- 1Compare with passportThe passport you used to enter
- 2Whose error?IRCC error or a later change
- 3Send the right requestIMM 1436, IMM 5531 or new application
- 4Get the resultNew document or Verification of Status
Overview
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has three separate routes, depending on the document and on who caused the problem. Using the wrong one is the most common reason a request is returned.
| IRCC made the error | Your information changed | Document lost or stolen | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR card | Free reissue (IMM 5531) within 60 days; after that, IRCC's route is a new card application | New card through the portal ($50) | New card through the portal ($50) |
| COPR or Record of Landing | Free amendment (IMM 1436), issued as a Verification of Status | Not amended; it is a historical record | Verification of Status ($30) |
| Valid work permit, study permit, visitor record or TRP | Free amendment (IMM 1436), new document issued | Apply for a new document, or a paid name or gender change ($30) | Replacement with a police report number ($30) |
| Expired temporary document | Not amended | Not amended | Verification of Status for the history ($30) |
The one thing most people get wrong
IRCC records your name exactly as it appears in the machine-readable zone of the passport you used to enter Canada. If your document matches that passport, IRCC treats it as correct and will not amend it, even if your name is spelled differently on other documents.
Who it fits
A good fit if
- Your name, date of birth, country of birth, citizenship or gender identifier on an IRCC document does not match your passport.
- Your work permit shows the wrong employer, occupation or location compared with the job offer or Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) your employer submitted.
- Your study permit is missing the condition that lets you work on or off campus, although you were eligible when it was issued.
- Your PR card has a mistake, or never arrived.
- A valid permit was lost or stolen, or you need proof of your immigration history.
Look elsewhere if
- You changed employers, cities or positions. That needs a new work permit, not an amendment. Work Permits
- Your PR card is expiring or you need to renew it. PR card renewal
- You are outside Canada without a valid PR card. PR travel document (PRTD)
- The error is on a citizenship certificate. Citizenship documents follow a separate process. Proof of citizenship
Errors and changes on a PR card
Section 308 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) says there is no fee to replace a PR card with an error that is not the permanent resident's fault. IRCC's process depends on timing.
- 1
Within 60 days of receiving the card
Send a Request to Reissue a Permanent Resident Card (IMM 5531) by mail, with a photo of the card, a copy of your Record of Landing or COPR, a copy of your passport identity page and 2 photos if the photo is the problem. IRCC processes these requests on a priority basis.
- 2
If the error is also on your COPR
First get the COPR amended with a Request to Amend (IMM 1436). You then have 60 days after receiving the approved amendment to ask for the reissue.
- 3
More than 60 days after receiving the card
IRCC's page for this case says you need to apply for a new card in the Permanent Residence Portal, and that route includes a fee payment step. The regulation sets no 60-day limit: section 308(3) of IRPR says no fee is payable to replace a card containing an error that is not your fault.
Not errors: IRCC will not reissue a card for a change after you became a permanent resident or after the card was issued, such as a legal name change, a name change after marriage, divorce or adoption, or a new signature. For those, apply for a new card ($50). The card holds up to 28 letters for the family name and 28 for given names. If IRCC shortens a longer name, that is not an error.
Damage: if the chip is cracked or exposed, IRCC asks you to send its web form with a photo of the front and back of the card, a short explanation of how it was damaged and stored, and the keyword PRCard-triage. After review, IRCC may send a free card with the same expiry date. For other damage, destroy the card and apply for a new one.
Card never arrived: IRCC says a card can take up to 6 weeks beyond the normal processing time. For the time frame of 6 weeks to less than 180 days, complete a solemn declaration and IRCC reissues the card. At 180 days or more, apply for a new card and complete section 6; if IRCC finds it made an error, it refunds the fee.
Correcting a COPR or Record of Landing
The COPR (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) and the older Record of Landing (IMM 1000) are historical records of the day you became a permanent resident. IRCC corrects them only for errors its officials made when recording what you provided. It updates its system and issues a free Verification of Status (VOS), a plain paper document you keep with the original.
| Can be corrected with evidence of an IRCC error | Cannot be corrected | |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Family name, given names, date of birth, place and country of birth, citizenship, sex or gender identifier, marital status | Height, eye colour, photo, signature |
| Immigration details | Date of original entry and date of landing | Immigration category, relationship, last entry date |
| Later changes | No | Anything that changed after you became a permanent resident |
For information that changed after you became a permanent resident, IRCC directs you to the Registrar General of your province or territory. Citizenship on the COPR must always match the passport you submit.
Work permits, study permits and visitor records
A visitor record, work permit, study permit or temporary resident permit (all form IMM 1442) can be amended only while it is valid. Expired documents are treated as historical records and are not amended. IRCC corrects errors its officials made free of charge.
