Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced streamlined procedures to help expedite processing for any people significantly or personally affected by the Nepal earthquakes.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced streamlined procedures to help expedite processing for any people significantly or personally affected by the Nepal earthquakes.
These measures were announced on April 27, 2015, by Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander. The announcement occurred two days after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit regions of Nepal and a large series of intense aftershocks followed. A second earthquake of 7.3 magnitude also occurred on May 12, 2015. To date, there have been over 8,000 reported deaths and over 19,000 reported injured.
As a result, the CIC announced that immigration applications from Nepal will be given priority processing to help those affected come to Canada. This refers to existing applications but the CIC did also say that they will continue to accept new applications from Nepal.
Furthermore, Nepalese citizens currently in Canada who need to extend their time in the country due to the earthquake will have their requests reviewed in a “compassionate and flexible manner” according to the CIC website.
The following application types will undergo priority processing:
- Visa applications from individuals in the affected areas who are significantly and personally affected (and further priority will be given to the families of Canadian citizens and permanent residents)
- Existing and new applications for citizenship certificates, permanent resident travel documents, and permanent resident cards
- In-Canada temporary resident permit extension applications for visitors, workers, and students, from applicants of the affected area
Those “significantly and personally affected” are considered as individuals who lost an immediate family member (such as a spouse, partner, or dependent child), those who have lost significant property and/or those who have lost livelihood as a result of the earthquakes.
The CIC is also providing extra resources to Canadians in Nepal affected by the earthquake. Canadians seeking emergency travel documents to return to Canada can contact the Consulate of Canada to Nepal located in Kathmandu for priority processing.
A new phone line and email address have been created to assist with processing individuals affected by the earthquakes. More information from Citizenship and Immigration Canada can be found here.
FWCanada is a Montreal-based immigration law firm that provides professional legal services on Canadian immigration. For more tips and updates on Canadian immigration follow FWCanada on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
