**As of December 15, 2012, the Personal Information Form has been replaced by the Basis of Claim Form. One of the most important issues that arise in a refugee claim is establishing that a refugee claimant is credible. The process of establishing credibility begins when the claimant completes and submits the Personal Information Form (PIF).

Canada is a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. Each year Canada grants permanent residence to approximately 30,000 refugees under an elaborate refugee protection process comprising of two main components, the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program administered outside Canada and the In-Canada Refugee Protection Process.