Not able to book biometrics appointment

[shalakanaik108]

I received my Biometric Instruction Letter on 9th December 20. I have been requested to give my biometric details for Canada PR. I am trying to book the date for the same. However, I am not able to book it as I get below message "At this time we are not permitted to offer appointments for categories other than Family Class Priority and Study Permit. Please continue to visit the COVID-19 page on this website for further updates." The deadline for give by IRCC is 10th March 21. I have written to VAC , however there is no reply from them yet. Please provide suggestions as to how to proceed.

 

[Maverick28]

I received my Biometric Instruction Letter on 9th December 20. I have been requested to give my biometric details for Canada PR. I am trying to book the date for the same. However, I am not able to book it as I get below message "At this time we are not permitted to offer appointments for categories other than Family Class Priority and Study Permit. Please continue to visit the COVID-19 page on this website for further updates." The deadline for give by IRCC is 10th March 21. I have written to VAC , however there is no reply from them yet. Please provide suggestions as to how to proceed.

The highlighted text itself explains why you are not able to book the appointment. They are not offering appointments for PR applications. The expiry on your BIL does not matter due to the closure/restrictive working of VFS.

 

[marosa]

I received my Biometric Instruction Letter on 9th December 20. I have been requested to give my biometric details for Canada PR. I am trying to book the date for the same. However, I am not able to book it as I get below message "At this time we are not permitted to offer appointments for categories other than Family Class Priority and Study Permit. Please continue to visit the COVID-19 page on this website for further updates." The deadline for give by IRCC is 10th March 21. I have written to VAC , however there is no reply from them yet. Please provide suggestions as to how to proceed.

Hi!

I had the same issue, this is IRCC’s answer to me:

“The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and any impacts on IRCC clients.

If you are missing documents due to COVID-19 (e.g. police certificates, biometrics, passports and medical exams), rest assured that we will not close or refuse any applications in progress.

Additional documents and medical examination

You will automatically have an extra 90 days from the deadline in the request letter to send us the documents. This applies even if the letter indicates that you have 30 or 90 days. We will keep extending the deadline for another 90 days until you can get the documents. You don't have to contact us to request this extension. Once you are able to, send us the missing documents as soon as possible to avoid further delays.

Biometrics

Due to COVID-19, some biometrics collection sites are closed or are not offering biometric collection. If you have received a biometric instruction letter (BIL), we invite you to consult the information on our website according to your situation.

No application will be refused or closed if you aren't able to give your biometrics (due to COVID-19 closures) within the period indicated on your BIL, even if it indicates you have 30 or 90 days. You don't have to contact us for this extension, and you don't need a new BIL to make another appointment when sites reopen.”

But I didn’t want to wait so I traveled to another country to submit fingerprints.

 

[marosa]

Hi!

I had the same issue, this was their answer to me:

“The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and any impacts on IRCC clients.

If you are missing documents due to COVID-19 (e.g. police certificates, biometrics, passports and medical exams), rest assured that we will not close or refuse any applications in progress.

Additional documents and medical examination

You will automatically have an extra 90 days from the deadline in the request letter to send us the documents. This applies even if the letter indicates that you have 30 or 90 days. We will keep extending the deadline for another 90 days until you can get the documents. You don't have to contact us to request this extension. Once you are able to, send us the missing documents as soon as possible to avoid further delays.

Biometrics

Due to COVID-19, some biometrics collection sites are closed or are not offering biometric collection. If you have received a biometric instruction letter (BIL), we invite you to consult the information on our website according to your situation.

No application will be refused or closed if you aren't able to give your biometrics (due to COVID-19 closures) within the period indicated on your BIL, even if it indicates you have 30 or 90 days. You don't have to contact us for this extension, and you don't need a new BIL to make another appointment when sites reopen.”

But I didn’t want to wait so I traveled to another country to submit fingerprints.

VAC cannot help in this situation btw. They don’t even know when they’ll be able to open.

 

[Juno Mishel Sebastian]

Hi all,
Need your guidance in a issue i am facing related to the biometric appointment.
My spouse's biometric appointment was pending due to VAC not accepting the normal ones due to covid.
But it opened on 24th feb 2021.
We tried to book an appointment in another state/province since our state dint have the biometric opened yet.
We unfortunately got an appointment the next day morning itself.
Considering the current covid, inter state travel needed rt-pcr test which we could not get the results within less than 24 hours.
So we had to miss the appointment.
Now we trying to reschedule but the system saying reschedule not possible at the moment, basically due to the high demand.
Can someone please guide on what we can do to get a slot, since the situation was not in our hands.
If someone faced similar issues could you please guide, it will be really helpful!

Thanks,
Juno