo, Sri Lanka VAC | Sri Lanka VAC |
| Rabat, Morocco VAC | Morocco VAC |
| Chisinau, Moldova VAC | Moldova VAC |
| Antananarivo, Madagascar VAC | Madagascar VAC |
| Skopje, North Macedonia VAC | North Macedonia VAC |
| Bamako, Mali VAC | Mali VAC |
| Rangoon (Yangon), Myanmar VAC | Myanmar VAC |
| Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia VAC | Mongolia VAC |
| Port Louis, Mauritius VAC | Mauritius VAC |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia VAC | Malaysia VAC |
| Lagos, Nigeria VAC | Nigeria VACs |
| Niamey, Niger VAC | Niger VAC |
| Abuja, Nigeria VAC | Nigeria VACs |
| Managua, Nicaragua VAC | Nicaragua VAC |
| The Hague, The Netherlands VAC | The Netherlands VAC |
| Kathmandu, Nepal VAC | Nepal VAC |
| Auckland, New Zealand VAC | New Zealand VAC |
| Muscat, Oman VAC | Oman VAC |
| Islamabad, Pakistan VAC | Pakistan VACs |
| Karachi, Pakistan VAC | Pakistan VACs |
| Lahore, Pakistan VAC | Pakistan VACs |
| Panama City, Panama VAC | Panama VAC |
| Lima, Peru VAC | Peru VAC |
| Manila, Philippines VAC | Philippines VACs |
| Cebu, Philippines VAC | Philippines VACs |
| Warsaw, Poland VAC | Poland VAC |
| Asuncion, Paraguay VAC | Paraguay VAC |
| Doha, Qatar VAC | Qatar VAC |
| Bucharest, Romania VAC | Romania VAC |
| Moscow, Russia VAC | Russia VACs |
| Novosibirsk, Russia VAC | Russia VACs |
| Rostov-on-Don, Russia VAC | Russia VACs |
| Saint Petersburg, Russia VAC | Russia VACs |
| Vladivostok, Russia VAC | Russia VACs |
| Yekaterinburg, Russia VAC | Russia VACs |
| Kigali, Rwanda VAC | Rwanda VAC |
| Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia VAC | Saudi Arabia VACs |
| Jeddah, Saudi Arabia VAC | Saudi Arabia VACs |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia VAC | Saudi Arabia VACs |
| Khartoum, Sudan VAC Temporarily Closed |
Sudan VAC |
| Dakar, Senegal VAC | Senegal VAC |
| Singapore, Singapore VAC | Singapore VAC |
| San Salvador, El Salvador VAC | El Salvador VAC |
| Belgrade, Serbia VAC | Serbia VAC |
| Stockholm, Sweden VAC | Sweden VAC |
| Bangkok, Thailand VAC | Thailand VAC |
| Dushanbe, Tajikistan VAC | Tajikistan VAC |
| Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago VAC | Trinidad and Tobago VAC |
| Tunis, Tunisia VAC | Tunisia VAC |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania VAC | Tanzania VAC |
| Kampala, Uganda VAC | Uganda VAC |
| Kyiv, Ukraine VAC Biometrics only | Ukraine VACs |
| Lviv, Ukraine VAC Biometrics only | Ukraine VACs |
| Caracas, Venezuela VAC | Venezuela VAC |
| Hanoi, Vietnam VAC | Vietnam VACs |
| Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam VAC | Vietnam VACs |
| Cape Town, South Africa VAC | South Africa VACs |
| Pretoria, South Africa VAC | South Africa VACs |
| Harare, Zimbabwe VAC | Zimbabwe VAC |
| Los Angeles, United States VAC | United States VACs |
| New York, United States VAC | United States VACs |
| Ankara, Türkiye VAC | Türkiye VACs |
| Istanbul, Türkiye VAC | Türkiye VACs |
| Guadalajara, Mexico VAC | Mexico VACs |
| Monterrey, Mexico VAC | Mexico VACs |
| Mexico City, Mexico VAC | Mexico VACs |
| Lisbon, Portugal VAC | Portugal VAC |
| Bogota, Colombia VAC | Colombia VACs |
| Cali, Colombia VAC | Colombia VACs |
| Medellin, Colombia VAC | Colombia VACs |
Giving your biometrics in the US
You can give your biometrics at an application support centre (ASC) or a visa application centre (VAC).
- You must already be legally in the US to go to an ASC or a VAC.
- Biometrics appointments are free
- Don’t pay anyone to book an appointment
How to book an appointment at an ASC
To book an appointment at an ASC, use the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
Book an appointmentHow to book an appointment at a VAC
To book an appointment to give your biometrics at a VAC, use the VAC website for the location where you plan to go.
Before you visit a VAC, make sure to check the VAC’s website to find out what services are available. All VACs have biometric collection services.
| Collection site location | Website |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles, United States VAC | United States VACs |
| New York, United States VAC | United States VACs |
Giving your biometrics in Canada
You can give your biometrics at a designated Service Canada office. You can find a location and make your appointment to give biometrics using the eServiceCanada Appointment Booking Tool.
- Don’t go to a Service Canada office unless you have a scheduled appointment.
Applying for citizenship?
Don’t go to a Service Canada centre to have your fingerprints taken for a citizenship application.
If you have them taken at a Service Canada centre, we can’t use the fingerprints for your citizenship application and they will be deleted.
You must have your fingerprints taken at a valid collection point for citizenship applications.
Giving your biometrics at a port of entry
You can only give your biometrics at the port of entry when you arrive in Canada if you meet both of the following requirements:
- You’re eligible to apply for a study permit or work permit at a port of entry.
- You start and finish your application at the port of entry.
- You can’t give your biometrics when you enter Canada if you already submitted an
application and got a BIL.
- In this case, you must use one of the other biometrics service providers.
- You can’t give your biometrics when you enter Canada if you already submitted an
application and got a BIL.
Make sure you’re eligible before you go.
Biometrics collection sites
| City/port of entry (POE) | Website |
|---|---|
| Calgary International Airport, Alberta POE | Calgary International Airport |
| Carway, Alberta POE | Carway |
| Coutts, Alberta POE | Coutts |
| Edmonton International Airport, Alberta POE | Edmonton International Airport |
| Abbotsford International Airport, British Columbia POE | Abbotsford International Airport |
| Abbotsford-Huntingdon, British Columbia POE | Abbotsford-Huntingdon |
| Aldergrove, British Columbia POE | Aldergrove |
| Boundary Bay, British Columbia POE | Boundary Bay |
| Douglas, British Columbia POE | Douglas |
| Fraser, British Columbia POE | Fraser |
| Kelowna Airport, British Columbia POE | Kelowna Airport |
| Kingsgate, British Columbia POE | Kingsgate |
| Osoyoos, British Columbia POE | Osoyoos |
| Pacific Highway, British Columbia POE | Pacific Highway |
| Roosville, British Columbia POE | Roosville |
| Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia POE | Vancouver International Airport |
| Victoria Ferry/Belleville, British Columbia POE | Victoria Ferry/Belleville |
| Victoria International Airport, British Columbia POE | Victoria International Airport |
| Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba POE | Winnipeg Airport |
| Boissevain, Manitoba POE | Boissevain |
| Emerson, Manitoba POE | Emerson |
| Moncton Airport, New Brunswick POE | Greater Moncton Romeo Leblanc International Airport |
| St. Stephen 3rd Bridge, New Brunswick POE | St. Stephen 3rd Bridge |
| St. Stephen Ferry Point Bridge, New Brunswick POE | St. Stephen Ferry Point Bridge |
| Woodstock, New Brunswick POE | Woodstock Road |
| Edmunston, New Brunswick POE | Edmunston |
| Fortune, Newfoundland and Labrador POE | Fortune |
| St. John's International Airport, Newfoundland and Labrador POE | St. John's International Airport |
| Halifax International Airport, Nova Scotia POE | Halifax International Airport |
| Yarmouth Ferry Terminal, Nova Scotia POE | Yarmouth Ferry Terminal |
| Ambassador Bridge, Ontario POE | Ambassador Bridge |
| Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Ontario POE | Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport |
| Cornwall, Ontario POE | Cornwall |
| Fort Erie (Peace Bridge), Ontario POE | Fort Erie (Peace Bridge) |
| Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge, Ontario POE | Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge |
| North Portal, Saskatchewan POE | North Portal |
| Ottawa International Airport, Ontario POE | Ottawa International Airport |
| Pigeon River, Ontario POE | Pigeon River |
| Prescott, Ontario POE | Prescott |
| Queenston Lewiston Bridge, Ontario POE | Queenston Lewiston Bridge |
| Rainy River, Ontario POE | Rainy River |
| Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (Terminal 1), Ontario POE | Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (Terminal 1) |
| Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (Terminal 3), Ontario POE | Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (Terminal 3) |
| Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, Ontario POE | Windsor-Detroit Tunnel |
| Fort Frances, Ontario POE | Fort Frances |
| Hamilton Airport, Ontario POE | John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport |
| Lansdowne, Ontario POE | Lansdowne (Thousand Islands Bridge) |
| London Airport, Ontario POE | London International Airport |
| Sarnia (Blue Water Bridge, Ontario) POE | Blue Water Bridge |
| Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario POE | Sault Ste. Marie |
| Armstrong, Quebec POE | Armstrong |
| Montreal - Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Quebec POE | Montreal - Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport |
| Quebec City International Airport, Quebec POE | Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport |
| St-Armand, Quebec POE | St-Armand/Philipsburg |
| St-Bernard-De-Lacolle, Quebec POE | St-Bernard-De-Lacolle |
| Stanstead, Quebec POE | Stanstead |
| Regway, Saskatchewan POE POE | Regway |
| Regina Airport, Saskatchewan POE | Regina Airport |
| Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport, Saskatchewan POE | Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport |
| Whitehorse Airport (Erik Nielsen Whitehorse), Yukon POE | Whitehorse Airport (Erik Nielsen Whitehorse) |
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