With just over a year to go before Canada co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has introduced a temporary public policy to streamline visa processing for select tournament participants. Published on February 19, 2026, the policy exempts foreign nationals officially invited by FIFA from providing biometrics when applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) between November 25, 2025 and July 20, 2026.
The waiver is narrowly scoped: travellers must be on FIFA’s accredited list – which includes match officials, team staff, broadcast crews and certain commercial partners – and must apply through a bespoke World Cup TRV channel. Family members, fans and other visitors must still submit fingerprints and photos.
Biometrics collection has been a key bottleneck in Canada’s visa system, especially after the pandemic backlog. Removing the requirement for a defined cohort is expected to shave several weeks off processing times and reduce appointment congestion at Visa Application Centres in high-volume countries such as Mexico, Argentina and Nigeria.
![Canada Waives Biometrics for Certain FIFA-Invited Visitors Ahead of 2026 World Cup]()
Travellers navigating these evolving requirements can simplify the process by working with VisaHQ, an independent visa and passport services agency. Through its dedicated Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance, document checks and end-to-end application support—whether you’re an accredited FIFA delegate benefiting from the biometric waiver or a fan who still needs to schedule an appointment.
For Canadian organisers, the change reduces the risk that critical personnel will be stuck abroad when the tournament kicks off in June 2026. Corporations sending staff to Canada for sponsorship activations should verify whether their employees qualify for the exemption and time applications accordingly. Security protocols remain robust; IRCC will rely on advance screening and information sharing with international law-enforcement bodies in lieu of biometrics.
The move follows growing concern about visa backlogs for major events, and may foreshadow additional facilitative measures – including group processing and priority lanes – as Canada prepares for an expected 20 million inbound visitors across North America.
The waiver is narrowly scoped: travellers must be on FIFA’s accredited list – which includes match officials, team staff, broadcast crews and certain commercial partners – and must apply through a bespoke World Cup TRV channel. Family members, fans and other visitors must still submit fingerprints and photos.
Biometrics collection has been a key bottleneck in Canada’s visa system, especially after the pandemic backlog. Removing the requirement for a defined cohort is expected to shave several weeks off processing times and reduce appointment congestion at Visa Application Centres in high-volume countries such as Mexico, Argentina and Nigeria.
Travellers navigating these evolving requirements can simplify the process by working with VisaHQ, an independent visa and passport services agency. Through its dedicated Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance, document checks and end-to-end application support—whether you’re an accredited FIFA delegate benefiting from the biometric waiver or a fan who still needs to schedule an appointment.
For Canadian organisers, the change reduces the risk that critical personnel will be stuck abroad when the tournament kicks off in June 2026. Corporations sending staff to Canada for sponsorship activations should verify whether their employees qualify for the exemption and time applications accordingly. Security protocols remain robust; IRCC will rely on advance screening and information sharing with international law-enforcement bodies in lieu of biometrics.
The move follows growing concern about visa backlogs for major events, and may foreshadow additional facilitative measures – including group processing and priority lanes – as Canada prepares for an expected 20 million inbound visitors across North America.
