Visa registration, travel certificate delays continue

IMPACT – MEDIUM

The new International Police online system continues to cause delays for those in need of visa registration services, travel certificates and other services.

• Implementation time frame: Ongoing.
• Who is affected: Anyone in need of visa registration, travel certificates or other services with the International Police.
• Impact on processing times: Wait times for appointments have increased, in some cases by as much as three or four weeks.
• Business impact: Businesses may need to adjust time schedules for employees who need International Police services before they can begin working. Employers may also have to adjust schedules for employees who require a travel certificate in order to renew their work authorization.

Additional information: Earlier this year, the International Police launched an online appointments system for visa registration and travel certificates, among other services. Initially, the system included some flexibility to make next-day appointments. This has changed, however, and applicants must now attend the appointment generated by the online system. Typically, appointment times are set on Friday and early Saturday, and appointments are often not available for three to four weeks.

Analysis & Comments: Employers should take note of the continued delays. The new appointments system makes it impossible to book appointments for employees or assignees on the basis of their availability because the date and time of appointments are generated automatically. This makes it more difficult to complete urgent registration procedures. It also means there is no guarantee that family members will have appointments on the same day, meaning they may have to make more than one trip to an International Police office to complete registration separately.

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