Philippine Asian News Today Vol 20 No 23 | Page 14

14 Message from the Publisher PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY December 1 - 15, 2018 Christmas Message and Greeting The Christmas season is upon us once again. As we celebrate the Yuletide, my family and I would like to share with you one timeless message: love for all mankind. It’s a time of renewal, one that is based on hope that in the face of human frailties, we can all aspire to become better versions of ourselves. In the comfort of our homes and in the warm company of loved ones, we are blessed to be reminded about the birth of the Divine Saviour. With another year on the horizon, let us all reflect on and express gratitude for the many gifts of happiness that we have received in our daily lives. Thank you for your friendship and goodwill. May your home be filled always with joy. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you. Canada’s rules are changing: Temporary and permanent resident applicants will soon need to give their biometrics Canada is expanding its biometrics collection program. Starting December 31, 2018, nationals from countries in Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas will need to give their fingerprints and a photo (biometrics) when applying for a Canadian visitor visa, study or work permit, or for permanent residence. TCollecting biometrics provides many benefits: it helps stop those who pose a risk to the safety and security of Canadians from entering the country, while also helping officials better manage applicants’ identities, facilitating application processing and simplifying entry for travellers with legitimate identities. Share the information: People expecting family and friends from overseas should be aware of the changes so they can make sure their visitors are prepared. Help us spread the word by sharing this information with your readers. Quick tips for those expecting family or friends from overseas • Biometrics adds a new step in the application process. Applicants will need to factor in the time to give their fingerprints and photo before travelling to Canada. • Applicants should pay the biometrics collection fee when they submit their application. Otherwise they may experience delays. For Individual applicants, the fee is CAD $85, and for families applying together at the same time, it is CAD $170. • Applicants who use the services of an immigration consultant or a travel agent to complete their application will still need to go in person to give their biometrics. • Applicants can give their biometrics at: o any Visa Application Centre (VAC), provided they can legally enter the country the VAC is located in. o a U.S. Application Support Center (ASCs) or VAC, provided they are already legally in the U.S. There are 135 ASCs in the U.S. and U.S. territories and 2 VACs (New York City and Los Angeles). • Applicants must make an appointment to give their biometrics at a VAC in Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas. To note, Canada is doing everything it can to make the process as smooth as possible. For example: • Those applying for a visitor visa, study or work permit only have to give biometrics once every 10 years, which greatly facilitates those who make repeat visits to Canada. • We are also expanding our worldwide network of VACs, and increasing capacity at existing VACs, to make services more accessible to a wider audience. By December 31, 2018, there will be 152 VACs in 103 countries. Visit Canada.ca/biometrics for more information, including who needs to give biometrics; where to go to give biometrics; and the steps to give biometrics.( IRCC.COMMMediaRelations- [email protected] “Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed and Happy New Year!” from Dr. Colobong and the staff at ERC Dental Clinic namely Pia, Cris, Edith, Dr. Colobong, Joyce, Rechill. Congratulations, also, to ERC Dental on their 4th year anniversary. WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM