Canada Consulate - Brazil - New Visa Procedures at the Canadian Consulate in Sao Paulo Brazil

New Visa Application Procedures - Sao Paulo, Brazil

May, 2005

The Canadian Consulate General in Sao Paulo Brazil issued this statement recently. It includes important information about new visa application procedures in Brazil.

IN SÃO PAULO TO IMPROVE VISA SERVICES

The Canadian Consulate General in São Paulo strives to provide its public
with efficient, quality service. In order to ensure that the high-quality
service standards are met, the Canadian Consulate General will adopt new
technology and visa application procedures that will go into effect May 16,
2005.

Canada has become an increasingly popular destination among Brazilians to
visit, study, or conduct business. In 2004, the number of visa applications
by Brazilians wishing to visit Canada went up by 60%. In 2004, the number of
Brazilians applying for transit visas grew some 250% compared to 2003. The
number of student visas issued has also gone up consistently to the point
where in 2004 Canada became the number one destination for Brazilian
students studying abroad.

As a result of the increase in the number of visa applications, and in an
effort to eliminate the inconvenience and discomfort caused by need for
clients to travel to our office and the long queues and a crowded waiting
room that our Brazilian clientele currently face in order to apply for a
Canadian visa, the Canadian Consulate General in Sao Paulo will introduce
new procedures beginning May 16, aimed at facilitating visa applications on
the part of Brazilian travellers to Canada. From that date, the vast
majority of visa applicants will no longer have to attend the Canadian
Consulate to submit an application in-person and will instead be encouraged
to submit applications via travel agents or third party couriers.

To ensure that the Canadian Consulate in Sao Paulo can continue to provide a
quality service, new bar code technology will be introduced on all
non-immigration visa applications submitted via travel agents or third party
couriers. This new technology will enable the Canadian Consulate General to
provide 2 day processing time on agent-submitted applications. For Brazilian
visitors to Canada who still wish to submit their visa applications in
person, the Canadian Consulate General in São Paulo will adopt a call-in
system to schedule an appointment to allow applicants to submit their visa
application. Only applicants who have made a telephone appointment will be
allowed to submit their application. The processing time for in-person
applications will also be 2 business days from the application receipt.
Additional time may be required if the visa officer requests additional
documentation or information, further checks, a medical examination, etc.

The Canadian Consulate General in São Paulo informs that using a third party
(travel agent/courier) to submit a visa application is voluntary. The public
is welcome to submit an application in-person if preferred; however, please
note that the appointment queue for submitting an application may be long.
Also, submitting an application in person does not give right to an
interview, or any other kind of preferential treatment. The vast majority of
applications is finalized based on documents and information submitted on
paper.

Visa and immigration services are centralized at the Canadian Consulate General in Sao Paulo, which processes applications for permanent residence, permanent resident determinations or to visit Canada temporarily as tourists, students or workers. Non-refundable processing fees are charged for all applications.

Address:
Av. das NaÃ§Ãµes Unidas, 12901 - 16. andar - Brooklin
Centro Empresarial NaÃ§Ãµes Unidas - Torre Norte
04578-000 SÃ£o Paulo, SP, Brazil
Tel.: (55-11) 5509-4343
Fax: (55-11) 5509-4262
E-mail: SaoPaulo-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca