Updated: Canada has not resumed temporary visa and eTA processing

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Note by CIC News:

CIC News is retracting this story following a June 10, 2020 update provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Several hours after this story was originally written on June 8, IRCC removed the web pages that contained the information which this story was based on.

CIC News reached out immediately to IRCC to confirm whether TRV and eTA applications are now in fact being processed and received the following email response from IRCC:

We can confirm that information was incorrectly posted to the department’s website and once detected, was immediately removed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The temporary suspension on processing of visitor visa applications for those not eligible to travel to Canada due to the current travel restrictions remains in place. ‎This suspension also applies to eTA applications ‎that cannot be automatically processed by the system, for example in cases where applicants may need to provide more information.

We continue to process visitor visa applications, as well as eTA applications,  submitted online for those who can prove they are eligible to travel to Canada at this time.

We are also processing all study permit and permit applications submitted online, as well as permanent resident applications, to the extent possible. No application in progress will be closed or refused as a result of ongoing service disruptions related to COVID-19. Applicants are being given more time to complete these steps, including giving biometrics. In most cases, the conditions in the country the applicant is living in will determine when they will be able to, for instance, provide biometrics or undergo a medical exam. Some visa application centres (VACs) and offices of panel physicians have already re-opened.

The following is an edited version of the original article written by CIC News:

On June 8, IRCC said it would resume the processing of temporary resident visas (TRVs) submitted online as well as electronic travel authorization (eTA) applications on June 9.

IRCC announced the update on its website but took down the web pages the following day, on June 9.

IRCC stated it would resume TRV processing online "to the extent possible." Applications would be prioritized for individuals who are currently eligible to travel based on current travel restrictions.

In addition, IRCC said it would resume the manual processing of eTA applications that drop out for immigration officer review, also "to the extent possible."

IRCC noted the purpose of these measures was to help it deal with the expected increase in applications once the travel restrictions are lifted.

Due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, IRCC has been accepting TRV and eTA applications but is temporarily unable to process them.

Get help with Canadian work permits and TRVs

Need assistance with a temporary visa application process? Contact wp@canadavisa.com.