Canada Biometrics and Medical Exam in Nairobi: VFS Global and IOM Guide
After receiving an ITA, schedule the IRCC-approved medical exam within the first two weeks. After you submit your Express Entry application, IRCC sends a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL), and biometrics follow that letter. These are two separate physical appointments in Nairobi.
Missing these appointments or misunderstanding how to book them delays your application by months. Here is exactly what you need to do.
Biometrics: VFS Global at ABC Place, Nairobi
IRCC does not collect biometrics directly. In Kenya, biometrics for Canadian immigration are collected by VFS Global at their service center inside ABC Place on Waiyaki Way in Westlands, Nairobi.
How to book your appointment:
Once you receive your Biometric Instruction Letter from IRCC, go to the VFS Global Canada portal at visa.vfsglobal.com/ken/en/can. Select the biometrics appointment option for Kenya. You will need:
- Your BIL reference number from IRCC
- A valid email address for confirmation
- Your passport number
The biometrics fee is CAD 85 per person (approximately KES 8,000 to 9,350). For two or more family members applying together, the family maximum is CAD 170.
Appointment availability:
During peak immigration periods — typically June through September — VFS Nairobi fills up two to three weeks in advance. Do not wait to book. Log in to the portal the day you receive your BIL and grab the earliest available slot. If you cannot find an appointment within a reasonable timeframe, check again the following morning — cancellations open up daily.
What to bring:
- Original passport (and copies of the main biographical page)
- Biometric Instruction Letter printed (some VFS staff will accept digital, but bring a print to avoid issues)
- The VFS appointment confirmation email
- Payment confirmation if you paid online; cash or card for any additional fees at the counter
The appointment itself takes about 15 to 20 minutes. A VFS officer photographs you and scans all ten fingerprints digitally. After the appointment, biometrics data is transmitted to IRCC electronically — you do not receive a certificate.
Note: biometrics are shared across Canadian immigration applications for ten years. If you have applied for a Canadian visa or study permit in the past decade and already submitted biometrics, check your IRCC online account — you may not need to repeat this step.
Medical Exam: IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre, Nairobi
Canada requires an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) conducted by an IRCC-approved Panel Physician. In Kenya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC) is on Gigiri Drive, off UN Avenue, near the UN complex in Nairobi.
There are also a small number of private panel physicians in Nairobi authorized by IRCC. You can verify the current list through the IRCC panel physician locator on the Canada.ca website. Use this tool rather than trusting word-of-mouth, as authorization status changes.
How to book:
Contact the IOM Nairobi MHAC directly to schedule your appointment within the first two weeks after your ITA, following the current IRCC instructions for linking the results to your application. Do not wait for a separate post-biometrics medical request.
IOM Nairobi typically has availability within two to four weeks. Call ahead rather than relying solely on email to confirm your appointment date.
What the exam includes:
The Immigration Medical Exam covers:
- Chest X-ray (to screen for tuberculosis)
- Blood tests (HIV and syphilis testing in most cases)
- Urinalysis
- Physical examination by the panel physician
- Vision test
- Review of your vaccination history (you do not need to get vaccinations at this appointment, but the physician may flag missing vaccinations relevant to Canadian public health requirements)
The physician submits results directly to IRCC — you do not receive a copy of the medical exam results to include with your application. IRCC tracks the exam through your unique medical case number.
Cost:
The IME costs approximately CAD 350 per adult, or about KES 33,000. Each person on the application — including dependent children — must complete their own exam. Children under 5 typically have a shorter examination with fewer tests. The IOM facility accepts payment in Kenyan shillings.
Additional blood tests or follow-up examinations requested by the physician cost extra and must be completed at IOM's direction.
Common reasons for medical holds:
IRCC places a medical hold on applications when:
- Tuberculosis screening requires further investigation (Kenya is a TB-endemic country, so additional follow-up steps — typically a sputum culture — are sometimes triggered by an X-ray result that does not indicate active TB but requires confirmation)
- Blood test results are outside normal parameters
- An undisclosed pre-existing condition is identified
A medical hold does not mean refusal. It means IRCC needs more information. The IOM physician will advise on the required follow-up, which can add several weeks to your timeline.
Timing Both Appointments
The ideal sequence:
- Receive your ITA and schedule the IOM MHAC medical exam within the first two weeks
- Complete the medical exam under the current IRCC instructions
- Submit your full application to IRCC within the 60-day ITA window
- Receive your Biometric Instruction Letter — book VFS immediately for the earliest slot
- Complete biometrics at VFS ABC Place
Do not delay the medical exam while waiting for biometrics. Schedule it within the first two weeks after the ITA and follow the current IRCC instructions so the panel physician can link the results to your application.
The full timeline from ITA to receiving a Confirmation of Permanent Residence, including biometrics and medicals, typically runs four to eight months for Kenyan applicants once the application is submitted. The Kenya → Canada Express Entry Guide includes a month-by-month post-ITA timeline with the specific Nairobi locations and contact details for VFS and IOM — information that IRCC's generic instructions do not provide.
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