Replace your IMM1000 Record of Landing / COPR

Overview on replacing your Canadian immigration document

DOWNLOAD YOUR APPLICATION KIT HERE

 

Related Applications

• Replace your Citizenship Certificate
• Become a Canadian Citizen (Canadian Passport)
• Replace your PR Card
• Old Age Security

 

Step by Step guide to replacing your Record of Landing/COPR with Immigroup’s help

1. Download our application kit PDF
2. Fill out application
3. Make copies of the following documents
   • Copy of passport used at the time of landing
     If you do not have this passport, send a copy of your current valid passport. If you don’t have this move on to the next thing on this list 
   • Copy of driver’s license – front and back
   • Copy of Canadian Citizenship Card or Certificate (if applicable)
   • Copy of marriage certificate – If you have been married since landing in Canada you must provide a copy of your marriage certificate

   Tip: If you are missing documents (ex. passport), then make copies of any and all documents you may still have – this includes expired documents. Continue with this process and email or fax everything in for a review. Your Immigroup representative will contact you to solve this problem. For more information on lack of documents please click here.

4. Proof of Urgency (Regular processing can skip this step): You can request your application be classified as ‘urgent’ but the government has the right to accept or deny your request. Here are reasons for why an application would be classified as ‘urgent’:
   1. Job or finances related (example: avoid losing your job) – click here for example
   2. Education related (example: need it for student loan) – click here for example
   3. Death, illness, or medical reasons – click here for example
   4. Old age pension – click here for example

   When sending in your application, please write your reason for urgency and your representative will help you make your request clear and coherent. 
   Note: If your request for urgency is refused, Immigroup will only charge you for regular processing.

5. (Optional) Scan and email or fax your documents in for a quick review. EMAIL [email protected] or FAX 416-640-2650
6. Mail your completed kit to:
   1. Canada Post mailing: Immigroup P.O. BOX 27060 Masonville PO, London, Ontario, N5X 3WO*
   2. Other courier services: Immigroup 57 Westchester Drive, London, Ontario, N5G 2K6*
      *Your representative may give you a different address to send your application to
7. After Immigroup gets your completed kit, we will review it and complete your application and file it with the government. If we need addition documentation, we will contact you.
8. You will get a confirmation email once your application has been sent.
9. You can request a status update on the progress of your application 3-weeks after filling for urgent application and 5-months after filling regular applications.
10. Receive your document.

 

FAQ & Troubleshooting

 

Basic Overview Questions

 

What is a Verification of Status Document?

When any person comes to Canada for the first time as an immigrant (known as “landing”), they are given a paper document as proof of their immediate status, known as a Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residence depending on when the document was issued. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) form number for this document is IMM1000 or IMM5292/IMM5688 respectively.

In the past this document could be replaced with an original or certified true copy if it was lost. However, as of August 27, 2012 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada now issues what is known as a Verification of Status document. It has all of the same information, but takes much less time to be issued.

If you have lost your original or the certified true copy of your IMM1000, you may apply for a Verification of Status document as a replacement for proof of when you immigrated to Canada. If you do not have proof of when you arrived in Canada, you may be denied government benefits such as Old Age Pension, regardless of how long you have been a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

If you need proof of when you first entered Canada to live, work, or study, you can apply to obtain a Verification of Status document. Even people who were Canadian citizens at the time of entry, or people who never became permanent residents can obtain this document under most circumstances.

 

I lost or damaged my Record of Landing/COPR; can I get a replacement?

You cannot get a replacement Record of Landing but you can apply for a Verification of Status, which shows the same information and can be used almost the same way.

 

How can I get a replacement Record of Landing?

Almost any person who has entered Canada can apply for a Verification of Status document. If you landed in Canada as a permanent resident, you can get the VOS to replace your Record of Landing IMM1000 document. Any of these people can apply for the replacement of their status document in Canada:

• Current or former permanent residents of Canada
• Canadian citizens born outside Canada who eventually entered Canada to live
• Current or former temporary workers in Canada (work permit holders – IMM 1102 or IMM 1442)
• Current or former temporary students in Canada (study permit holders- IMM 1208 or IMM 1442)
• Current or former visitors to Canada (visitor visa holders IMM 1097 or IMM 1442).

You can apply to replace your IMM1000 from within Canada, or from any other country in the world, even if you no longer live in Canada. Previously applications made from outside Canada needed to be sent to the nearest Canadian consulate. But now, all applications should be made to the IRCC Operations Support Centre in Ottawa.

