/ Published in 2016, Operational Bulletins

The Guidelines for Incoming Communication from Clients


  • For the Acknowledgement of Receipt
    • Situations could arise where clients suspect that Canada Post Corporation has held their shipment during the suspension of mail services
    • In this scenario, the clients would need to contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for confirming the receipt of any application or enquiry
    • However, the clients would only adopt this course if they do not receive any communication from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) within the established service standards
    • Alternatively, they could do this in case they find that the status of their application is not available via RegisterMyApp / MyCIC or eCAS
  • For Case-Specific Enquiries
    • Officers would need to continue referring clients to already established program or initiative specific e-mail accounts
    • However, some clients might have case specific enquiries
    • This would typically include requests for various urgent documents
    • In this scenario, the officers would need to refer these clients to the standard Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) web form
    • In addition, officers would need to ensure that they update all template letters with the link to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) web form
  • For Duplicate Requests
    • The authorities require that officers inform clients that they do not need to scan and e-mail copies of paper applications that have been sent by courier or mail
    • This is applicable even if the clients suspect that Canada Post Corporation has held their shipment during the suspension of mail services
    • Following this directive would go a long way towards avoiding duplication of requests
    • In addition, the authorities require officers to notify clients that they should not withdraw any applications that have been made by mail in order to resubmit them online
  • For Paper Applications
    • Many clients might have already sent their applications by mail i.e. paper applications
    • These individuals would need to register their applications i.e. Link my Application (wherever applicable)
    • Currently, clients have the ability to use ‘Register my App’ for linking visitor visas, work permits, study permits and visitor record paper applications
    • All that these individuals need to do for this linking is to create online MyCIC accounts
    • For more information on when the authorities will make additional applications available on ‘Register my App’, clients would need to visit the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) i.e. Link your paper application to your online account
    • Some clients might still be wanting to submit their applications
    • These individuals might be unable to use e-applications as well
    • Similarly, some individuals might be wanting to submit their applications because their applications are not available via e-application
    • These individuals would need to utilise courier services as the next best alternatively for submitting their applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
    • But, clients would need to note that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not accept cash on delivery courier shipments
    • However, it is worth highlighting that clients would need to retain proof of the date on which they mailed their applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
  • For Urgent Requests from Clients
    • The courier services will only distribute urgent documents
    • Examples of situations that the authorities feel call for urgent distribution include cases where:
      • The applicant requires the document for accessing benefits such as a pension, a social insurance number or health care
      • The applicant needs to travel in the near future because of a death or serious illness in the family
        • As such, the applicant will require proof of the applicant’s immigration or citizenship status in order to obtain a travel document
        • It is worth highlighting that applicants will need to include the proof of death or serious illness such as a note from the attending physician
      • The applicant is unable to attend a Canadian school, college or university because the applicant cannot prove that the applicant is a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen
      • The applicant faces an immediate loss of employment or of an employment opportunity because the applicant does not possess any immigration or citizenship document
        • It is worth highlighting that applicants would need to include original letters from their employers
      • The applicant has received a decision on a previous application for citizenship that the applicant successfully appealed to the Federal Court
    • The authorities require clients to use the standard Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) web form for requesting urgent distribution
    • However, standard processing times will continue to apply for responses to such enquiries
    • Situations could arise where the officers find that the immigration or citizenship applications meet the established urgent processing criteria under standard procedures
    • In this scenario, the officers have the ability to send the documents by courier once they have finished processing the application
    • For instance, the authorities will continue to send urgent Permanent Resident Cards (PRCs) visa courier by the Canadian Bank Note (CBN) Company Limited
    • This is in accordance with the established protocols