Applying for a protected person status document (IMM 5520)

Table of Contents

This is not a legal document. For legal information, refer to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations or the Citizenship Act and Regulations, as applicable.

This publication is available in alternative formats upon request.

Overview

The Protected Person Status Document is an official document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada which confirms a person’s status in Canada as a protected person. In most circumstances, the letter of determination from the Immigration and Refugee Board or Citizenship and Immigration Canada is enough to prove your protected person status. However, you may still want to apply for a Protected Person Status Document.

This application kit explains the process for protected persons who want to apply for a Protected Person Status Document. It contains all of the necessary information, instructions, and application forms for you to complete and submit.

Are you a protected person?

You must already be a protected person in Canada to apply for a status document. The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) decide who is a protected person. The IRB or CIC will have informed you of your status with a letter of determination. Protected persons are:

  • persons who are determined by the IRB to be in need of protection,
  • persons who are determined by the IRB to be Convention refugees,
  • persons who received a positive Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (except for those described in section 112(3) of the Act),
  • members of the Humanitarian-Protected Persons Abroad classes, or
  • members of the Convention Refugees Abroad class.

Protected persons who are now permanent residents or citizens of Canada may apply for a travel document or a passport and do not require the status document to do so. Information on travel documents and passports can be obtained from the Passport Office. Look in the government blue pages of your phone book under “Passports” for contact information or visit www.passport.gc.ca.

Do each of your family members need a status document?

You may request a status document for any of your family members who are in Canada. Only family members who also have protected person status as described above are eligible for a Protected Person Status Document. Family members are defined as your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children.

You and your family members must be in Canada to apply for a status document.

How to complete your application

Use the following instructions to fill in the forms. Most of the questions on the forms are straightforward and extra instructions have only been provided when necessary. You must answer all questions. If you leave any sections blank, your application will be returned to you for completion and processing will be delayed. If any sections do not apply to you, answer “N/A” (not applicable). Print clearly with a black pen.

If the space provided on the forms is not sufficient, use an additional sheet of paper. There is space provided for three family members. If more than three family members require a status document, photocopy the form and answer all of the questions asked about your family members.

You must provide truthful, accurate information. The information provided may be verified. Processing will stop immediately if you give false or misleading information. It is an offence under section 127 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to knowingly make a false statement on this form.

Application for a Protected Person Status Document (IMM 5521)

Family and given names

Print your full family name (surname) and all of your given names (first, second or more) as they appear on your letter of determination from the IRB or CIC. Do not use initials. This is the name that will be printed on your Protected Person Status Document.

13.  Determination of protected person status

You can find the date and location of your determination in the letter from the IRB or CIC.

17.  Photos

See Document Checklist for more details.

18.  Family members in Canada

List your family members in Canada who also require a Protected Person Status Document.

Relationship: Indicate whether the family member is your spouse, common-law partner, daughter, son, etc.

Marital status: Use one of the categories listed in question 9.

Declaration

If you do not sign the application, it will be returned to you.

Declaration of interpreter

If the form has been interpreted for you either in whole or in part, the interpreter who assisted you should complete and sign this declaration. Answer all questions.

Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)

Complete this form if you:

  • used the services of a representative to help you prepare or submit your application; or
  • are appointing a 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.

A representative is someone who has provided advice, consultation, or guidance to you at any stage of the immigration application process, or in an immigration proceeding. If someone represented or advised you to help you submit your application, then that person is your representative.

A representative is also someone who has your permission to conduct business on your behalf with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

When you appoint a representative, you also authorize CIC and CBSA to share information from your case file to this person.

You are not obliged to hire a representative for immigration matters. We treat everyone equally, whether they use the services of a representative or not. If you choose to hire a representative, your application will not be given special attention nor can you expect faster processing or a more favourable outcome.

CIC and CBSA will only conduct business with your representative on immigration matters related to the application you submit with this form. You can appoint only one representative for each application you submit.

There are two types of representatives:

Family, friends, and non-profit groups often help applicants who feel the need for support and advice on immigration matters. You can appoint a representative who does not charge fees or receive any other compensation for providing immigration advice or services to represent you before CIC or the CBSA.

Uncompensated representatives include:

  • friends and family members who do not, and will not, charge a fee or receive any other consideration for their advice and services;
  • organizations that do not, and will not, charge a fee or receive any other consideration for providing immigration advice or assistance (such as a non-governmental or religious organization);
  • consultants, lawyers, paralegals, Québec 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.

Compensated representatives

Compensated representatives charge a fee or receive some other form of consideration in exchange for the advice and representation that they provide. If you want us to conduct business with a compensated representative then they must be authorized by CIC.

It is important to know that anyone who represents or advises you for payment — or offers to do so — in connection with immigration 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 an immigration application is made or a proceeding begins.

Authorized representatives are:

  • immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC);
  • 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 paid representative who is not a member of one of these designated bodies, your application will be returned. For more information on using a representative, visit our Web site.

Section B

5. Your representative’s full name

If your representative is a member of the ICCRC, a law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, print his or her name as it appears on the organization’s membership list.

8. Your representative’s declaration

Your representative must sign to accept responsibility for conducting business on your behalf.

Section D

10. Your declaration

By signing, you authorize us to complete your request for yourself and your dependent children under 18 years of age. If your spouse or common-law partner is included in this request, he or she must sign in the box provided.

Release of information to other individuals

To authorize CIC 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) which is available on our Web site and from Canadian embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad.

The person you designate will be able to obtain information on your case file, such as the status of your application. However, he or she will not be able to conduct business on your behalf with CIC.

You must notify us if your representative’s contact information changes or if you cancel the appointment of a representative.

Document checklist

You MUST include the following documents in your application:

  • Application for a Protected Person Status Document (IMM 5521)
  • Use of a Representative, if applicable (IMM 5476)
  • One recent passport photo of you and any family member applying for a status document. On the back of each photo, write the person’s name and date of birth. Put the photos in an envelope and staple it to the form. Do not staple the photos.

    Note: the photo will not appear on the final document.

  • A photocopy of the letter from the Immigration and Refugee Board or Citizenship and Immigration Canada stating that you are a protected person or Convention refugee.

Mailing your application

Send your application, and the other items listed in the Document Checklist to the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, in a 23 cm x 30.5 cm (9″ x 12″) envelope. Do not include a prepaid return envelope with your application. Address the envelope to:

Case Processing Centre
Vegreville  AB
T9C 1W7

Clearly print your name and address at the top left-hand side of the envelope. The envelope will require more postage than a normal letter. To avoid having your application returned to you, have the post office weigh it before mailing.

What happens next?

Current processing times for this type of application are updated weekly on our website. During the processing of your application, you will receive a letter regarding your case and you will be informed if you need to take any further action. If your application for a status document has been approved, the document will be sent to you.

You should wait until after the processing times published on the website has elapsed before contacting the Call Centre to inquire about the status of your application.

The processing times are only applicable for applications that are completed correctly, signed, dated, and have all the necessary documents.

If you move, you must advise us of your new address by phoning the Call Centre. Failure to inform us of an address change may result in your application being refused or declared abandoned. You should also advise a Call Centre if you change your telephone or fax numbers.

Quality Assurance Program

Our quality assurance program randomly selects applications for a special review. If selected you will be asked to attend an interview with a Citizenship and Immigration official so that we can:

  • verify the documentation you submitted is accurate,
  • verify that your application has been completed properly.

Note: You will be notified in writing should your application be selected.