 

What information will be on the Verification of Status document? / What documents can I replace?

• Record of Landing or the date you landed in Canada (IMM 1000)
• Confirming of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688)
• Work Permit (IMM 1102 or IMM 1442)
• Study Permit (IMM 1208 or IMM 1442)
• Visitor Record (IMM 1102 or IMM 1442)
• Certificate of Departure (IMM 0056)
• Exclusion Order (IMM 1214)
• Deportation Order (IMM 1215)
• Permit to Come into Canada (IMM 1263)
• Authorization to Return to Canada (IMM 1203)
• Protected Persons status document.

 

Why do you need your Record of Landing/COPR?

The most common reason people need their Record of Landing document is to give it to Service Canada to get Old Age Pension. You must demonstrate that you worked in Canada for a minimum of 10 years in order to apply for the Old Age Pension. This is why people born in Canada need to provide a VOS (or their IMM 1000 or COPR) with their Old Age Pension application.

The Record of Landing is also a supporting document needed for a PR card renewal or Grant of Canadian Citizenship application. If you do not have a PR card, you must have a copy of your COPR (or Record of Landing or a VOS) to apply for Canadian citizenship. Also, if you are applying for a PR card, the COPR (Record of Landing) is the only secondary ID document you can use for an applicant who is under 16 years old because they do not have a driver’s license, university ID, or Notice of Assessment tax documents.

If you are returning to Canada from abroad through the land border crossing in the United States in a private vehicle, you can also present your COPR or Record of Landing to prove your permanent resident status in Canada if you do not have your PR card. This means you don’t have to go to the Canadian embassy to get a travel document in order to return to Canada.

 

Verification of Status Application Questions

 

What documents do you need to get your Verification of Status document?

To apply for a replacement of your IMM1000/COPR, you need copies of the following supporting documents:

• Copy of the ID page of the passport you used at the time of landing in Canada OR
• Copy of the ID page of your current passport AND
• Copy of your birth certificate (with translation if the document is not in French or English) AND
• Copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable) AND
• Copy of your Canadian citizenship certificate (if applicable) OR
• Copy of your PR card (if applicable).

If you are missing one or two of these documents, IRCC will usually still process your application. However, the reason the documents are missing needs to be explained to IRCC. You can also substitute other documents which are not on the list for your application to be processed.

 

What information can be amended on my Verification of Status document?

• Family name
• Given name(s)
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Country of birth
• Citizenship
• Sex
• Marital status
• Date or original entry
• Date of landing.

Please note: Only errors made by immigration officials will be corrected. If the information was recorded incorrectly because the same error was listed on your ID documents when you landed in Canada, no amendment will be issued.

The following information cannot be amended:

• Legal name changes
• Changes of name due to marriage / divorce.

 

Can my Record of Landing/COPR be amended even if there is an error on my passport?

You can apply to amend your Record of Landing to correct any inaccurate information such as your date of birth, name, or country of birth.

IRCC’s official stance is that you may not amend a Record of Landing if the mistake was present on the documents you used to enter Canada. For example, if you want to fix your date of birth, but the incorrect date of birth was printed on the passport you used to enter Canada when you landed, IRCC says they will not issue the amendment. In other words, IRCC will only correct the document if a mistake was made by immigration when producing the document, but not if the mistake was contained within your passport.

However, whether the amendment is issued or not depends heavily on the discretion of the officer reviewing the application. Many people who did have erroneous information on their passport have had their application for an amendment approved, contrary to what IRCC officially says.

How can you amend your Record of Landing even if your documents contained the mistake? Here are some tips:

1. Submit as many supporting documentation as possible. IRCC requires that you submit documents to support your application such as a copy of the passport you used at the time of your landing and ID documents issued before you came to Canada. The chances that your application will be approved are much higher the more documentation you submit. If you don’t have these documents, IRCC does not have much information to work with to allow them to see why your document should be corrected. So, if the original passport is missing, submit copies of all the other passports you have had since.
2.  Submit certified translations. IRCC requires that all documents that are not in French or English be accompanied by a certified translation. This includes birth certificates, hospital records, and ID documents. Do not submit translations that you or a family member has done as this will reflect poorly on your application and it may not be accepted at all as a result.
3. Submit a complete application. All applicants must include a copy of a current photo ID and a copy of their Record of Landing containing the mistake. Make sure to include these documents. If your original Record of Landing is missing, apply for a replacement before you apply for the amendment. If you don’t have a photo ID, go get one. Incomplete applications are much less likely to be approved, and IRCC may return the application to you without processing it, until you can provide the information.