- Personal detailsNames, date of birth, country of birth, citizenship and gender identifier, when they are clearly different from the passport you applied with
- Document detailsTravel document number as it was when you applied, date of issue and expiry date (special rules apply to International Experience Canada participants)
- Work permit employment detailsEmployer, occupation and location, which must match the LMIA or LMIA-exempt offer your employer submitted. An open work permit with restrictions added in error needs proof the employer obtained an exemption code first.
- Healthcare or childcare conditionRemoved only if added in error; you must show your medical exam was completed before the document was issued.
- Study permit work conditionsAdded if you were eligible to work on or off campus; send your original letter of acceptance or a letter of enrolment.
- Institution or field of studyCorrected only to match your original letter of acceptance
Not errors: changes after you entered Canada are not amended. If you get a new passport, change jobs, move cities, get a promotion or change school, you apply for a new document (an extension or change of conditions, with its fee). IRCC warns that a work permit that does not show your exact employer, occupation and work location can cost you the right to work during an inspection and expose your employer to a fine.
Other documents: Guide 5218 lists only the documents above. It does not list visas in your passport or electronic travel authorizations (eTAs). For an eTA with the wrong passport number, IRCC says you must apply again with the correct number, and that you may not be able to travel to Canada with the wrong one.
Changing your name, gender identifier or date of birth
Name or gender identifier: you can ask for a change that is not an IRCC error on a valid temporary resident document or a protected person document, using the IMM 1436 with a Request for a Change of Name on IRCC Documents (IRM 0001) or a Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier (IRM 0002). The fee is $30 per document, paid once if you change both at the same time. For a name change, include the documents linking your old and new names. IRCC notes that this can create differences with your passport. For a PR card, the change is made by applying for a new card.
Date of birth: IRCC's identity management instructions describe two types of correction: errors made by IRCC, and corrections you ask for because of new documents obtained after you arrived. IRCC changes a date of birth only on documentary evidence.
| Correction made inside Canada | Correction made outside Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Main document | A provincial or territorial certificate recognizing the correction, or a provincial or territorial court order | A document, court order or birth certificate from authorities where you were born, with an official translation |
| Supporting document | Provincial ID showing the new date, such as a driver's licence or health card | Your foreign passport or other national photo document showing the new date |
| Also required | Questionnaire IRM 0003 | Questionnaire IRM 0003 |
IRCC checks whether the new date of birth may have affected the decision on your permanent residence application, looking at the rules in effect then and whether you immigrated as the principal applicant, a spouse or partner, or a dependent child. If it might have, the file goes back to the original processing office, and in some cases it can be referred for enforcement action. If the request is refused, IRCC records the date you asked for as an alias.
Lost documents and Verification of Status
A lost or stolen valid visitor record, work permit, study permit or temporary resident permit can be replaced using Guide 5545 and form IMM 5009. You must give the police report number. A lost PR card is replaced by applying for a new card, with a police report or incident number if you have one. If you do not need a new card, you can report the loss with a solemn declaration (IMM 5451).
A Verification of Status is a plain paper record of information from an older document, such as your date and place of entry or your landing details. It cannot be used for travel and is not an identity document. Ask for the specific details you need, such as your immigration category or validity dates.
Urgent requests: Guide 5218 (amendments) allows urgent processing if you face an immediate loss of a job or job offer, cannot get an urgent government service because of the error, or your application was seriously delayed by an IRCC error. Guide 5545 (Verification of Status and replacements) allows it for a Service Canada pension notice saying your file will be closed, travel for a death or serious illness in the family when you need the proof to get a travel document, or an immediate loss of a job or job offer. Write "Urgent" on the envelope, send it by registered mail and include proof.
Step by step: the amendment request
- 1
Read Guide 5218
Confirm that your error is one IRCC can correct and, for a temporary resident document, that it is still valid.
- 2
Fill out and sign the IMM 1436
Complete the Request to Amend Valid Temporary Resident Documents, or Information Contained in the Confirmation of Permanent Residence or Protected Person Document, and its document checklist. Unsigned or incomplete requests are returned.
- 3
Attach the evidence
A copy of the passport you used to enter (number, dates, photo page, any amendments and entry stamps), identity documents from before you entered Canada showing the correct information, a copy of the document with the error, and an English or French translation of any document in another language, with the translator's affidavit if the translator is not a Canadian certified translator.
- 4
Pay only if it is a name or gender change
Pay $30 online and include the receipt. Corrections of IRCC errors are free.
- 5
Mail it to the Operations Support Centre in Ottawa
IRCC recommends a postal or courier service with tracking. IRCC's PR card pages currently warn that a Canada Post labour disruption is delaying mail sent within or to Canada and suggest using another courier for paper applications.
