Online Desk: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has temporarily extended the validity of issued Biometric Instruction Letters (BILs) and Passport Submission letters by an additional 30 days due to unprecedented demand for appointments at Visa Application Centres in Bangladesh, said a VFS Global spokesperson on Friday.

For applicants, the spokesperson said, this means that their IRCC BIL or Passport Request letter will remain valid for another 30 days after the expiry date indicated in the letter.

Applicants who are unable to schedule an appointment or submit their passports even with this extended validity period should contact IRCC to request a new BIL or Passport Submission letter, according to a media statement.

Any newly issued letters will only be valid for the standard 30 days.

“We urge applicants to plan them travel early and apply for their Canada visa or permit in advance to avoid the last-minute rush,” said the spokesperson.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the department of the Government of Canada with responsibility for matters dealing with immigration to Canada, refugees, and Canadian citizenship.