Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is no longer accepting in-person claims at their offices. If you’re inside Canada and you’d like to make a refugee claim, you must, in most cases, apply using the IRCC Portal. To submit a refugee claim using the IRCC Portal, see Claim refugee status from inside Canada: How to apply.
Before you can access The Portal, you’ll need to answer two questions regarding your location and your eligibility to make a claim. Once you’ve answered “Yes” to these two questions, scroll down to the question “How will you make your refugee claim?”. Select the “Online (you’re already inside Canada)” button. Follow the instructions that appear. There will be a link to a guide that can assist you with the process of making a claim.
Before you begin to make your claim, you’ll have to sign up for an IRCC Portal account. (If you already have an IRCC portal account, there’s a “Sign in” link.) If you are being assisted by a lawyer, they can use their IRCC Portal account.
To create an account, click “Sign up to submit your claim,” under “Need an IRCC portal account?”. You’ll have to submit your email address. You’ll then receive an invitation code. Use the code to create an account. Once you’ve created an account, follow the instructions to complete your claim. Once you start to enter information about your claim, you’ll have 90 days to submit it.
When the application is complete, IRCC will:
- send you an Acknowledgment of Claim letter,
- give you instructions to complete your immigration medical examination, and
- schedule you for a biometrics interview, and later an eligibility interview.
After you’ve been found eligible to make your claim, your file will be referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), and they’ll eventually schedule your hearing. In some cases, your case may be selected for a paper file-review process to see if a decision can be made without a hearing. If the RPD can’t come to a positive decision in a paper file-review then your claim will be scheduled for a hearing.
More information can be found on IRCC’s website.