A team from Canada could assist the Department of Immigration in Bermuda collect the biometric data necessary for the issue of visas needed to work, visit or study in Canada.
The government of Canada unveiled the new requirement for the submission of, among other things, biometric data of applicants, last year meaning local residents carrying any type of British passport, including British Dependent Territories Citizens, would be required to submit fingerprints and a photograph with any application made after December 31. The new measure affects a variety of travellers, but is mandatory for all foreign students in Canada.
As Bermuda has no facility to take biometric information, the new policy means residents are required to travel to the United States to provide the data.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Walton Brown has advised that the government is in discussions with the Canadian Consulate in Bermuda to address the issue. The hope is that a team from Canada will come to Bermuda to collect the data from time to time, while another alternative would be for the Department of Immigration or another entity to become a remote authorised Canadian Visa Application Centre or Application Support Centre offering the services on the island.
