Application for a Verification of Status (VOS) or Replacement of an Immigration Document (IMM 5545)

Table of Contents


This is not a legal document. The explanations and definitions are not legal definitions. In case of a discrepancy between the language in this document and the relevant legislation or regulations, the legal text in the legislation and regulations prevails.

For legal information, consult the following documents:


Overview

Application package

This application package has:

  • an instruction guide, and
  • the forms you need to fill out.

The instruction guide:

  • has information you must know before you submit your application, and
  • explains how to fill out the forms and gather your supporting documents.

Read the instruction guide completely and then fill out each of the applicable forms.

The forms are designed with questions that will help the processing of your application.


Symbols used in this guide

This guide uses these symbols to draw your attention to important information:

Required step
What you must do to have your application processed.
Important information

Important information that you need to know to avoid delays or other problems.

Get more information

Where to get more information.

Note: Tips that will help you with this application.


Before you apply

Use this application to obtain a Verification of Status (VOS) document or a replacement copy of a valid temporary resident document that has been lost, stolen or destroyed.

Verification of Status document

A Verification of Status document will contain information that appeared on your original Record of Landing, Confirmation of Permanent Residence, Work Permit, Study Permit or other immigration documents. This document can be used when you must provide proof of historical immigration information, such as the date and place of entry to Canada.

You may obtain a VOS document outlining the pertinent historical information for the following:

  • Certificate of Departure (IMM 0056)
  • Immigrant Visa and Record of Landing (IMM 1000)/Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688)
  • Visitor Record (IMM 1097 or IMM 1442)
  • Work Permit (IMM 1102 or IMM 1442)
  • Study Permit (IMM 1208 or IMM 1442)
  • Exclusion Order (IMM 1214)
  • Deportation Order (IMM 1215)
  • Departure Order (IMM 5238)
  • Permit to Come Into or Remain in Canada (IMM 1263)
  • Authorization to Return to Canada (IMM 1203)
  • Protected Persons

Note: The actual document itself will not be issued. Instead, a plain paper document will be issued that will provide information about your immigration history.

If you require specific information that was originally captured on the immigration document (immigration category, document validity dates etc), you must specify this in your application for a Verification of Status document.

The Verification of Status document cannot be used for travel and is not an identity document.

The Permanent Resident Card is the proof of status document for permanent residents re-entering Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

If you are a permanent resident of Canada and are travelling outside the country without the appropriate documentation to prove your status in Canada, you will need to obtain a travel document to demonstrate to representatives of a transportation company that you are entitled to re-enter Canada as a permanent resident. For more information, consult the application package Applying for a Travel Document (Permanent Residents Abroad) (IMM 5529).

Replacement of a valid Temporary Resident document

You may request a replacement of a current and valid temporary resident document if it is lost or stolen. You must provide the police report number proving that your current and valid temporary resident document has been lost or stolen. The following documents can be replaced:

  • Visitor Record
  • Work Permit
  • Study Permit
  • Temporary Resident Permit

If your document was issued:

Note: To request changes to your Immigrant Visa and Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) complete the Request to Amend the Record of Landing, Confirmation of Permanent Residence or Valid Temporary Resident Documents (IMM 5218).


Urgent applications

In certain circumstances, you may qualify for urgent processing. If you meet one of the criteria outlined below, you must clearly mark “URGENT” on your mailing envelope and must submit sufficient proof why urgent processing is required. If you do not meet the criteria below, your application will be placed in the regular processing queue.

The criteria for urgent processing are as follow:

  • You are applying for your pension and have received a notice from Service Canada advising that your file will be closed if you do not provide proof of your immigration information (Note: If you did not receive this notice, you cannot request urgent processing under this criteria).
  • You must include a copy of your letter from Service Canada as proof.
  • You need to travel because of a death or serious illness in the family and require proof of your immigration information in order to obtain a travel document. You must include proof of death or serious illness (example: a note from the attending physician).
  • You face immediate loss of employment or loss of an employment opportunity because you are not in possession of proof of your immigration information. Include an original letter from the employer.

In each of the above circumstances, you must provide:

  • The document(s) related to your situation (see above);
  • a copy of your expired travel document, and
  • a list of documentary requirements to obtain your travel document (example: a checklist for a passport application for another country).

Verification of Status of a deceased person

If you are requesting a Verification of Status document for a deceased person, there are specific criteria that must be met. Please note that replacement of a valid temporary resident document will not be issued for a deceased person.

Personal information can be released, without consent, if an individual has been deceased for more than 20 years. If you are requesting a VOS document for someone who has been deceased for more than 20 years, you must include a death certificate or a copy of the vital statistics record from the province/territory where the person lived.

We cannot disclose personal information about an individual who has been dead for less than 20 years. In some cases, an exception will be made if the executor or the estate or on having Power of Attorney requires the deceased’s personal information to administer his/her estate. In these cases, you must provide proof of death, which may include a copy of an obituary notice, a death certificate or photograph of the person’s tombstone, as well as proof of executorship or Power of Attorney.

Communication from IRCC

The application form provides an opportunity to give your email address to IRCC. When you provide your e-mail address, you are authorizing IRCC to send all correspondence regarding Verification of Status documents, including your verification of status document and personal information on your file, to the e-mail address you provided. If you have not indicated an e-mail address, all correspondence will go to the mailing address you provided on your application form. This will reduce delays associated with mailing time.

Note: When you receive your document by email, in order to properly view it, you must open it on a desktop or laptop computer. If you open the document on a smart phone or tablet, the document will often appear blank.


Gather documents

Use the Document Checklist (part of the IMM 5009 application form) to gather the documents you need to support your application. Failure to include any of these documents will result in your application being returned to you without processing. Do not submit your originals unless specifically requested, as these will not be returned to you. The following documents must be included with your application:

  1. Photocopy of one piece of federal or provincial/territorial government issued photo identification or if unavailable, a photocopy of government issued or internationally recognized photo identification from outside Canada before your entry to Canada. This could include:

    • the passport or travel document you used to enter Canada as a permanent resident. If you have never entered as a Canadian permanent resident, include a photocopy of the passport or travel document you used as a temporary resident. Include only copies of the passport or travel document pages showing:
      • Passport number,
      • Date of issue and expiry,
      • Photo, name, date, and place of birth, and
      • Any amendments to your name, date of birth, expiration, or any other information on the document.
    • your driver's license (issued by a federal or provincial/territorial authority).
    • your photo health card (if applicable)

    Note: If you no longer have the passport or travel document you used on entry, then include a copy of the pages listed above from your current passport. However, as the information contained on your original passport simplifies the retrieval of your records, this may result in delays in the processing of your application. Please ensure that you have included your name at the time of entry to Canada on your application form. This is particularly important, if you do not include your original passport.

  2. Photocopy of one piece of federal or provincial/territorial government-issued identification with or without a photo, or if unavailable, a photocopy of government issued or internationally recognized identification from outside Canada before your entry to Canada. This could include:

    • your birth certificate.
    • your marriage certificate, if applicable

    Note: If the country in which you were born does not or did not issue birth certificates, include an alternate official document showing the name, date, and place of birth of your parents. This may include a baptismal certificate, family composition form, etc.

    Note: the following identification is not accepted:

    • Social Insurance Number (SIN) cards
    • bank card
    • credit card
    • school identification card (local or international)
    • income tax return
    • Temporary driver’s license

    Note: Baptismal certificates, birth certificates and marriage certificates issued in Quebec before January 1, 1994, are no longer accepted. If you have one of these certificates you must obtain a new document. Find out how to apply for a certificate.

  3. Photocopy of the death certificate or provincial/territorial vital statistics document if the application is submitted on behalf of a deceased person.

    Note: If the person has been deceased for less than 20 years, you are required to provide proof that you are the executor or administrator of the estate and proof of your identity. Proof of your identity is a photocopy of one piece of federal or provincial/territorial government issued photo identification.

Translation of documents

You must include the following along with any document that is not in English or French:

Translations may be done by:

  • a person who is fluent in both languages (English or French, and the unofficial language); or
  • a Canadian certified translator (a member in good standing of a provincial or territorial organization of translators and interpreters in Canada).

If the translation isn’t done by a Canadian certified translator, the person who completed the translation must provide an affidavit swearing to their language proficiency and the accuracy of the translation.

The affidavit must be sworn in the presence of:

In Canada:

Authority to certify varies by province and territory. Consult your local provincial or territorial authorities.

Outside of Canada:

  • a notary public

Authority to administer oaths varies by country. Consult your local authorities.

small exclamation warning signImportant information: Translations must not be done by the applicants themselves nor by members of the applicant’s family. This includes a parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, grandparent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew and first cousin.

Note: An affidavit is a document on which the translator has sworn, in the presence of a person authorized to administer oaths in the country where the translator is living, that the contents of their translation are a true translation and representation of the contents of the original document. Translators who are certified in Canada don’t need to supply an affidavit.


Certified true copies

To have a photocopy of a document certified, an authorized person must compare the original document to the photocopy and must print all of the following on the photocopy:

  • “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document”;
  • the name of the original document;
  • the date of the certification;
  • the name of the authorized person;
  • their official position or title; and
  • their signature.

Who can certify copies?

Only authorized people can certify copies.

Important information: Certifying of copies must not be done by the applicants themselves nor by an applicant’s parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, grandparent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or first cousin.

People authorized to certify copies include the following:

In Canada:

Authority to certify varies by province and territory. Check with your local provincial or territorial authorities to learn who has the authority to certify.

Outside Canada:

  • a notary public

Authority to certify international documents varies by country. Check with your local authorities to learn who has the authority to certify in your country.


Complete the application

Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)

Who may use this form?

Complete this form only if you:

  • are appointing a representative;
  • have to update contact information for your previously appointed representative; or
  • are cancelling a representative’s appointment.

If you have dependent children aged 18 years or older, they are required to complete their own copy of this form if a representative is also conducting business on their behalf.

Who is a representative?

A representative is someone who provides advice, consultation, or guidance to you at any stage of the application process, or in a proceeding and, if you appoint them as your representative by filling out this form, has your permission to conduct business on your behalf with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

You are not obliged to hire a representative. We treat everyone equally, whether they use the service of a representative or not.

When you appoint a representative:

  • you also authorize IRCC and CBSA to share information from your case file with this person in place of you. Please note the representative will receive all correspondence from IRCC or the CBSA, not the applicant;
  • your application will not be given special attention nor can you expect faster processing or a more favourable outcome;
  • the representative is authorized to represent you only on citizenship or immigration matters related to the application you submit with this form; and
  • you can appoint only one (1) representative for each application you submit.

Important information: You must notify IRCC if your representative’s contact information changes, or if you change your representative, or cancel the appointment of your representative. For more information on updating IRCC with your representative’s information, please see below section - Notify IRCC about any changes.

There are two (2) types of representatives.

Uncompensated Representatives:

Uncompensated representatives do not charge fees or receive any other form of consideration or compensation for providing advice or services to represent you before IRCC or the CBSA.

Uncompensated representatives include:

  • Friends, family members or other third parties who do not, and will not, charge a fee or receive any other consideration for their advice and services;
  • consultants, lawyers and Quebec notaries, and students-at-law under their supervision, who do not, and will not, charge a fee or receive any other consideration to represent you.

Note: You do not have to pay someone for them to be your representative. IRCC will conduct business with an uncompensated representative if an applicant appoints them on their behalf.

Compensated representatives:

Compensated representatives charge a fee or receive some other form of consideration in exchange for the representation that they provide.

It is important to know that anyone who represents or advises you for payment - or offers to do so - in connection with IRCC proceedings or applications is breaking the law unless they are an authorized representative or they have a specific agreement or arrangement with the Government of Canada that allows them to represent or advise you. This applies to advice or consultation which happens before or after a citizenship or an immigration application is made or a proceeding begins.

IRCC will only conduct business with compensated representatives who are in good standing with their designated regulatory body. For more information see - Find out if your representative is authorized.

Note: If a representative is being paid or compensated by someone other than you, the representative is still considered to be a compensated representative.

Authorized representatives are:

  • consultants who are members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC);
  • lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society and students-at-law under their supervision;
  • notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and students-at-law under their supervision.

If you appoint a compensated representative who is not a member in good standing of one of these designated bodies, your application will be returned. Learn about using a representative.

General Application Information

Appoint a representative
  • Check box to indicate if you are appointing a representative to represent you with your application process. Complete sections A, B and D.
Cancel a representative
  • Check box to indicate if you are canceling a representative. Complete sections A, C and D; and
  • Check both boxes and complete all sections if you are cancelling a representative and appointing a new one at the same time.

Section A – Applicant Information

Question 1

Write your last name (surname or family name) and given name(s).

Question 2

Write your date of birth.

Question 3
If you have already submitted your application, write:
  • the name of the office where the application was submitted; and
  • the type of application you have submitted.
Question 4

Write your IRCC’s Identification (ID) or Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number (if known). If you have not dealt with IRCC since 1973, you will not have a UCI or a Client ID.

Section B – Appointment of Representative

Question 5

Write your representative’s full name.

If your representative is a member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), a law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, print their name as it appears on the organization’s membership list.

Question 6

Check one box to indicate if your representative is uncompensated or compensated.

If your representative is compensated, write the membership ID number of:
Question 7

Write your representative’s contact information.

If you are appointing a student-at-law to represent you, include their supervising lawyer’s information including their membership ID.

Note: By indicating your representative’s e-mail address, you are hereby authorizing IRCC to transmit your file and personal information to this specific e-mail address.

Question 8

To accept responsibility for conducting business on your behalf, your representative must:

  • sign the declaration; and
  • date the declaration.

Section C – Cancel the Appointment of a Representative

Question 9

Fill in this section if you wish to cancel the appointment of a representative. Write the representative’s full name.

Complete all sections of the form if you wish to both cancel a representative and appoint a new one.

Section D – Your Declaration

Question 10

By signing, you authorize IRCC to complete your request for yourself and your dependent children under 18 years of age.

For sponsorship application, your spouse or common-law partner does not have to complete a separate request. If your spouse or common-law partner is included in this request, they must sign in the box provided.

Release of information to other individuals

To authorize IRCC to release information from your case file to someone other than a representative, you will need to complete the form Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual [IMM 5475] (opens in a new tab).

The person you designate under that form (IMM 5475) will be able to obtain information on your case file, such as the status of your application. However, they will not be able to conduct business on your behalf with IRCC.

Where to submit the IMM 5475 and IMM 5476 forms

Paper applications

If you have not yet submitted your immigration or citizenship application:

Send this form along with your application to the office listed in the guide of your application.

If you have already submitted your immigration or citizenship application:

You may use this Web form to upload IMM 5475 or IMM 5476.

or;

If you know which IRCC office is processing your immigration or citizenship application, send the completed form to the office mailing address. Consult IRCC office mailing addresses.

Online applications

If you have not yet submitted your immigration or citizenship application:

Upload this form along with your online application

If you have already submitted your immigration or citizenship application:

You may use this Web form to upload IMM 5475 or IMM 5476.

Notify IRCC about any changes

You must let IRCC know if any information changes regarding the person you authorized to represent you on your application.


Pay the fees

Include the processing fee for your application submitted to IRCC. The fee is per document, non-refundable, and does not guarantee approval of your application. If you are not approved you will not be issued a Verification of Status document or receive a replacement document.

Application (per person) $CAN
Verify your status (VOS) or replace an immigration document $30

Note: There is no fee for applicants in receipt of provincial welfare payments or assistance under the Resettlement Assistance Program. If you are receiving Social Assistance Benefits, provide a letter from the appropriate provincial Ministry or other proof that you are receiving benefits (proof of payment). There is no fee for applications submitted to The Canadian Genealogy Centre Library and Archives Canada or to The Rooms located in Newfoundland.

Note: There is no fee for a VOS document indicating Protected Person status if you are a Protected Person and are not a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen. There is a fee for the replacement of a valid immigration document, or any other VOS document.

How to pay the fees for your application

To pay your fees for your application you’ll need:

  • a valid e-mail address;
  • access to a printer (you’ll need to print the receipt), and
  • a credit card, Debit MasterCard® or Visa® Debit card.

Visit the link below and follow these instructions to pay:

  • Go to Online Payment.
  • Follow the online instructions.
    • At the end, click on the button to print the IRCC official receipt with barcode. Print two copies.
  • Attach a copy of this receipt to your completed application.
    • Keep the second copy of the receipt for your records.

stop sign hand Do not exit without printing the receipt! The printed receipt is your proof of payment!



Submit the application

Use a courier to submit your paper application

Due to the labour disruption at Canada Post, you need to use a courier to send us your application. Use one that offers tracking so you have proof your application was delivered.

Find out how to check if your application has been received

Please address the envelope: Verification of Status (VOS) as indicated below. If your application is not complete or does not include the correct processing fee it will be returned to you to be completed.

Affix sufficient postage (top right of the envelope)

Sender (top left of the envelope)
(Your name)
(Your Address)
(Your Postal Code)

Verification of Status (VOS) or Replacement of an Immigration Document
Operations Support Centre (OSC)
P.O. Box 8784 STN T CSC
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 5J3

If sent by private courier or by registered mail:

Verification of Status (VOS) or Replacement of an Immigration Document
Operations Support Centre (OSC)
365 Laurier Avenue West,
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1

Exceptions:

  • If your document was issued 76 years ago or more, submit your application to the following address:

    Canadian Genealogy Centre Library and Archives Canada
    Library and Archives Canada
    395 Wellington St.
    Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N4

  • If your document was issued when you landed in Newfoundland before 1949, contact The Rooms for further instruction on how to obtain verification of your document.

Urgent applications

If your application is urgent and meets the criteria for urgent processing (see Urgent Applications), mail your completed application by registered mail to the address shown above and write: “Urgent” on your envelope.

If you move

Ensure that your address (including your e-mail address) will be valid for the entire processing period. Documents lost in the mail are not the responsibility of IRCC. If your documents are lost in the mail you will be required to re-apply with new fees and documents.

If you move or your address changes before your application has been processed, you must advise IRCC of your new address by changing your address online.


What happens next?

Processing your application

Processing times can change. Check application processing times.

Features

Find out if you are eligible

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