If you are asked to complete your claim online

If you started your refugee (asylum) claim at the border when you entered Canada and were told by a CBSA Border Services Officer to complete your claim online, you will need to use the IRCC Portal.

Before starting, make sure you have a scanner or camera ready to create electronic copies of your documents.

There are three steps to completing a refugee (asylum) claim online.

If you can’t submit your claim online

You may be able to submit your claim another way. Find out what to do if you can’t submit your claim online.

1. Prepare your documents

   You and every member of your family claiming asylum will need to prepare some documents.

   You will be asked to provide

   • information from your acknowledgement of claim or Refugee Protection Claimant Document (RPCD)
   • a Use of a Representative form (if you use a representative)

   You must complete your Basis of Claim (BOC) form and submit it directly to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). You can use the IRB’s Claimant’s Guide to complete the Basis of Claim form.

   Optional documents:

   You can provide other documents in support of your claim, including:

   • Identity documents
   • Proof of your arrival and entry to Canada
   • Proof of membership in political organizations, unions, or other groups
   • Police or medical reports
   • Business records
   • Proof of ill treatment, desecration, or looting
   • Any other documents that could support your claim for refugee protection
   • An explanation of any difficulties you had in submitting or providing information in the Portal

2. Create an IRCC Portal account

   You can use one account to complete your claim for you and your family members who entered Canada and made a refugee (asylum) claim at the same time as you.

   To create an IRCC Portal account you must

   1. Get an invitation code

      If it’s your first time using the IRCC Portal, visit this website to create an account. We’ll ask for your email and send you an invitation code that you will need to sign up.

   2. Sign up for an IRCC Portal account with your invitation code

      After we send you your invitation code, use it to create your IRCC Portal account.

3. Complete your refugee claim application

   Once you sign in to your IRCC Portal account, choose “Make a new refugee claim or Continue a claim made to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)”

   You will be asked, “Did you already make a claim to an officer when you entered Canada (for example: land border, airport)?”. Click “Yes”.

   If you did not start a claim at the border when you entered Canada, select No to start a new refugee claim.

   You will be asked, “Were you given a Refugee Protection Claimant Document?” Answer “Yes” if you have a Refugee Protection Claimant Document (brown paper).

   If you answer “No”, you will be asked if you were given an Acknowledgement of Claim document. Answer “Yes” if you have an Acknowledgement of Claim document.

   You will then be asked to provide the following information exactly as it is listed on your Refugee Protection Claimant Document or Acknowledgement of Claim document:

   • Your application number (starts with the letter “L”)
   • Your UCI (unique client identifier)
   • Your date of birth

   You will be asked to confirm your application and review the name(s) listed in the claim. If you have family members who entered Canada and made refugee (asylum) claims at the same time as you, make sure they are also listed.

   If your receive an error that your application information is not in the system

   Review your entries to make sure they are entered exactly as they are on your document.

   If they are not listed, click “No” and contact the CBSA by email at CBSA.Asylum-Asile.ASFC@CBSA-ASFC.gc.ca and include:

   • Your application number (starts with the letter “L”)
   • The name(s) and application number(s) of your family member(s)

   You will need to review your information and answer all the questions you see for you and your family members. If you need help completing your claim online, you can use the application guide. When you’re done, you’ll get a list of documents to upload.

   You’ll also be able to upload copies of other documents to support your claim. This includes the option to submit your completed Basis of Claim (BOC) form.