The information that is on your Record of Landing is your official information in Canada. This means that if your true date of birth is November 1, 1950 but your Record of Landing says that your date of birth is November 1, 1960, the Canadian government will recognize your date of birth as November 1, 1960. This could cause you to lose out on valuable benefits such as your pension.

You owe it to yourself to make sure that your information on file with the government is accurate.

 

If I file for an amendment, am I risking my status in Canada?

An application for an amendment to your Record of Landing/COPR has no bearing on your immigration status in Canada even if the request is refused.

 

How can I get urgent processing for my verification of status?

• You are applying for your pension and Service Canada needs this document
• You need to travel because of death or illness
• Loss of employment or loss of income
• You need this document for school
• Other – a valid reason not listed above.

Whether your request for urgent processing is accepted or denied is completely up to the agent/department that reviews your file. To increase your odds, please have documents that support the reason behind your request of urgency.

If you are in danger of losing your job or government benefits because the information on your Record of Landing is not correct, you may request that the amendment of your Record of Landing application be processed urgently. In order to request urgency when filing, you must provide written proof from a government agency or your employer, which states that without a copy of your Record of Landing with correct information you will lose your benefits or employment.

 

How to apply for a Verification of Status document without ID’s or lack of ID’s

If you don’t have the necessary ID documents to apply for replacement of your certificate, you can use other documents as identification.

If you have one ID document but not two:

If you have a photo ID such as a passport or driver’s license, but do not have any other ID documents, include copies of as many of the following documents as possible:

• phone or utility bills showing your name
• SIN or Social Security card
• other Canadian or US government-issued ID
• employee ID card
• high school ID card
• private health insurance card
• blood donor card
• Certificate of Indian Status card
• diploma
• credit card
• voter registration document
• income tax return
• insurance policy
• membership card for any organization
• car ownership
• school records
• senior citizen’s card
• GST refund.

If you have only one or do not have any ID documents with a photo, you should provide as many of the above documents as you can, AND what’s called a Statutory Declaration.

This declaration contains several statements about your identity, an ID picture of you, and is sworn before a lawyer. The Statutory Declaration acts as your photo ID for a Canadian citizenship card application if you don’t have one. Statutory Declarations which do not contain a photo and cannot be used to support your citizenship certificate application. Contact us if you need help with your Statutory Declaration.

 

Do my copies need to be black and white or colour?

We need colour copies.

Tip: if you do not have a colour printer at home just print everything in black and white and mail the black and white copies to us. You can email us your documents in colour and we are happy to print it for you

 

Completing the Verification of Status Application

Here is an example of a completed application for a Verification of Status to replace a landing paper/record of landing/COPR. Click on the image for a bigger version.

Complete your personal details:

And then indicate the type of document you need to replace:

Explain why you need to replace it:

You need to provide any other names you’ve ever used (say, if you married):

You need to list your parents’ names for some reason:

Don’t forget to sign the declaration:

The application contains a document checklist that is helpful:

 

Traveling Questions

 

Can I use my Verification of Status document to enter Canada?

At this time, if you are a permanent resident of Canada, you may present your IMM1000 or COPR or Verification of Status document to the Canadian customs officer at land border entrances in the United States only. You must also be riding in a private vehicle and cannot be aboard any type of commercial vehicle, such as a bus or train. You cannot use your IMM1000 to enter Canada by plane and must present your PR card.

If you are a Canadian citizen, you should present your Canadian passport or other passport and Canadian citizenship certificate to the border officer when you enter Canada.

 

Can I apply for a Verification of Status for someone who is deceased?

Frequently people will apply for the IMM1000 of a parent or other family member who has died in order to obtain a passport or citizenship from another country from that parent. In order to get a replacement of the Record of Landing for someone who has passed away, you must be the executor of their estate with documentation to demonstrate this if the person has been deceased for fewer than 20 years. After a person has been deceased for 20 years, their Record of Landing becomes public record, and any person may apply for this document.

 

Immigroup’s Relationship With You

 

What can an Immigroup representative do for you?

Immigroup representatives will deal with the government on your behalf. Their job is to make sure they are filing a complete application and do as much of the work for you as possible.

 

How much experience does Immigroup have with Verification of Status documents?

We have been around since 2004 and have been replacing landing papers since 2007. We’ve done hundreds of landing paper/record of landing/COPR replacements in that time.

