If you’ve contemplated immigrating to Canada, you’ve likely encountered the term “passport pickup.” In essence, passport pickup involves collecting the visa from an embassy in a third country and delivering it to the applicant in their country of origin. This process, also known as visa pickup, revolves around sending the passport to the embassy for visa stamping and returning it with the affixed visa label.

Passport pickup services are particularly relevant for countries without embassies in Iran, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Here’s a breakdown of the passport pickup process for a Canadian visa:

1. Visa Application Outcome

• • Following the completion of the Canadian visa application process, there are two possible outcomes: approval or rejection.
  • If your visa application is approved, you’ll receive a “pass request” email from the embassy, prompting you to send your passport for visa stamping within a month.

2. Embassy Submission

• • Since Canada lacks an embassy in Iran, you must send your passport to one of the Visa Application Centers (VAC) or the Canadian Embassy in a neighboring country.

3. Timeline Consideration

• • There is a 30-day window to submit your passport for visa stamping.
  • Failure to act within this timeframe may result in visa rejection.

4. Processing Time

• • Passport pickup typically takes 7 to 10 working days, but timelines may be subject to pandemic-related restrictions and embassy operational changes.

5. Passport Pickup as the Final Step

• • Collecting your Canadian passport with the affixed visa label is the concluding and gratifying step before embarking on your journey to Canada.

Required Documents for Canadian Passport Pickup (Courier Visa)

• Printed “pass request” email from the Canadian Embassy
• Passport or a duly signed passport
• Two 5×7 photos (with necessary stamp, date, address, and photo number)
• Information on the applicant’s height and eye color
• Completion of the last page of the embassy email (personal email, address, and phone number)

Visa Pickup Fee

• Visa pickup fees range from 30 to 130 US dollars for countries like America, Canada, and England.
• If utilizing an agency for passport pickup, additional fees may apply.

Canadian Visa Pickup Follow-up

• After submitting your passport, you’ll receive a tracking number.
• Use the VFS Global website to track your visa pickup progress by entering the tracking number and date of birth.
• The online tracking system ensures transparency in monitoring your Canadian visa pickup process.

As you approach the culmination of your immigration journey, the visa pickup process represents the final step in securing the necessary documentation for your venture to Canada.