Staff Reporter
The Embassy of Canada to Bhutan will offer a temporary biometrics collection service in Thimphu from February 25 to 27, 2025, making it more convenient for Bhutanese applicants seeking visas to study, work, or visit Canada.
The service will be available at Hotel Druk in Thimphu’s Clock Tower Square.
The initiative is aimed at applicants who have already applied for a Canadian visitor visa, study or work permit, or permanent residence and have received a Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
To be eligible, applicants must have paid the required biometrics fee—CAD 85 for an individual or a maximum of CAD 170 for families applying together.
The biometrics process, which includes fingerprinting and photographing, is a key requirement for visa applicants.
Those without a BIL will not be able to submit their biometrics during this service period.
Once an application is submitted online and the biometrics fee is paid, the BIL is typically issued within 24 hours. Applicants then have 30 days to complete their biometrics submission.
Appointments are mandatory for all applicants and must be requested via email by February 21, 2025. Appointment confirmations will be sent within 48 hours.
For those unable to attend the Thimphu biometrics collection, the nearest Canada Visa Application Centre will remain an option, though advance appointment scheduling and proper authorisation for entry into the host country will be required.
The service is expected to ease the process for Bhutanese travelers, eliminating the need to travel abroad solely for biometrics submission.