IRCC forms explained: which IMM form does what
Every Canadian immigration application is a set of numbered IRCC forms, and the numbers are the language the whole system speaks: IMM 5257 for a visitor visa, IMM 1344 to sponsor a partner, IMM 5444 to renew a PR card. This page is the reference: what each common form is for, who has to complete and sign it, the version and validation rules that get whole packages returned, and links to our detailed guides on the forms that cause the most trouble.
Key takeaways
IRCC forms are numbered, versioned and validated. The table below maps every common IMM and CIT form to its purpose and who signs. The four rules: current version only, from canada.ca, validated barcode page, every signature and date. Missing a family member's copy is the most common reason a package is returned.
- Download only from canada.ca; superseded versions are returned unprocessed.
- Open fillable PDFs in Adobe Reader and press validate; the barcode page is part of the form.
- Every adult on a PR application completes their own IMM 5406 and IMM 5669.
- Sponsorship needs both signatures on IMM 1344 and IMM 5532.
- A representative goes on IMM 5476; a common-law relationship needs IMM 5409; a PR card needs IMM 5444.
The forms, by number
| Form | Title | Used for | Who completes it / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMM 5257 | Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) | Visitor visa from outside Canada | Fillable; validate for the barcode |
| IMM 5645 | Family Information | Most temporary applications (visitor, study, work) from abroad | One per applicant 18+ |
| IMM 5406 | Additional Family Information | Permanent residence applications | One each for principal, spouse and dependants 18+ |
| IMM 5669 | Schedule A, Background/Declaration | Permanent residence; 10-year personal history, addresses, memberships | No gaps of a month or more; one each for adults |
| IMM 0008 | Generic Application Form for Canada | Most permanent residence applications | Principal applicant; dependants listed |
| IMM 0008 Schedule 3 | Economic classes, Federal Skilled Worker (paper) | Legacy; Express Entry replaces it online | Rarely used now |
| IMM 1344 | Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking | All family sponsorships | Signed by sponsor and sponsored person |
| IMM 5532 | Relationship Information and Sponsorship Evaluation | Spousal, common-law and conjugal sponsorship | Both partners; the relationship narrative lives here |
| IMM 5481 | Sponsorship Evaluation | Sponsoring a dependent child (when no income test applies) | Sponsor |
| IMM 5768 | Financial Evaluation for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship | PGP sponsorship | Sponsor and co-signer |
| IMM 5409 | Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union | Common-law partners in any application | Sworn before a commissioner or notary; see the IMM 5409 guide |
| IMM 5476 | Use of a Representative | Any application with a paid or unpaid representative | Both parties sign; see the IMM 5476 guide |
| IMM 5475 | Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual | Letting a person receive information without acting for you | Applicant signs |
| IMM 5562 | Supplementary Information, Your Travels | Permanent residence; travel history in the last 10 years | Principal, spouse and dependants 18+ |
| IMM 5444 | Application for a Permanent Resident Card or Permanent Resident Travel Document | PR card renewal, replacement, first card not received, PRTD | See the PR card renewal guide |
| IMM 5710 | Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker | Work permit extensions and changes from inside Canada | Fillable; validate |
| IMM 5709 | Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student | Study permit extensions from inside Canada | Fillable; validate |
| IMM 5708 | Application to Change Conditions or Extend My Stay in Canada as a Visitor or Temporary Resident Permit Holder | Visitor records and restoration | See the visitor record guide |
| IMM 1295 | Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada | Work permits from abroad | Fillable; validate |
| IMM 1294 | Application for Study Permit Made Outside of Canada | Study permits from abroad | Fillable; validate |
| IMM 5707 | Family Information (for study and work permit applications made inside Canada) | In-Canada permit applications | One per applicant 18+ |
| IMM 5257 Schedule 1 | Application for a Temporary Resident Visa, additional questions | When the main form flags military, government or criminal history | As required |
