Reduce wait times for your study permit at YVR
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is piloting the new Voluntary Compliance Portal (VC Portal).
The VC Portal is hosted on the YVR website (www.yvr.ca/en/students) and allows students to voluntarily submit information found in their letter of introduction (study permit approval) from Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The information provided gives advance notice to the CBSA, and gives time to review and print the study permits prior to the student’s arrival to YVR. Using the Portal is completely optional, and it will only be used to expedite the process.
To be eligible, the student must meet the following criteria:
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Initial entry into Canada must be at the Vancouver International Airport (they cannot connect to YVR through a domestic flight); and
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They must have a pre-approved study permit application from IRCC, and
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They must submit all the mandatory information at least 72 hours in advance through the Portal.
The students will need to submit the following information for processing:
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Unique Client Identifier (UCI)
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Control Document Number (optional)
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Last Name
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First Name (optional)
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Date of Birth (optional)
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Passport Number (optional)
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Passport country of issue (optional)
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Planned Date of Arrival to Vancouver
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Arriving Flight Number
This information will allow CBSA Officers to review applications prior to the student’s arrival, potentially identify administrative errors, and prepare documents in anticipation of arrival which should reduce the student’s time spent at the airport.
Frequently asked questions
No. The VC Portal has no legal standing. It is only a process that can help in making the permit issuance process more efficient.
No. The VC Portal has no affiliation with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Submitting information through the VC Portal does not authorize entry to enter Canada. The VC Portal cannot be used to circumvent any visa, permit, ETA, or other documentary requirements.
The information that is submitted at https://www.yvr.ca/en/students will be sent directly to the CBSA at the Vancouver International Airport. No other organization will have access to this information.
The VC Portal is purely a voluntary process. Declining to use this program will not negatively affect the student. Using this application will not excuse the student from any other process that an international traveller may be subject to when arriving in Canada. The VC Portal only serves to expedite the permit issuance process for pre-approved permits at the port of entry.
The student can submit information as early as they wish; there are no time constraints to this. However, the information must be received at least 72 hours prior to the student’s arrival. Should the information be submitted late, there is no guarantee that it will be received and processed.
Resubmit using the correct information. The student will not need to contact YVR, CBSA, or your institution.
At this time, the VC Portal is only being utilized for study permits. If a student has been pre-approved for a study permit and a work permit, the student is encouraged to complete the VC Portal with the study permit information.