After you apply

Get your fingerprints and photo taken

If you’re between 14 and 79 years old, you need to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) for every application for permanent residence you submit to us. Even if you gave your biometrics in the past and they’re still valid.

  • You must pay the biometrics fee when you submit your application. Otherwise you may experience delays.
  • Get this done as soon as you get the letter from us that tells you to give biometrics.
  • You have 30 days to do this from the date on the letter.

Find out who needs to give, how to give, and where to give your biometrics.

Work in Canada while we review your application

While your application for permanent residence is being processed, you can apply for a temporary work permit to get to Canada and start building your business. See work permits for start-up visa applicants.

How we assess your start-up visa application

After you apply, we’ll verify that you have:

  • filled out your application forms correctly and signed them
  • paid your processing fees and
  • included all required documents

If you forget something, your application won’t be processed and will be sent back to you.

Processing times

You may be able to avoid delays by:

  • telling the visa office about any changes to your personal information, such as your address, telephone number or email, or the birth of a child and
  • not contacting the visa office more than once about the same issue

Processing time ?

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You may need to give biometrics with your application. This processing time includes the time you need to give your biometrics.

Your application will be delayed if:

  • there are criminal or security problems or we need to do more background checks
  • your family situation is not clear—reasons could include a divorce or an adoption that is not yet complete or child custody issues that have not been resolved or
  • the visa office has to contact other visa offices in Canada or abroad to verify the data you gave

You can check the status of your application after the visa office has started processing it.

Medical exams

You must have a medical exam before you come to Canada. Your family members must also have one, even if they aren’t coming with you.

We won’t accept your application if your health:

  • is a danger to Canada’s public health or safety or
  • would cause too great a demand on health or social services in Canada

We’ll send you a letter to tell you how to get the medical exam after we send your application to the visa office.

Police certificates

If you have a criminal record, you may not be allowed to enter Canada. People who pose a risk to Canada’s security also aren’t allowed to come to Canada.

To immigrate to Canada, you and any family members 18 years of age and older must provide police certificates to the visa office, if asked to do so. You must get a police certificate from each country or territory where you have lived for 6 or months in a row since the age of 18. We strongly recommend that you take steps to get your police certificates now to avoid future delays.

Decision on your application

We’ll make a decision on your application if you:

  • meet the eligibility criteria
  • have enough money to support yourself and your family when you arrive in Canada
  • pass the medical exam and police certificate

We’ll contact you if you need to send more documents or go to an interview.

If your application is approved, we’ll ask you to send your passport to the visa office so we can issue your permanent resident visa.

Confirmation of permanent residence

If we approve your application, we’ll issue you a permanent resident visa. This visa includes your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your entry visa.

Your COPR will have information about who you are, as well as your photograph. Please check to make sure it’s correct. It should be the same as the information on your passport. If there’s a mistake on your COPR, contact us through your account.

You must have your COPR and your visa with you when you arrive in Canada. We won’t extend your COPR, so you should make sure to use it before it expires.

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