Reduce wait times for your study permit at YVR

What you can do before arriving in Canada

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) have created a new service and pilot project called the “Voluntary Compliance Portal (VC Portal)” that will help decrease wait times for receiving Study Permits when entering Canada for the first time.

International Students can voluntarily submit their immigration and permit information into the portal for the CBSA to review. By sending their information in advance, the CBSA will have time to process and prepare the student’s permit in time for their arrival at YVR.

Students who wish to take advantage of this new service, must ensure the following:

• Initial entry into Canada must be at the Vancouver International Airport (it will not work if the student is connecting to Vancouver through a domestic flight)
• The student must have a pre-approved Study Permit application from IRCC.
• Submission of all the mandatory information must be done via the VC Portal at least 72 hours in advance. Information for submission to the portal includes:

• • Unique Client Identifier (UCI)
  • Control Document Number (optional)
  • Last Name
  • First Name (optional)
  • Date of Birth (optional)
  • Passport Number (optional)
  • Passport country of issue (optional)
  • Planned Date of Arrival to Vancouver
  • Arriving Flight Number

 

Please see below for common questions and answers regarding this service.

VC Portal FAQ:

Q: Does the VC Portal replace the need to obtain immigration documentation? (e.g. Visa, Permit, ETA)

A: 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.

Q: Who will have access to the information the students submit?

A: 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.

Q: What happens if the student chooses not to submit my information?

A: 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.

Q: How much in advance can the student submit their information?

A: 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.

Q: What happens if the student submits incorrect information?

A: Resubmit using the correct information. The student will not need to contact YVR, CBSA, or your institution.

Q: What happens if the student needs a work permit and a study permit?

A: 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.