News Release - Users benefit from new online payment service at Citizenship and Immigration Canada

OTTAWA, February 3, 2005 — Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today officially announced the launch of a service that has been effectively used by over 20,000 clients since May 2004.

The service allows clients to use the Internet to pay their fees for applications for citizenship or immigration services made through a case processing centre in Canada.

“This is improving service to our clients, who find that, in addition to the traditional method of paying fees, there is now a safe, quick and convenient alternative,” said Minister Volpe. “Now that we have thoroughly tested this application through a pilot project, we are assured that clients will find it simple and user-friendly.”

Rather than conducting transactions during banking hours, clients who choose this form of fee payment can access the Internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using their credit card as a means of payment.

This is the fourth online service developed for the Department’s clients in support of the Government of Canada’s Government On-Line initiative: since December 2000, CIC clients have been using the change-of-address feature to advise the Department when they move; since April 2002, they have been able to view the status of their citizenship or immigration applications online; and application kits have also been available online for some time.

More clients will be able to use the service when it is expanded to include clients in foreign countries. Eventually, it will also be expanded to include other services.

You may access the online payment of fees through the Internet service.

For more information on the fees that may be paid through the Internet, please see the attached backgrounder.

For further information (media only):

Stephen Heckbert
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
(613) 954-1064

Maria Iadinardi
Media Relations
Communications Branch
(613) 952-0740

Backgrounder:

• Payment of fees through the Internet