Refugee claims in Canada—How to apply

There are two ways to apply for refugee protection in Canada:

• You can make a claim when you arrive in Canada, at the port of entry. This could be at an airport, a seaport or a Canada-United States border crossing. At ports of entry, claims are received by officers of the Canada Border Services Agency.
• You can also make a claim from within Canada at a Citizenship and Immigration Canada office.

Make sure you bring all the identification you may have with you, including your passport, driver’s licence and any other documents.

The officer receiving your refugee claim will assess whether your case is eligible to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) for a decision.

You will be given a Personal Information Form, which must be completed and sent to the IRB.

If you arrive at a land border, you may not be eligible to make a refugee claim because of an agreement between Canada and the United States known as the Safe Third Country Agreement.

Related Links

• Safe Third Country Agreement
• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
• Application kit: protected persons and convention refugees