Canada announces further measures in response to Typhoon Haiyan

OTTAWA, Nov. 14, 2013 /CNW/ - Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced today that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will prioritize the processing of applications from people who self-identify as being significantly affected by the typhoon.

"Canadians are deeply saddened by the devastating impact Typhoon Haiyan has had on the Philippine people," said Minister Alexander. "Our government will continue to take action to support those impacted by the storm and we will work with our partners to ensure that urgent support is provided to those who are significantly affected by this tragic event."

The Canadian Embassy in Manila remains open and is providing full visa, immigration and passport services. The Visa Application Centres in Manila and Cebu are also open and fully functional.

Applicants overseas who can demonstrate that they are significantly and personally affected by the typhoon and wish to declare their cases a priority can contact the visa office in Manila directly at [email protected].  Those in the affected areas will be treated as a priority.

Requests from Filipino citizens temporarily in Canada who wish to extend their stay will be assessed in a compassionate and flexible manner. Applicants and their family members in Canada who wish to declare their cases as a priority can contact [email protected] or contact CIC's Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100, which has a dedicated crisis line.

For those who have applied online or who are applying online, and are significantly and personally affected by the typhoon, please send a follow up email to [email protected], indicating you require urgent processing. Be sure to include as much information as possible: such as your name, date of birth, and client ID which can be found on any correspondence with CIC.

All efforts are being made to address urgent priority needs. Please refrain from contacting the dedicated crisis lines for general immigration enquiries. Please visit the CIC website for more information.

SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

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For further information (media only), please contact: 

Alexis Pavlich
Minister's Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064 

Media Relations  
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
[email protected] 

Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada's economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.