Canada’s new refugee rules took effect on November 3, 2026, changing how claimants submit evidence, update their Basis of Claim information and prepare for hearings before the Refugee Protection Division.
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada updated its Refugee Protection Division Rules and its Practice Notice on Procedural Issues to reflect changes linked to the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act.
The most important change is that the deadline for personal evidence is now generally tied to the date a claim is referred to the RPD rather than the scheduled hearing date.
Table of Contents
New refugee rules create three evidence deadlines
The deadline that applies to a claimant depends on when their refugee claim was referred to the RPD.
| Referral date | Deadline for personal evidence |
|---|---|
| On or before November 2, 2026 | At least 10 days before the hearing |
| November 3, 2026 to January 3, 2027 | Within 60 days after referral |
| January 4, 2027 or later | Within 30 days after referral |
Personal evidence can include identity documents, police reports, medical records, letters, photographs and other documents connected to the claimant’s individual circumstances.
The temporary 60-day period applies automatically to claims referred between November 3, 2026, and January 3, 2027.
A claimant whose case was referred on November 12, 2026, for example, must generally provide personal documents by January 11, 2027.
Claims referred on or after January 4, 2027, will generally have a 30-day deadline.
Existing claims referred on or before November 2, 2026, remain under the previous hearing-based deadline, even if the hearing is scheduled for a later date.
Country conditions evidence follows a separate deadline
The new referral-based deadlines do not apply to country conditions evidence.
Human rights reports, research and other material about conditions in a claimant’s country must still generally be received at least 10 days before the hearing.
This separate deadline allows claimants to submit information that reflects developments in their country closer to the hearing date.
Basis of Claim changes must be filed quickly
Claimants who need to correct or add information to their Basis of Claim form or Basis of Claim information must use the RPD’s designated changes form.
For claims referred on or after November 3, 2026, changes or additions must reach the RPD no later than five days after the claimant receives a Notice to Appear.
For claims referred before November 3, 2026, transitional rules apply.
If the claimant receives the Notice to Appear on or before January 3, 2027, changes to the Basis of Claim form are generally due no later than 10 days before the hearing.
If the Notice to Appear is received after January 3, 2027, the five-day deadline applies.
Unrepresented claimants who receive the notice by mail are generally given seven days for delivery, followed by five days to respond.
Electronic filing is now the standard
The RPD now places greater emphasis on electronic document delivery.
Claimants who have counsel or a designated representative must generally use the IRB’s My Case portal.
Unrepresented claimants may email documents until they receive an invitation to use My Case.
Requests to use another electronic method require an application and are expected to be approved only in exceptional circumstances.
Detained claimants may continue to use fax because detention facilities may offer limited filing options.
Each document should be submitted only once, with the RPD file number or UCI number and a short description.
Different types of documents should normally be placed in separate PDF files.
When several documents are combined into one PDF, the pages must be numbered and a table of contents should be included.
Questions, applications and requests typed directly into the body of an email will not be accepted as submissions.
If the Minister has intervened in a claim, the claimant must also send a copy of the evidence package to the Minister’s counsel.
AI-assisted translations require human review
Documents filed in a language other than English or French must still include a translation.
Translation software and artificial intelligence tools may assist with the work, but machine-generated text alone is not sufficient.
A human translator must review the complete translation and sign a declaration confirming its accuracy.
The declaration must identify the translator, the language and dialect involved, and whether AI or translation software was used.
Late evidence requires permission
Evidence filed after the applicable deadline is considered late disclosure.
Claimants who need to submit late evidence must generally provide the document with an application asking the RPD to accept it.
The application should identify the document, explain its relevance and state why it could not be filed on time.
Claimants should also explain when the document was requested, received or obtained and why it was submitted without delay after becoming available.
Submitting the document and application does not guarantee that the RPD will allow the evidence to be used at the hearing.
The RPD may consider the document’s relevance, probative value, whether it is new and whether it could reasonably have been provided earlier.
Other changes affecting refugee hearings
The updated procedures also make several hearing-related requirements less formal.
A medical certificate is no longer automatically required when a claimant asks to change a hearing date, although the RPD may request one in a particular case.
Affidavits and statutory declarations are no longer automatically required for applications, responses and replies.
Applications to change a hearing date must still be made without delay and generally at least three working days before the hearing unless there is a medical or emergency reason.
Claimants no longer have to provide three alternate hearing dates when requesting a postponement.
Minors under 18 generally do not have to attend a hearing unless the RPD member directs them to appear.
Evidence containing graphic depictions of violence, serious injury or sexually explicit acts must be clearly labelled as graphic content.
RPD members may also use electronic signatures on reasons for decision.
What claimants should do now
Claimants should first confirm the referral date shown on their confirmation of referral document from IRCC or the Canada Border Services Agency.
That date determines which personal-disclosure deadline applies.
Claimants should then create a document list, identify missing records and submit available evidence before the applicable deadline.
They should not delay an entire evidence package while waiting for one document that has not yet arrived.
If a late document later becomes available, it should be sent promptly with the required late-disclosure request.
Because the deadlines can affect a claimant’s ability to rely on important evidence, anyone with an active refugee claim should consider obtaining advice from a qualified immigration lawyer or other authorized representative.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the new refugee evidence deadlines apply?
Claims referred to the RPD from November 3, 2026, through January 3, 2027, generally have 60 days to submit personal evidence. Claims referred on or after January 4, 2027, generally have 30 days.
What deadline applies to a refugee claim referred before November 3, 2026?
Personal evidence is generally due at least 10 days before the scheduled hearing.
Does the new deadline apply to country conditions evidence?
No. Country conditions evidence, including human rights reports and research, generally remains due at least 10 days before the hearing.
Can refugee claimants still submit documents by fax?
Fax is generally no longer accepted as a standard delivery method, but detained claimants may continue using it because of limited filing options.
What happens if evidence is submitted late?
The claimant must generally submit the evidence with an application asking the RPD to accept late disclosure and explain why the document was late.
Fact-Checked: Key dates, deadlines and transitional measures were verified against the IRB’s updated Practice Notice, questions and answers, and November 3, 2026 announcement. The underlying temporal details are correct. ([irb-cisr.gc.ca](https://irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/legal-policy/procedures/Pages/rpd-pn-procedural-issues.aspx?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal advice; refugee claimants should obtain advice about their individual case from a qualified immigration professional.