Working Holiday in Canada (3) Collect Biometrics in Canadian Visa Application Center in China

After submitting all the required documents for the Working Holiday in Canada and completing the payment, the second stage of the visa application is finished. Once the application is complete, if there are no issues with the information provided, you will soon receive a Biometrics request.

Download the Biometrics Collection Letter

If you receive an email from IRCC, sign in to your IRCC account on their website. Check the messages in your account and see if there are any updates to your visa application status.

In the “Messages” section, if it shows “New”, it means there is a new message. Click on it to check if you’ve received the Biometrics Collection Letter.

As expected, it’s the Biometrics Collection Letter. When you open the message, it states that applicants must visit the nearest Canadian Visa Application Center (VAC) to complete their biometrics. This must be done within the 30-day deadline, or the application will be canceled.

Make an Appointment

Since I was working in Shenzhen at the time, I had originally planned to go to Hong Kong for the biometrics. However, due to the COVID-19 border closure, I was unsure of what to do. I later discovered that biometrics could also be completed in Guangzhou, China, so I quickly scheduled an appointment at the Canadian Visa Application Center there.

If you are not in your place of residence, you can check the nearest Canadian Visa Application Center (VAC) by Where to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) – IRCC.

Step 1: Visit the Website

If you need to schedule biometrics in China like I did, go to the VFS Global website. Click on Book an appointment to start the process. You can change the language to your preference at the top right corner of the page.

Step 2: Appointment Booking Methods

There are 5 ways to make an appointment. Personally, I chose to book via email. Click on the link in the red box to access the appointment form.

Step 3: Appointment Form

Once you enter the appointment page, first click on “Schedule.” You will be prompted to fill out your details. Make sure to select an appointment date that gives you enough time, as you need to complete the biometrics within 30 days. Double-check that all your information is correct, and ensure you choose the correct Canadian Visa Application Center location.

Step 4: Appointment Submission

After submitting your appointment request, the following page will appear, indicating that your appointment request has been sent to the Canadian Visa Application Center. Now, all you need to do is wait for a confirmation email from them.

Step 5: Confirm Appointment Time

I quickly received a response email confirming the appointment date. If the date works for you, click on Confirm Appointment to finalize the booking. A page will pop up asking whether you confirm the appointment, and you can click Yes.

The email will also include a PDF file, which you need to print out and bring with you when you go for your biometrics appointment.

Step 6: Prepare Documents

The PDF file sent by the Canadian Visa Application Center is your appointment letter. Make sure to print it out. The letter will specify the documents you need to bring:

1. Original Passport and Photocopy
2. Biometrics Collection Letter – Print out the document received from the IRCC system.
3. Appointment Letter (Printed)
4. Signed Service Agreement for the Canadian Visa Application Center – I printed out the old version of the agreement, but when I arrived at the center, the staff asked me to pay 5 RMB and provided me with the updated version to sign. Remember, the 5 RMB payment must be made in cash; WeChat or Alipay are not accepted.

Heading to the Canadian Visa Application Center (Guangzhou)

With all the documents prepared and the appointment time confirmed, I just had to wait for the day to visit the visa center. Since my appointment was scheduled for early in the morning, I decided to arrive in Guangzhou the night before to avoid any rush. It was quite amusing, though—due to the pandemic, no hotel would accept Taiwanese guests. Fortunately, the owner of a hostel was willing to take me in, and I was able to stay there for the night.

Because I was worried about being late, I arrived 30 minutes early at the building. During the pandemic, you need to scan a health code to enter, and if you’ve been to any high-risk areas, you could be denied entry. Fortunately, since I had only stayed in Shenzhen the entire time, I was able to enter smoothly without any issues.

I took the escalator to the third floor, where I found not only the Canadian visa application center but also centers for many other countries. However, during this pandemic, most of them were closed. Fortunately, the Canadian visa application center was open, so I waited in line outside for entry.

After it was my turn, I went inside to fill out the forms and then took a number to wait. Next, I had my fingerprints taken, a photo snapped, and my information verified. Once everything was completed without any issues, the staff handed me the following documents.

After completing the biometrics, I was instructed to submit the information back to the Canadian Visa Application Center in Guangzhou. With that, my visa application was officially complete.

What’s amusing, though, is that I submitted my biometrics at the end of March, but shortly afterward, the pandemic began to spread globally, causing the entire visa application process to come to a halt. I still haven’t received any official updates about whether my application was approved or if additional documents are needed. Regardless, since entry to Canada is currently not possible, I can only wait for the situation to improve.

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