Immigration System: Travel Documents and Biometric Check

immigration system: Starting Tuesday, travellers from many countries will have to provide fingerprints and photos when they apply to visit, work or study in Canada, if they don't want to be turned away at the border, according to Toronto Star. Rick Madonik / Toronto Star file photo Biometric screening has proven effective in protecting the safety and security of Canadians and the integrity of the immigration system. Currently, foreign nationals are required to obtain pre-authorization to travel to Canada by air, and the biometric check on arrival is an extra step to confirm a person seeking admission is really the same pre-screened individual on the travel documents. Systematic fingerprint verification allows border service officers to confirm a traveller's identity, said Immigration Department spokesperson Shannon Kerr. It has made it more difficult for others to forge, steal or use another person's identity to gain access to Canada, Kerr added. Biometric screening has also made it easier to identify known criminals at the earliest opportunity in order to prevent them from coming to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.