IRCC Web Form: How to Add Documents After Applying
The IRCC web form can help you send a new document after you apply. However, the right route depends on whether IRCC asked for the document or you are sending an update yourself. Start with that distinction so your evidence reaches the correct place.
A new passport, a change in family details or a missing file may need attention. In contrast, a routine wait for a decision does not mean you should upload the same evidence again.
When should you use the IRCC web form?
First, read any message IRCC sent. If it names an account, upload slot or other delivery method, follow that instruction. The rules for requested documents explain the different accounts and final submission steps.
If you have a relevant update that IRCC did not request, check its instructions for new information. These cover changes and corrections. However, eTA applicants should send new documents only when IRCC requests them.
| Your situation | First action |
|---|---|
| IRCC requested evidence | Use the method and deadline in the request. |
| You have new information for an ongoing file | Check the update instructions and relevant web-form route. |
| A required upload option is missing | Follow the technical-help or web-form guidance and explain the problem. |
| You only want a faster decision | Check processing times; repeated web forms do not speed up a file. |
IRCC web form: write a clear message
Next, gather your application number and unique client identifier, or UCI. Use the details shown on your own IRCC records. Also, make sure your name and date of birth match the application.
Write a short explanation with three parts: what changed, when it changed and what you attached. For example: “I received a new passport on [date]. Please add the attached copy to application [number]. The previous passport expires on [date].” Replace every placeholder with your real details.
If you are correcting an error, identify the exact field and give the correct information. Then explain the correction plainly. Do not send an unrelated personal history that makes the change hard to find.
IRCC web form: upload and submit documents
- Open the official IRCC web form from Canada.ca.
- Choose the application-update option and the correct application type.
- Answer truthfully whether IRCC asked you for the documents.
- Enter your identifiers and explanation, then attach the relevant files.
- Check the file names and preview each attachment before final submission.
Before uploading, open each file on your device. Check that all pages are present, upright and readable. Also, follow the size and file-format limits shown in the channel you use; limits can differ between accounts.
For a requested upload in the IRCC secure account, adding a file is not the last step. You must complete the declaration and transmit it. Therefore, do not stop when a screen says the file is uploaded but not submitted.
If you use a Mac, Apple's Preview guide shows how to join PDFs. First, keep a copy of each original file.
IRCC web form: save your submission evidence
Save the confirmation, your message and the exact files sent. IRCC says a web form receives an acknowledgement of receipt. However, that receipt is not approval of the application or a promise that the tracker will change at once.
For updates IRCC did not request, the agency also warns that you will not see those changes in your account. As a result, a quiet account screen alone is not a reason to resend the same package.
Common questions
Can I ask for more time to send a requested document?
Check the extension instructions on IRCC's requested-document page before the deadline. Explain why you need more time and provide available proof. However, do not assume the request has granted you an extension.
Is this the route for biometrics or a fairness letter?
The letter's instructions govern. Also, read our biometrics guide or procedural fairness letter guide for the separate task involved. A web-form message does not complete an appointment or replace a full response to a formal concern.
IRCC web form: prepare a clear attachment list
Before sending several files, create a short list that explains each one. For example, write: passport identity page, passport renewal letter and explanation of the change. Then use file names that match this list. Avoid names such as final-new-version-3, which tell the reader little.
Next, check whether the document needs both sides or several pages. A clear first page is not enough if the useful detail is on the back. Also, check that a combined PDF has the pages in the right order. Open the finished file after saving it, rather than checking only the source files.
What should a technical-problem message include?
If the upload screen fails, note what you tried and when. Include the account or screen involved, the error text and the file type. A screenshot may help explain the problem. However, remove unrelated private details before sharing it and follow the upload instructions for that channel.
Keep the explanation focused on the action you cannot complete. For example, say that the requested upload slot is missing, rather than saying only that the website does not work.
Keep one record of the update
Finally, store the request letter, message, attachments and confirmation in one folder. If IRCC later asks about the same change, you can see exactly what you sent. This is more useful than relying on memory or sending another copy without checking the first submission.
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