Where to send passport for Canada visa stamping outside Canada?

If you’re outside Canada, you can send your passport to any nearby Canadian Visa Application Centre (VAC) or the corresponding visa office for stamping.

Each country or territory has designated VACs, and IRCC has the exact location for each centre. If you can’t find a VAC around you, you can send your passport to any VAC of your choice.

You don’t have to send it to a particular centre or the one near you – you can send it to any VAC.

How do you locate a Canadian visa application centre near you?

Locating a VAC is quite simple. You can use the IRCC website to find VACs near you and send your passport to them.

VACs are scattered all over the world, and their primary function is to facilitate the visa application process, including stamping passports.

To find one close to you, go to the IRCC website.

How to use the IRCC website to find a visa application centre near you:

Step 1: The link to the IRCC website is: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/offices/find-visa-application-centre.html.
Step 2: On the website, scroll to the country/territories and VACs section. This section lists all the VACs worldwide.
Step 3: Select your country of residence from the list of available countries.
Step 4: If your country isn’t on the first page, you can use the “next” button to find your country.
Step 5: Instead of going from page to page, use the search bar to find your nearest VACs

In the search bar, type the name of the country where you are or where you want to send your passport, and it will show a list of all the VACs in the country and each VAC’s website.

For example, when you type Australia, it’ll show you a VAC in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

You can click on the website of each VACs and read about how to send your passport to them.

If you are in the USA, here’s how to locate a VAC near you.

Where to send passport for Canada visa stamping in USA?

You can send your passport to any designated Canadian visa application centre (VAC) near your area in the US.

It doesn’t matter which one you use; just make sure that it gets to a VAC, which will forward it to the Canadian authorities, where it will be stamped and returned to you.

How to locate a Canada Visa Application centre near you in the US

Go to the official website of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) by clicking here.
On the website, scroll down and you’ll see a table showing a list of countries/territories and their VACs.
On the filter bar, type the “United States” and it’ll pop up the VACs in the USA. There are two main VACs in the USA, one in Los Angeles and another in New York.

Go through the website of each VAC.

For Los Angeles VAC, visit: United States VACs
For New York VAC, visit: United States VACs

Address of the Canadian visa application centre in Los Angeles

If you want to submit your passport at the Los Angeles VAC, you should know that they announced a relocation from their previous address on July 29, 2024.

The Canada Visa Application Centre in Los Angeles has moved to a new location at:

- 5757 Wilshire Blvd, 5th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Address of the Canada visa application centre in New York

The address for New York is:

- 128 E 32nd St 3rd floor, New York, NY 10016, United States.
- New York VAC phone number: +18882964511
- Google Map address

They are open Monday to Friday except on public holidays.

What if there is no VAC in your country of residence?

If you’re in a region without a local VAC, look for a VAC in any country near you. You can send your passport to a VAC in a neighbouring country.

If I’m abroad and can’t find a nearby VAC, I’ll send it to a nearby country.

This can add more time to the process, but it’s the best option.

Before you send your passport to a VAC in a nearby country, check if the VAC accepts passports from applicants in your country to avoid any delays.

Do you pay to submit your passport at the Canadian visa application centre?

Yes, you pay to submit your passport at the Canada visa application centre. When you go to Canadian VACs to submit your passport, you’ll be asked to pay a $29.57 service charge for Package Transmission.

You can read more on VAC service charges by clicking here.

What does the Canada visa application centre do?

A Canada Visa Application Centre (VAC) is an authorised third-party service provider that assists applicants in getting a visa to Canada.

They’re mainly private companies and are contracted by the Canadian government.

VACs don’t “make the final decision” on whether you get the visa – that’s up to the Canadian visa office – but they do a lot to make the process easier for you.

Visa application centres help in:

Document and passport collection: VACs help to collect and submit your passport and other important documents to the Canadian visa authorities.
Biometric data collection: If you want to submit your biometric data, like fingerprints and a photo. The VAC has the right tools to do this. They collect it from you and submit it to the Canadian visa authorities.
Application submission: After collecting the documents and biometric data, the VAC submits the complete visa application package to the appropriate Canadian visa office.
Application fee payment: If you want to pay your visa fees, you can pay through VACs.
Passport return: They also help collect and return your passport once it has been stamped by the Canadian visa authorities.
Give updates: Some VACs also give you updates about the visa you applied for via text message or email.
Additional services: Some VACs offer extra services, like making copies of documents, taking photos, or even helping you fill out forms.
Data protection: Every VAC is tasked by the government of Canada to protect applicant’s data, and when they fail to do so, their contract with the Government of Canada can be terminated.

VACs are there to make the visa application process easier and smoother by bridging the gap between applicants and the Canadian visa authorities.

As an applicant, you can:

Visit a VAC even if it’s not in your country of residence.
Contact VACs by phone, email, or in person (check the VAC website to see their contact details).

What VACs aren’t allowed to do

While visa application centres (VACs) are contracted by the Canadian government, they do not influence the decision on your visa application.

They are also not allowed to give applicants any visa-related advice.

All decisions about your visa applications are made by Canadian immigration officers at an IRCC office.

VACs are run by private companies and international organisations and are only allowed to provide specific services based on their contract with IRCC.

What happens at the visa application centre?

At the Visa Application Centre (VAC), you can submit your visa application and required documents, and the staff ensures everything is complete.

You’ll provide biometric data, like fingerprints and a photograph, if needed.

The VAC then forwards your information (including passport and other documents) to the Canadian visa office.

Once a decision is made on your application, the VAC will notify you, collect your passport with the visa from the Canadian visa office and deliver it to you.

What is the meaning of CVO in a Canadian visa application centre?

In a Canada Visa Application Centre (VAC), “CVO” stands for Case Verification Officer. This is the person responsible for reviewing and verifying the details of your visa application.

The CVO checks the accuracy of your documents and information before your application is sent to the visa office for processing.

What happens after passport submission for a Canada visa?

After you send your passport to the VAC, you’ve to wait for them to send it to the Canadian visa office for stamping.

At the Canadian visa office, it will be stamped and returned to the VAC where you’ll go and collect your passport with the visa decision.

Each time I submit my passport for stamping. I do not worry much about it because, while it doesn’t always mean that my visa has been approved, it’s a positive sign.

On average, it took about 2 to 4 weeks for my passport to be stamped and returned.

Most of the time I use a courier service with tracking, and with that, I monitor my passport’s progress.

This gives me peace of mind each time I apply for a Canadian visa.

Once your passport is stamped, it will be returned to you either by mail or in person, depending on the method you choose.

Can I submit my passport in another country for Canada visa stamping?

Yes, you can. If you applied for a Canadian visa and have been asked to send your passport, you can send it to any Canadian VAC around you or a VAC in another country.

If you can’t make it to the one around you, you’re allowed to send it to any VAC, anywhere in the world.

It doesn’t matter which VAC you send it to; it’ll be stamped and returned to you.