Becoming a permanent resident FAQs

You can check your status in your account by following these steps:

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

You can’t check your application status right away.

You can only check your application status after IRCC starts processing your application. There’s a delay between when you submit your application and when IRCC open it. Due to the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), this delay may be longer. Once IRCC opens your application and checks that it’s complete, they start processing it.

If you applied online, it can take up to 5 days before you see your application in your account and are able to check your application status.

If you applied on paper

• The delay depends on what you applied for. It could take up to several months before IRCC starts processing your application.
• When IRCC starts processing your application, they'll send you an acknowledgment of receipt letter or email with your client number.
• When you have your client number, you can check your application status.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

Follow these tips to track, update or change information about an application in progress.

Check the status of your application

IRCC will send you your application number by mail or email when

• IRCC made sure your application is complete
• They begin processing your application

Once you have your application number, you can check the status of your application. There are a few ways you can do that, depending on if you applied online or on paper.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

There are a few reasons why you may not be able to see your case status in the Client Application Status (CAS) tool.

IRCC hasn't started processing your application

Your status will only show once IRCC starts processing your application. There’s a delay between the date they receive your application and the date they open and process it.

The tool doesn’t support your application type

The CAS tool can’t see all application types. You may need to check your status a different way.

For example, if you applied

• online, sign in to your account to check your status
• for an electronic travel authorization (eTA), check using the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) Status tool
• on paper, you may be able to link your application to your online account

Find out how to check the status for your application by answering a few questions.

IRCC removed your application from the tool

After IRCC makes a decision, they eventually remove your application from the CAS tool. The length of time depends on the type of application.

• Permanent resident applications: 180 days after you arrive in Canada
• Permanent resident card applications: 30 days after you get your card
• Citizenship applications: 180 days after we make a decision
• Visa applications: 365 days after you were refused, you withdrew or your application expired

You entered the wrong personal information

Make sure the information you enter matches your passport or identity documents.

There is a temporary technical issue

You won’t be able to access online services if there’s system maintenance.

You’re using a web browser IRCC doesn’t support

Try using:

• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Safari
• Chrome

You’re not the sponsor or principal applicant on the application

For sponsorship applications, you can only check the application status for your part of the application.

• The sponsor can only see the sponsorship part of the application
• The person being sponsored can only see the permanent residence part of the application

If you’re a sponsor and want to check the status of the person you’re sponsoring, you must first request access to their information.

The information was changed on your sponsorship application

If you were able to see the status of your sponsorship application but no longer can, find out why.

You appealed a decision on your sponsorship application

Because the appeal process is complex, CAS doesn’t show the status of an appeal for a refused family class application. This is true whether the appeal was filed by the sponsor or by the person being sponsored. The sponsor will get a letter about the status of the appeal.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

The progress bar shows how long it may take to process your application. The bar and estimated dates are based on the date IRCC received your application and their processing times. It isn’t based on your application’s progress.

If IRCC's processing times change, so will the bar and dates. Processing times can change because of the number of applications currently being processed and other factors.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

The bar and estimated dates are based on the date we received your application and IRCC's processing times. Some applications take us longer than usual to process.

About 20% of IRCC's applications are more complex to process. They take them longer due to things like how easily they can verify information, how well and how quickly you answer their requests and whether the application is complete.

If it’s been longer than your processing time since you applied and you aren’t seeing updates, contact IRCC using the Web form.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

CAS is updated daily. Please check the application processing times to see how long it will take to process your application.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

Go through the following steps.

● Open Client Application Status (CAS)

● Make sure the date of birth you are entering in CAS exactly matches the information on your application, passport and identity documents. Use the format specified.

● Make sure the place of birth you are entering in CAS exactly matches the information on your application, passport and identity documents. Use the format specified.

● Check the spelling and order of your names on any letters from the visa office or case processing centre, and on your passport and other supporting documents.

If you are still having problems seeing your application status, please contact IRCC.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

Client Application Status (CAS) keeps track of periods when the website is open but you are not using it. If you leave your computer for 30 minutes or more while using CAS, you will be asked to log in again. This is called “timing out.” It is a security feature to ensure your identity and to protect your information.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

To cancel or withdraw an online application, use this web form.

Include in the form:

• your name
• your Unique Client Identifier (UCI) (if you have one)
• your date of birth
• your country of birth
• your application type
• the date you submitted your online application
• your application number (if you know it)
• your payment receipt number (if you know it)

IRCC will find out if you can withdraw your application and will contact you if they need more information. If they find that you can withdraw your application, they'll refund your fees.

If you withdraw your eTA application, IRCC can’t refund your fee.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

Once you submit your online application for permanent residence, you can’t send more documents through your account unless IRCC asks for them.

If they ask for a document, you’ll get a message in your account.

To upload a document:

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

When IRCC asked you for documents, they also included information on how to send them.

If they sent you the request via your account

Follow these instructions to upload your documents through your online account:

1) Sign in to your account.
2) Look for your application under View the applications you submitted.
3) Under the Action column, click Check full application status.
4) At the top of the page, click View submitted application or upload documents.
5) Scroll down the page and click Continue.
6) Under “Documents submitted by the client” you can find:

• Document Name: the document we need
• Instructions: more information on the type of document and how to get it
• Required by: the latest date by when we need to receive the document

7) Click Upload file and follow the steps to find and choose your documents from your computer and upload your document to your account.

• If you need to submit more than 1 document, please read what to do if you have multiple documents before uploading any documents.

8) Make sure the Details column shows the message Uploaded - not submitted to IRCC.
9) Click Next.
10) Provide your Signature by entering your Given name(s) and Last name(s).
11) Answer the Security Question.
12) Click Sign.
13) Click Transmit.
14) The following message should appear on your screen: “Congratulations! You have successfully submitted your application or profile. You have successfully transmitted your additional or replacement document(s).”
15) After you see the message, you will receive an email confirming that you have added a new document.

If they requested the documents through regular mail or email

Check the request message and follow the instructions on how to send IRCC your documents.

If you have problems sending IRCC your documents

If you can’t find IRCC's request letter/email, or if you have technical problems, contact them via their Web form, tell them about your issue and send them your documents.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

When IRCC approves an immigrant for permanent residence in Canada, they will give them a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document. An immigration officer at the port of entry or an IRCC office signs and dates this document when permanent residence is finally granted. Permanent residents use this document to show to provincial and territorial organizations to access services. There is an immigration category printed on this document.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

To find out why you are being asked to submit a specific document, to get more information about what a document should be, or to let IRCC know why you cannot provide a document:

• Write a letter with your questions or explanation; and
• Upload it into the slot for the requested document you have questions about.

The processing officer will read your letter and provide more information based on your case.

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/

Before you upload the document the officer asked you for, you need to enter information about it. In some cases, the document won’t have all the information that you need to enter.

In this case:

• check your document carefully to make sure you haven’t missed anything
• enter any of the information you have
• fill out the missing fields as follows:

1. for the “Document Number,” enter “000000”
2. for the “Expiry Date,” select a date that’s one year later than the date of issue

If you’re asking for an extension to get a Police Certificate for your eTA application:

• for the “Document name,” enter “Request for an extension”
• for the “Country of issue,” choose your country of citizenship from the drop-down menu

source: https://www.cic.gc.ca/