Enhanced services at visa office in Beirut Web FAQs

Q. I have already submitted an application for permanent residence to the visa office in Damascus. Do I need to do anything?

A. No, you do not need to do anything. The application you submitted to Damascus will be processed there.

Q. I have already submitted an application for permanent residence to the visa office in Damascus. Can I change it to indicate that I want Beirut as my main point of contact?

A. Yes, you can inform the visa office in Damascus by e-mail that you want to select the visa office in Beirut as your main point of contact. The office in Damascus will amend your file accordingly.

Q. I am sponsoring a family member and have submitted my sponsorship application to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, Canada. Do I or my family member being sponsored need to do anything?

A. No, you do not need to do anything.

As of March 31, 2009, new Family Class applicants, including sponsors, now need to indicate in their application which office they want as their main point of contact—either Beirut or Damascus.

Q. I live in Lebanon and want to apply to immigrate to Canada. I prefer to apply to the visa office in Damascus since it is closer to my city. Can I do that?

A. Yes you may. Permanent residence applicants may still apply to the visa office in Damascus if they wish. This includes paying the applicable processing fees.

Q. Will my application be processed faster if I apply to one visa office over another (Beirut or Damascus)?

A. The application process is the same no matter which office you apply to.

Q. I want to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. Do I have the choice whether to apply to the visa office in Beirut or in Damascus?

A. Federal Skilled Worker applicants need to submit their application to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia (Canada), which is the process for all applicants in this class. You are able to identify which visa office you wish to deal with, if your application is subsequently recommended for processing.

Q. I want to sponsor a family member. Do we have a choice whether to apply to the visa office in Beirut or in Damascus?

A. As of March 31, 2009, you may now choose either the office in Beirut or Damascus as your main point of contact. However, the office to which you send your application depends on who you are sponsoring.

If you are sponsoring your spouse, partner or dependent child, you would submit the applications—both your sponsorship application and their application for permanent residence—to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.

If you are sponsoring a family member other than those listed above, you would submit only your sponsorship application to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The person you are sponsoring would submit their application to the visa office of their choice, either Beirut or Damascus.

For more information on sponsoring your family, visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s website.

Q. I want to apply to immigrate to Canada and live in the province of Quebec. Do I have the choice whether to apply to the visa office in Beirut or in Damascus?

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration, Quebec establishes its own immigration requirements and selects immigrants who will meet its needs. If you plan to apply as a skilled worker or business person and wish to establish yourself in the province of Quebec, you must first obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) which can be obtained through the Quebec Immigration Office in Damascus, Syria.

Once you obtain a CSQ, you may select either the visa office in Beirut or Damascus as your main point of contact and submit your application for permanent residence to one of the offices.

For more information on immigrating to Quebec, visit Immigration Quebec or Citizenship and Immigration Canada.