Banking arrangements

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

DFAIT is responsible for mission banking arrangements overseas and acts as the immigration program’s agent when negotiating any arrangement with a local bank to accept fees directly from applicants on our behalf. Such arrangements must be reviewed by RIS and approved by DFAIT/SMFF.

Immigration programs at missions are encouraged to initiate banking arrangements as a means of accomplishing the following:

  • Reduce or eliminate the handling of cash at the mission;
  • Reduce or eliminate the use of negotiable instruments;
  • Reduce workloads associated with cost recovery; and
  • Provide more efficient client service.

The missions must ensure that banking arrangements meet the following criteria:

  • Service fees charged by the bank are “reasonable” in the local context;
  • The arrangement ensures program integrity;
  • Revenues can be accounted for, deterring malfeasance; and
  • Applicants are not disadvantaged.

The following guidelines are to be observed when using Banking arrangements:

  • The bank is to provide an official bank receipt (including name of applicant and amount paid) to the applicant and the original receipt must be submitted with the application to the mission.
  • If possible, the bank will provide specific details for each specific payment on the bank statement such as the name of applicant, the DOB and the amount paid. This would allow CIC to trace the payment of an application on the bank statement should a situation require it.
  • Payments made by clients directly in the bank account (via banking arrangements) are considered to be non-reconcilable because applications received and recorded in POS+ for a given day will not match with the payments received at the bank on that same day. Refer to the Standard Financial Procedures for Immigration Fees Collection at Missions for instructions on how to record and report revenues.

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