COVID-19 update: Applicants should start collecting supporting information

Applicants should start collecting supporting information as IRCC resumes processing of applications in progress

Ottawa, April 12, 2021 – Since the onset of the pandemic, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been working to better serve clients, including by processing applications to reunite families more quickly. We have also prioritized applications for people who are vulnerable, coming for compassionate reasons or providing critical services to Canadians, such as those working in the food supply and health care sectors. In addition, IRCC has been automatically extending deadlines for applicants who have faced delays in submitting required documents due to COVID‑19 restrictions.

As most IRCC offices, visa application centres (VACs) around the world, and application support centers (ASCs) in the United States have reopened, many applicants can now provide the supporting documents needed for IRCC to process their application. As a result, IRCC will no longer be automatically extending deadlines for submitting the required supporting documentation. However, IRCC will continue to provide deadline extensions to clients who are still unable to provide required documentation due to COVID‑19 disruptions.

For more information, visit the IRCC newsroom website.