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Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

r. 178 Identity documents

  • PART 8 Refugee Classes
  • DIVISION 5 Protected Persons — Permanent Residence

Last verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca

The law says

IRPR r. 178
Verify on justice.gc.ca(opens in a new tab)

(1)An applicant who does not hold a document described in any of paragraphs 50(1)(a) to (h) may submit with their application

  • (a)any identity document issued outside Canada before the person’s entry into Canada; or
  • (b)if there is a reasonable and objectively verifiable explanation related to circumstances in the applicant’s country of nationality or former habitual residence for the applicant’s inability to obtain any identity documents, a statutory declaration made by the applicant attesting to their identity, accompanied by
  • (i)a statutory declaration attesting to the applicant’s identity made by a person who, before the applicant’s entry into Canada, knew the applicant, a family member of the applicant or the applicant’s father, mother, brother, sister, grandfather or grandmother, or
  • (ii)a statutory declaration attesting to the applicant’s identity made by an official of an organization representing nationals of the applicant’s country of nationality or former habitual residence.

Alternative documents

(2)A document submitted under subsection (1) shall be accepted in lieu of a document described in any of paragraphs 50(1)(a) to (h) if

  • (a)in the case of an identity document, the identity document
  • (i)is genuine,
  • (ii)identifies the applicant, and
  • (iii)constitutes credible evidence of the applicant’s identity; and
  • (b)in the case of a statutory declaration, the declaration
  • (i)is consistent with any information previously provided by the applicant to the Department or the Board, and
  • (ii)constitutes credible evidence of the applicant’s identity.
Amendment History (1)
  • SOR/2004-167, s. 49; SOR/2011-126, s. 1

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