| IMM 5604 | Declaration from Non-Accompanying Parent/Guardian for Minors Immigrating to Canada | A child immigrating without one parent | Signed by the non-accompanying parent |
| IMM 5533 | Document Checklist, Spouse (Including Dependent Children) | Spousal sponsorship | The list of everything above, in order |
| IMM 5589 | Document Checklist, Common-law Partner (Including Dependent Children) | Common-law sponsorship | As above |
| IMM 5488 | Document Checklist, Application for a Study Permit | Study permits | |
| IMM 5488 / 5556 | Document Checklists, Work Permit | Work permits | |
| CIT 0002 | Application for Canadian Citizenship, Adults | Citizenship grant, 18 and over | Citizenship forms use the CIT prefix |
| CIT 0003 | Application for Canadian Citizenship, Minors | Citizenship grant, under 18 | |
| CIT 0001 | Application for a Citizenship Certificate (Proof of Citizenship) | Proof of citizenship, including by descent | See the citizenship certificate guide |
| CIT 0407 | Physical Presence Calculator / Residence Calculation | Citizenship grant | The online calculator printout is required |
How IRCC forms work
Three things about the forms surprise first-time applicants. First, they are versioned: the code at the foot of each page (for example “IMM 5257 (04-2025) E”) identifies the edition, IRCC retires editions without much notice, and an application on a retired edition is returned. Second, most are fillable PDFs with a validation step: you complete the form in Adobe Reader, press the validate button, and the form generates a page of barcodes that encodes your answers; IRCC scans the barcodes, so a form printed without them, or completed in a browser that cannot run the script, is incomplete. Third, forms are per person: on a permanent residence application the principal applicant, the spouse and every dependant aged 18 or over each complete their own family information and background forms, and the most common reason a package comes back is that one copy is missing.
Online applications through the IRCC secure account and the permanent residence portal are replacing many PDFs with web questionnaires that ask the same questions; Express Entry, most work and study permits, and in-Canada spousal sponsorship are now largely online. The paper forms still govern the content, and several, IMM 5409, IMM 5476 and IMM 5604 among them, are uploaded as signed documents inside the online flow.
Which forms for which application
| Application | Core forms | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa from abroad | IMM 5257, IMM 5645, IMM 5257 Schedule 1 if flagged, IMM 5476 if represented | Visitor visa |
| Visitor record or restoration inside Canada | IMM 5708, IMM 5476 if represented | Visitor record |
| Work permit from abroad | IMM 1295, IMM 5645, IMM 5476 if represented | Work permits |
| Work permit extension inside Canada | IMM 5710, IMM 5707 | Maintained status |
| Study permit from abroad | IMM 1294, IMM 5645, IMM 5476 if represented | Study permits |
| Express Entry PR after an ITA | Online e-APR; IMM 5476 and IMM 5409 uploaded where they apply | After your ITA |
| Spousal or common-law sponsorship | IMM 1344, IMM 5532, IMM 0008, IMM 5669, IMM 5406, IMM 5562, IMM 5409 (common-law), IMM 5476, checklist IMM 5533 or 5589 | Spousal sponsorship document checklist |
| Parents and grandparents sponsorship | IMM 1344, IMM 5768, IMM 0008, IMM 5669, IMM 5406, IMM 5562 | Parents and grandparents |
| Provincial nominee PR (paper base stream) | IMM 0008, IMM 5669, IMM 5406, IMM 5562, nomination certificate | Provincial nominee programs |
| PR card renewal or replacement | IMM 5444, photos | PR card renewal |
| Permanent resident travel document | IMM 5444 (PRTD section) | PR card renewal |
| Citizenship grant, adult | CIT 0002, CIT 0407 physical presence calculation, photos | How to apply for citizenship |
| Citizenship certificate (proof) | CIT 0001 | Citizenship certificate |
The four forms that cause the most trouble
- IMM 5409, the common-law declaration. It must be sworn before a commissioner of oaths or notary, it must show 12 months of cohabitation to the date of signing, and both partners sign. Unsworn copies are returned.
- IMM 5476, use of a representative. Both the applicant and the representative sign and date; a paid representative must be licensed. Without it, IRCC writes to the applicant, and deadlines get missed.
- IMM 5669, background declaration. Ten years of addresses, education, employment and unemployment with no gap of a month or more, plus memberships and government service. Gaps are the top reason for a request for more information.
