How to Know If IRCC Has Received Your Immigration Application

Applying for immigration to Canada is an important step, and it’s natural to want confirmation that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has received your application. The method of confirmation depends on how you submitted your application—online, through a Visa Application Centre (VAC), or by paper.

This blog explains how you can check if your immigration application has been received by IRCC and what each type of submission process involves.

Online Applications

If you submitted your application online, you’ll first see a confirmation page after submitting it. This page shows that IRCC has received your application.

Shortly after, IRCC will send an email to the address you provided in your application. This email will:

• Confirm that your application has been submitted.
• Ask you to check your IRCC online account for further confirmation and your application number.
  
  

This confirmation email is usually sent within a few hours, but it is not an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR). An AOR is only issued after IRCC reviews your application, confirms it is complete, and begins processing it. This can take anywhere from a few days to a few months.

Keep your confirmation email and AOR for your personal records.

Applications Submitted Through Visa Application Centres (VACs)

If you applied through a VAC, you can track your application using the tracking services provided by that centre. You’ll need the tracking ID or reference number from the receipt or invoice given by the VAC.

Depending on your VAC and location, tracking updates may be available through:

• Online tracking tools on the VAC’s website
• Email notifications
• Web chat
• Phone helplines
• SMS (may come with extra charges)

Visit IRCC’s official website for more information about VACs and their services.

Paper Applications

If you submitted a paper application, IRCC does not send an AOR letter.

To confirm delivery, you should use a postal or courier service that provides:

• A tracking number
• A signature confirmation upon delivery

This helps you confirm that your application reached IRCC.

In some cases, you can link a paper application to your IRCC secure account to track its status online.

How to Link a Paper Application to Your IRCC Online Account

You can link certain types of paper applications to your IRCC secure account to receive status updates online.

Steps to Link Your Application:

1. Create an IRCC secure account, if you don’t already have one.
2. Go to “View the applications you submitted” and select “Add (link) your application to your account.”
3. Enter the application number and the same personal information you used in the original application.
   
   

Note: If your personal details have changed since submitting the application, use the updated information.

You have five attempts to link your application. If you fail five times, you must wait 24 hours before trying again.

Once successfully linked, you will receive updates through your online account instead of by mail.

It may take up to five days for your application to appear in your account after IRCC receives it. If it still does not appear, you can report a technical issue through the IRCC web form.

Applications You Can Link to an Online Account

Not all applications can be linked to an IRCC account. As of now, the following types can be linked:

Permanent Residence (PR) Applications:

• Agri-Food Pilot
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
• Caregivers (all streams)
• Express Entry (CEC, FSWP, FSTP, candidate profiles)
• Family sponsorship (except sponsor-only applications)
• In-Canada refugees and protected persons (excluding dependent applications)
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• Quebec immigration streams
• Self-employed persons
• Start-up visa
• Temporary Resident to PR Pathway
  
  

Temporary Residence Applications:

• Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
• International Experience Canada (IEC)
• Study permit and extension
• Visitor visa and visitor record
• Work permit and extension
  
  

Other Applications:

• Interim Federal Health Program
• Permanent resident cards

IRCC plans to expand this list in the future. If your application is not linkable, you can still use the IRCC Check Application Status tool or review average processing times on the IRCC website.

Final Thoughts

Knowing whether IRCC has received your immigration application is a crucial step in your immigration journey. Whether you applied online, through a VAC, or on paper, there are clear ways to confirm that your application is in the system.

Always keep records of confirmation emails, tracking numbers, and AORs. Linking your application to an online account (if eligible) can also help you stay informed about your status in real-time.