Canadian officials today began a four-day biometric processing for persons wishing to obtain visas to travel to Canada.
And, we understood a large crowd turned up.
REPORT:
Grenadians wishing to travel to Canada would normally have to travel to either, St. Lucia, Trinidad, St. Vincent or Barbados for biometric processing, which have drawn complaints from individuals that it’s sometimes inconvenient and costly.
Citizens have often been lobbying for some form of relief and the Canadian government has heard their plea.
The officials will be here up to Thursday.
As part of the visa application process, nationals must provide biometric identification information (fingerprints, a photo and the likes) when applying for a Canadian visitor visa, study, work, or temporary residence permit, or for permanent residence.
During the upcoming November dates, visa applicants may take the opportunity to provide biometric information in Grenada rather than travelling abroad.
The visit here of the Canadian officials appears to be a one-off, since it was made known that standard procedures remain for Grenada nationals to travel to biometric collection points in Barbados, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, or Trinidad and Tobago.
The cut-off date for scheduling an appointment was Tuesday, October 31, 2023, and individuals were notified that there was a limited number of appointments available for the four-day collection visit here.
Curiosity had it that many people turned up at the location of contact, those with appointment and those without, all with the desire yearning to have their requests approved.
We were told that the visit by the officials is to deal specifically with persons who have appointments.
The get an appointment, individuals must have the biometrics.
Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Today, the Canadian officials operated between the hours of 9 am and 4.30pm and tomorrow to Thursday 8.30 in the morning to half past four in the afternoon at the True Blue Bay.
