VACs to close in New York, Los Angeles

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change?  Visa Application Centers in New York and Los Angeles will stop accepting applications or taking biometrics Nov. 1. New VAC locations and service providers in both cities will be announced at a later date, with expected changes in service fees.

What does the change mean? The New York and Los Angeles VACs will remain open until Nov. 29 for clients to pick up their documents before the offices officially close. Any documents not collected after Nov. 29 will be returned to the applicant directly. Applicants required to submit documents after Nov. 1 will need to wait for the new facilities to open.

• Implementation time frame: Nov. 1.
• Who is affected: Anyone seeking application or biometric services at the VACs in New York or Los Angeles.
• Impact on processing times: Delays are expected after new office locations open with a new service provider.

Background: VACs have been the exclusive service provider for Canadian visa application administrative support. They provide services for all temporary status applications and travel documents for permanent residents for transmission to the Canadian Consulate.

Analysis & Comments: Applicants in the U.S. applying for Canadian visas should be aware of the changes and plan for the possibility of delays and potential fee increases. Current clients should pick up their documents before the offices close Nov. 29.

Source: Deloitte LLP. Deloitte LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC303675 and its registered office at 1 New Street Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom.