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Immigration options for victims of family violence

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  • Do you currently live in Canada and are waiting for a decision on your permanent resident application?
  • Are you facing family violence from your spouse or common-law partner?
  • Are you afraid to leave your abusive spouse or common-law partner for fear that you may lose your immigration status?
  • Has your temporary status expired?

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Temporary resident permit for victims of family violence

We can help protect you by giving you a special permit to stay in Canada temporarily. It’s called a temporary resident permit (TRP) for victims of family violence. It will give you temporary resident status in Canada, so you can escape your situation and prepare for your next steps. You can also get this permit for your children, if they are in Canada and don’t hold temporary resident status.

Benefits of having a family violence TRP

You may need a family violence TRP:

Who is eligible for a family violence TRP?

What you should know about family violence TRPs

Changes to family violence temporary resident permit length and fees

As of February 4, 2025, you can now get a family violence TRP for at least 12 months.

We’ll also be waiving fees not only for the initial family violence TRP, but also for new family violence TRPs, work permits, study permits and biometrics.

How to apply for a family violence TRP

1. Gather your documents you’ll need to submit

Get your documents translated and certified if they’re not in English or French

Each supporting document that isn’t in English or French must have 2 parts:

  1. an English or French translation that’s:
    • stamped by a certified translator
      • Their certification must be confirmed by a seal or stamp that shows the translator’s membership number.
      • The translator should also photocopy your original document and stamp it if that’s what they based the translation on.
      • All stamps and seals that aren’t in English or French must also be translated.
      • You can include a scanned copy of a letter explaining that you don’t need an affidavit because you used a certified translator.
    • accompanied by an affidavit from the person who completed the translation, swearing that their translation is true and accurate,
      • The affidavit must be signed in the presence of an authorized person
      • Use this option only if a translation cannot be completed by a certified translator.
      • Both the translated document and the original document the translator worked from must be referred to in the affidavit.
  1. a scan of the original document, or a scan of a certified photocopy of the original document, that the translator worked from.
    • You only need to provide a scan of a certified photocopy of the original document if the translation was based on the certified photocopy.
Who cannot translate documents?
  • Your family members
  • Your immigration representative or consultant

Get copies of documents certified

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

  •  “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
  •  their signature
Who can certify copies and be the witness to an affidavit

In Canada, examples of authorized persons who can certify the copies of your original documents and be the witness to an affidavit include:

Authority to certify varies by province and territory. Check with your provincial or territorial authorities to be sure who can certify your documents.

Outside Canada, each country has different authorities to certify documents. A notary public may be able to certify your documents, but you should check with your local authorities to be sure.

Who cannot certify copies or be the witness to an affidavit

An authorized person can’t certify a copy of a document or be the witness to an affidavit if they’re also:

  •  the principal applicant or the applicant’s sponsor (if this applies)
  •  a family member of the principal applicant or the applicant’s sponsor (parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, grandparent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or first cousin)

2. Complete the forms

Read the instruction guide (opens in a new tab) for instructions on how to complete your application.

3. Mail your application

Track your application

If you submit a paper application, we recommend that you use a postal or courier service with a tracking number to ensure you get proof that your application was delivered to the IRCC office.

Find out how to check if your application has been received.

Have your application considered for a regular TRP

You can have your application considered for a regular TRP if your application for a family violence TRP is refused.

When submitting your application, you can:

If your application for family violence TRP is refused and is considered for a regular TRP, it will be transferred to the Case Processing Centre in Edmonton for processing.

  • Regular TRP applications have no standard processing time.

If you want to stay in Canada permanently

We’re speeding up the processing time for individuals in urgent situations of family violence who apply for permanent residence based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. This will reduce delays between the time we receive an application and when we make an eligibility decision. This means that we’ll process applications for these individuals faster, with the goal of removing them from abusive situations as quickly as possible.

You’re only eligible for an expedited eligibility decision if:

Below are situations of family violence that may meet the eligibility criteria for an expedited eligibility decision. If one of these situations applies to you, you may be able to apply for permanent residence based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds:

  1. You’re in Canada and seeking permanent residence that is dependent on staying in a genuine relationship with an abusive spouse or common-law partner. You’re dependent on staying in that abusive relationship to keep your immigration status in Canada.
  2. You’re a foreign national who can’t be assessed for permanent residence because your abusive sponsor has withdrawn their family class application.
  3. You have been falsely told by an abusive spouse or common-law partner that they have submitted a family class application and it is in process, but in fact, they have not submitted an application.
  4. You’re a temporary resident who wants to apply for permanent residence through a genuine relationship, but
    1. that relationship has become abusive, and
    2. you may not yet have an application in process

Make sure you clearly describe your situation of family violence in your application.

How to apply for permanent residence (PR) on humanitarian and compassionate grounds as a victim of family violence

If you haven’t submitted an application for PR
  1. Follow the instructions (opens in a new tab) to apply for PR on humanitarian and compassionate grounds and select the category “FV – In Canada – Humanitarian and compassionate considerations” when creating an application in the Permanent Residence Portal.
  2. Send a request for the application to be reviewed due to family violence by emailing us at DNHM-Vexternal-RNMH-Vexterne.IRCC@cic.gc.ca.

Make sure to

  • write the letters “FV” in the subject line
  • request “FV” processing and include your client account email address in the body of the email
If you’ve already submitted an application for PR

If you’re experiencing family violence in Canada and already have a PR application in process, you can tell us about it by submitting a web form.

In the web form:

  • Let us know that you:
    • have a PR application in process
    • are currently living in Canada
    • are requesting consideration due to family violence
  • Upload:
    • a letter with details of your situation
    • any additional supporting documents and information you may have

You can also contact our Client Support Centre.

More information and resources for victims of family violence

You can speak to an agent at our Client Support Centre about your immigration status or get more information about applying for a family violence TRP or permanent residence on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds as a victim of family violence

How to contact the Client Support Centre
Contact Details

Client Support Centre agent (in Canada only)

  • Available in English and French
  • Get help with general and case specific enquiries

Agents can’t

  • make decisions on applications
  • help process applications faster, unless you’re eligible for urgent processing

1-888-242-2100

  • Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (your local time)
  • Not available on statutory holiday
  • Note: Choose the option for victims of abuse and forced marriage to speak directly to an agent.

Teletypewriter (TTY) service

Call us via the Bell Relay service if you are hearing impaired or if you have a speech impediment.
  • Voice to TTY: 1-800-855-0511
  • TTY to Voice: 711
  • TTY to TTY: 1-800-855-1155
    • You need a TTY device (machine, cell phone or laptop on TTY mode) to use this service.

Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (your local time)

Not available on statutory holidays
Online

Use our web form

  • 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If needed, they will put you in contact with support groups that help victims of family violence.

You can also:

Other Government of Canada links
Provincial and territorial resources

Alberta

British Columbia

Manitoba

New Brunswick

Newfoundland and Labrador

Northwest Territories

Nova Scotia

Nunavut

Ontario

If you are in Ontario and experiencing domestic violence, you can have a free consultation with a private lawyer by calling 1-800-668-8258.

Prince Edward Island

Quebec

Saskatchewan

Yukon

Other resources

Supporting evidence of your situation of abuse

Evidence of abuse could be:

  • police records
    • police reports or notes (including reports that police had to take back withheld passport or travel documents)
    • photos
    • bail payments
  • criminal or family court documents
    • subpoenas
    • restraining orders
    • probation orders
    • conviction certificates
    • sentencing or trial transcripts
    • victim impact statements
  • letters, statements or reports from
    • victim/witness assistance program, women’s shelter or domestic abuse support organization
    • hospital, medical doctor or other health care worker
    • family services clinic
    • counsellor
    • family, friend, neighbour, co-worker or other witnesses
  • assessments by a
    • psychologist or psychiatrist
    • therapist/counsellor
  • photos of injuries
  • copies of emails or text messages

Note: This is not a full list. It is only to give examples.

Page details

2026-03-12