- IMM 5444, PR card. Used for renewals, replacements and PRTDs; the travel history section is compared with border records, and it must be filed from inside Canada for a card.
Completing IRCC forms without a return
- 01
Start from the program's canada.ca guide
It lists the exact forms and the current edition of each. Download from there, not from search results.
- 02
Use Adobe Reader and validate
Open the PDF in Adobe Reader, complete every field (write 'N/A' rather than leaving blanks), press validate and print the barcode page with the form.
- 03
One copy per adult
Family information and background forms are per person; check the checklist for who must complete each.
- 04
Names and dates exactly as the passport
Across every form. A name spelled two ways is a question you will be asked; a date of birth that differs is a return.
- 05
Sign and date in ink where required
Signatures, dates, and for IMM 5409 the commissioner's stamp. Unsigned forms are returned, not queried.
- 06
Assemble in checklist order and keep a copy
The checklist form (for example IMM 5533) goes on top. Photograph or scan the whole package before it leaves you.
Online does not mean simpler
Compliance note. Wild Mountain Immigration is a licensed RCIC practice (CICC R706497). Form numbers, editions and checklists are IRCC's and change without notice; confirm the current set on canada.ca before filing. This page is a reference, not a checklist for any specific application.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I download IRCC forms?
Only from canada.ca, on the application guide page for your program. Third-party sites host outdated versions, and IRCC returns applications filed on superseded forms. Most forms are fillable PDFs that must be opened in Adobe Reader, not a browser; the 'validate' button on many of them generates a barcode page that IRCC's system reads, and a form without it is treated as incomplete.
What is the difference between IMM 5257 and IMM 5645?
IMM 5257 is the Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) itself, the main form for a visitor visa from outside Canada. IMM 5645, Family Information, is a supporting form listing your spouse, parents, children and siblings; it accompanies most temporary applications. Both are usually required together for a TRV.
What is IMM 5406 and who fills it in?
IMM 5406, Additional Family Information, is the family form for permanent residence applications. The principal applicant, their spouse or partner, and every dependent child aged 18 or over each complete their own copy, listing parents, siblings and children. It is one of the forms most often returned because a family member's copy is missing.
What is IMM 1344?
IMM 1344 is the Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking, the sponsor's core form in a family sponsorship. The sponsor and the sponsored person both sign it: the sponsor undertakes to support the person for the undertaking period, and the sponsored person agrees to make efforts to support themselves. It is filed with the sponsor evaluation (IMM 5481 or IMM 5768) and the sponsored person's PR forms.
Which forms does a spousal sponsorship need?
Typically IMM 1344 (application to sponsor and undertaking), IMM 5532 (relationship information and sponsorship evaluation), IMM 0008 (generic application for permanent residence), IMM 5669 (schedule A, background and declaration), IMM 5406 (additional family information), IMM 5562 (supplementary travel information), IMM 5409 if common-law, IMM 5476 if a representative acts, and country-specific forms. IRCC's document checklist for the spousal class lists the exact set.
Why was my application returned as incomplete?
The common reasons: an outdated form version, a missing signature or date, a form not validated so the barcode page is absent, a family member's IMM 5406 or 5669 missing, a fee paid at the wrong amount, or photos that do not meet the specification. IRCC returns the whole package rather than asking for the missing item, which restarts the clock and, for Express Entry, can forfeit the invitation.
Can I fill IRCC forms by hand?
Some paper forms can be handwritten in block capitals, but fillable PDFs should be completed on screen so the barcode validates. Handwritten forms are more often misread and returned. Online applications through the IRCC portal replace many of these PDFs with web questionnaires, but the same content is required.
Does a consultant have to fill in the forms?
No. You can complete every form yourself. A licensed representative can complete them for you and must be declared on IMM 5476. What a representative cannot do is sign declarations that must be made by you personally, such as the statutory declaration of common-law union, and you remain responsible for the truth of every answer.
Want the forms assembled once, correctly?
A licensed RCIC completes and checks every form in the set, so the package is processed the first time it arrives.