Navigating IRCC’s PR Online Application Portal
Credit to Author: Canadian Immigrant| Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2022 20:41:33 +0000
In 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched a new online portal for submitting electronic permanent residence applications. This new portal is accessible both to self-represented applicants, as well as applicants applying with the assistance of an authorized immigration representative. Presently, the platform gives applicants the choice to submit electronic applications under most non-Express Entry permanent residence streams.
Applicants must first set up an account with their email address and a secure password. This account will be separate from those used on the IRCC Secure Account and Authorized Representative portals. After logging in, you must select the type of application and identify which forms and supporting documents will be needed. Presently, IRCC does not provide separate instructions for electronic applications, so applicants must consult the guides for paper-based applications.
Some forms in the new portal will be completed online, including the Generic Application Form, the Schedule A – Background/Declaration, and the Additional Family Information form. The system also asks all applicants to complete the Supplementary Information – Your Travels form, even if your application doesn’t require it. If this is the case, you can choose to complete it anyway, or start the form and write in “Not Applicable” in the first available field. All other forms, including the relevant document checklist, must be completed in PDF format and uploaded.
IRCC has stated that some uploaded forms require handwritten signatures, such as the Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking, the Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation Form, and the Use of Representative form. Otherwise, unless a form needs to be signed by someone other than the principal applicant, a handwritten signature is not needed. Note that the fields provided in the electronic forms have character limits, so you may not be able to type out your full employer and educational institution names, or complete addresses. To ensure your forms are not missing necessary information or explanatory notes, upload appendices in the supporting documents section. For applicants filing in-Canada spousal applications, note that IRCC does not allow you to submit your open work permit form in the same portal. Instead, you must apply separately via the IRCC Secure Account or Authorized Representative portal after receiving your permanent residence file number.
Supporting documents must also be uploaded in PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, DOC, or DOCX format. The maximum file size for each document is 4MB, and photos must be at least 420 x 540 pixels. IRCC recommends uploading each document separately and using the following file naming format: “Last Name – First Name – Document Type – Document #”. If the file name is too long, you may receive an error message, so keep file names as succinct as possible. In contrast to applications submitted through the IRCC Secure Account and Authorized Representative portals, applicants can choose the order of their uploads. File size restrictions are also eased because applicants do not have to combine multiple documents into a single upload slot and can select how many uploads slots they use.
IRCC asks that digital permanent residence photos meet the same requirements as paper photos — they must have the correct dimensions, and the requested information on the back of one photo must be visible.
At this point, application filing fees cannot be paid directly within the new permanent residence portal. Applicants must use their IRCC fee payment account, and then upload the receipt in the designated section of the new permanent residence portal. This means that Applicants will need to ensure that they click through the correct options in the fee payment portal, as the permanent resident portal will not inform them of the required amount.
When an applicant is ready to submit, they will need to read and complete an electronic consent and declaration form before they can file. IRCC will then email you confirmation that your application was received, but you will still need to wait until after the completeness check to obtain your file number. Note that once the application has been submitted to IRCC, applicants cannot access a copy of what has been filed through the portal, so it is recommended that applicants keep screenshots of digital forms and copies of all uploaded items.
IRCC has said that electronic applications for permanent residence will not necessarily be processed faster than paper ones and may still be returned unprocessed for incompleteness. Nevertheless, electronic applications remain a viable option for those who prefer to avoid printing and mailing and are likely to become increasingly popular as IRCC commits more resources to updating and modernizing their online systems in the coming years.
Krisha Dhaliwal is an immigration lawyer with Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver. Contact her by telephone at 604-681-9887 or by email at krisha.dhaliwal@larlee.com.
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