- 6
Receive the decision
If approved, you get a new temporary document (shred the old one) or a Verification of Status for a COPR. If refused, IRCC sends the reasons and notes your request on file.
Costs and processing times
| Request | Fee |
|---|---|
| Correcting an error made by IRCC (COPR, valid temporary document, PR card reissue) | No fee |
| Name or gender change on an IRCC document, not an IRCC error | $30 per document |
| Verification of Status or replacement of a valid temporary document | $30 |
| New PR card (name change, loss, damage or renewal) | $50 |
| New electronic travel authorization | $7 |
There is no fee for applicants receiving provincial social assistance or the Resettlement Assistance Program, with proof. Processing fees are not refunded. Amendment times are in IRCC's processing times tool under replacing or amending documents.
Common refusal reasons
| Reason | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The document matches your entry passport | IRCC's naming policy uses the passport as the primary document, so there is no error to fix. | Guide 5218, naming policy |
| The change happened after the document was issued | A new passport, marriage, new job or new school needs a new document, not an amendment. | Guide 5218 |
| The document has expired | Expired temporary documents are historical records and are not amended. | Guide 5218 |
| No proof of an IRCC error | You must show what you originally gave IRCC, such as the LMIA, the letter of acceptance or identity documents from before you entered. | Guide 5218 |
| Wrong form for a PR card | PR card errors use the reissue request (IMM 5531) or a new card application, not the IMM 1436, unless the COPR is also wrong. | Guide 5530 |
| Missed the 60-day PR card window | After 60 days, IRCC's page says to apply for a new card through the Permanent Residence Portal. | Guide 5530 |
| Insufficient date of birth evidence | IRCC changes a date of birth only on the official documents listed in its instructions, such as a certificate or court order recognizing the correction. | IRCC identity management instructions |
Frequently asked questions
If IRCC made the mistake and your permit is still valid, send a Request to Amend (IMM 1436) by mail to the Operations Support Centre in Ottawa, with your passport copy and proof of the correct information. There is no fee. If your information changed after the permit was issued, you need a new permit instead.
If you received the card less than 60 days ago, mail a Request to Reissue a Permanent Resident Card (IMM 5531); there is no fee for an IRCC error. If the mistake is also on your COPR, get the COPR amended first, then you have 60 days to ask for the reissue. After 60 days, IRCC's page says to apply for a new card in the Permanent Residence Portal. Section 308(3) of the regulations says no fee is payable to replace a card containing an error that is not your fault.
Only if an immigration official recorded your information incorrectly. IRCC then updates its records and issues a free Verification of Status that you keep with your original COPR. It does not amend a COPR for changes after you became a permanent resident, or for details like height, eye colour, photo or category.
Apply for a new PR card in the Permanent Residence Portal and pay the $50 fee. Include your marriage certificate or other name change document and provincial ID in the new name. A name change after marriage is not an IRCC error, so the free reissue does not apply.
Yes, with official documentary evidence, such as a provincial certificate or court order, or a document from authorities where you were born, plus questionnaire IRM 0003. IRCC checks whether the new date would have affected your permanent residence decision. If it refuses, it records the requested date as an alias.
IRCC will not amend your permit to show the new passport. Your permit stays linked to the passport you applied with. If you need the document to show the new passport details, IRCC says to apply for a new one through an extension or change of conditions.
Apply using Guide 5545 and form IMM 5009, with the police report number for the loss or theft. The fee is $30. Only valid documents can be replaced; for an expired one you can ask for a Verification of Status.
It is a plain paper document from IRCC showing information from your older immigration records, such as your date of entry or landing. It is not an identity document and cannot be used for travel. The fee is $30, unless it confirms protected person status for someone who is not a permanent resident or citizen.
Related programs
Official sources
We checked this page against these official sources on the review date above. Rules change often, so confirm with the official source before you apply.
- IRCC: Guide 5218, Request to amend valid temporary resident documents or the COPR
- IRCC: Request to amend (IMM 1436) application package
- IRCC: Guide 5530, Request to reissue a permanent resident card
- IRCC: Get, renew or replace a permanent resident card
- IRCC: Getting your PR card after you apply
- IRCC: Guide 5545, Verification of Status or replacement of an immigration document
- IRCC: Identity management, managing date of birth records
- IRCC: Guide 5445, Applying for a permanent resident card (name changes)
- IRCC: eTA, after you apply
- IRCC: Web form
- IRCC: Fee list
- Justice Laws: Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (section 308)
This page is general information, not legal advice. No immigration outcome can be guaranteed. For advice on your situation, book a consultation with a licensed consultant.
