Immigration measures to help people from Lebanon

After the tragic explosion in Beirut, Canada has decided to offer assistance to the people who are affected by this disaster. Canada has announced facilitative measures that will support people who have been negatively impacted by the situation in Beirut.

Measures to provide support

To begin with, permanent residents and Canadian citizens in Lebanon will receive priority processing in case they need travel documents like a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) or a Canadian passport. If they want to return to Canada as soon as possible, they can start with the process.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have also stated that it will prioritize visitor visa applications submitted by immediate family members of permanent residents and Canadian citizens if they lived in ant of the Beirut neighborhoods that were affected by the explosion. Immediate family members can refer to spouses, common-law partners, dependent children and parents or step-parents.

Moreover, the Lebanese citizens who are living in Canada for a temporary period will be allowed to extend their stay if they are unwilling to return home because of the explosion.

Fee Waiver

Lebanese citizens in Canada, permanent residents in Lebanon, and Canadian citizens will also have their fees waived. The issuance of any of the following will be accompanied by a price waiver.

• PRTD ($50)
• Canadian passport (various fees)
• Temporary Canadian passport ($110)
• Emergency travel document (various fees)
• Extension of temporary resident status ($100)
• Replacement of certificate of Canadian citizenship ($75)
• Renewal of a work permit ($155)
• Renewal of a study permit ($150)

The people who request a certificate of Canadian citizenship for the first time won’t have the advantage of a fee waiver. Permanent residents needing a PRTD might still need to pay a service fee in order to submit their application.