Getting your IMM1000 urgently for your pension

In order to receive an old age pension from the government of Canada, you must have worked inside Canada for 10 years. To prove that you have met this requirement, you must provide a copy of your IMM1000 to Service Canada with your pension application if you were not born in Canada. If you have been advised by Service Canada that your pension application will not be processed until you provide a copy of this document, you can request urgent processing from IRCC.

To get urgent processing, you must include a copy of a letter from Service Canada advising that your application for a pension will be closed or rejected within a certain time-frame if the copy of your IMM1000 is not provided. If your proof of urgency is accepted, your Verification of Status should be issued within 4 – 8 weeks; the regular processing time for a replacement Record of Landing is six months.

 

 

Cost and Processing Time

Urgent Processing	4 – 8 weeks	$450.37
Regular Processing	6 months	$253.75

 

Who can get a replacement Record of Landing / IMM1000 / Verification of Status document?

Almost any person who has ever entered Canada can apply for a Verification of Status document. If you landed in Canada as a permanent resident, you can get the VOS to replace your Record of Landing IMM1000 document. Any of these people can apply for the replacement of their status document in Canada:

• Current or former Permanent Residents of Canada
• Canadian citizens born outside Canada who eventually entered Canada to live
• Current or former Temporary Workers in Canada (work permit holders)
• Current or former Temporary Students in Canada (study permit holders)
• Current or former Visitors to Canada (visitor visa holders)

You can apply to replace your IMM1000 from within Canada, or from any other country in the world, even if you no longer live in Canada. Previously applications made from outside Canada needed to be sent to the nearest Canadian consulate. But now, all applications should be made to the IRCC Operations Support Centre in Ottawa.

Why do you need your Record of Landing IMM1000?

The most common reason people need their Record of Landing document is to give it to Service Canada to get Old Age Pension. You must demonstrate that you worked in Canada for a minimum of 10 years in order to apply for the Old Age Pension. This is why people born in Canada need to provide a VOS (or their IMM 1000 or COPR) with their Old Age Pension application.

The Record of Landing is also a supporting document needed for a PR card renewal or Grant of Canadian Citizenship application. If you do not have a PR card, you must have a copy of your COPR (or Record of Landing or a VOS) to apply for Canadian citizenship. Also, if you are applying for a PR card, the COPR (Record of Landing) is the only secondary ID document you can use for an applicant who is under 16 years old because they do not have a driver’s license, university ID, or Notice of Assessment tax documents.

If you are returning to Canada from abroad through the land border crossing in the United States in a private vehicle, you can also present your COPR or Record of Landing to prove your permanent resident status in Canada if you do not have your PR card. This means you don’t have to go to the Canadian embassy to get a travel document just to return to Canada.

Print Application

What documents do you need to get your Verification of Status?

To apply for a replacement of your IMM1000, you need copies of the following supporting documents:

• Copy of the ID page of the passport you used at the time of landing in Canada OR
• Copy of the ID page of your current passport AND
• Copy of your birth certificate (with translation if the document is not in French or English) AND
• Copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable) AND
• Copy of your Canadian citizenship certificate (if applicable) OR
• Copy of your PR card (if applicable)

If you are missing one or two of these documents, IRCC will usually still process your application. However, the reason the documents are missing needs to be explained. You can also substitute other documents which are not on the list for your application to be processed.

Using your COPR/IMM1000 to enter Canada

At this time, if you are a permanent resident of Canada, you may present your IMM1000 or COPR or Verification of Status document to the Canadian customs officer at LAND border entrances in the United States only. You must also be riding in a private vehicle and cannot be aboard any type of commercial vehicle such as a bus or train. You cannot use your IMM1000 to enter Canada by plane and must present your PR card.

If you are a Canadian citizen, you should present your Canadian passport or other passport and Canadian citizenship certificate to the border officer when you enter Canada.

Applying for a Verification of Status for someone who is deceased

Frequently people will apply for the IMM1000 of a parent or other family member who has died in order to obtain a passport or citizenship from another country from that parent. In order to get a replacement of the Record of Landing for someone who has passed away, you must be the executor of their estate with documentation to demonstrate this if the person has been deceased for fewer than 20 years. After a person has been deceased for 20 years, their Record of Landing becomes public record, and any person may apply for this document.

Urgent Processing.

If you are in danger of losing your job or government benefits because the information on your Record of Landing is not correct, you may request that your request to amend your Record of Landing application be processed urgently. In order to request urgency when filing, you must provide written proof from a government agency or your employer that unless you provide a copy of your Record of Landing with correct information, you will lose your benefits or employment.

 

What if I lost my Record of Landing?.

You cannot get a replacement Record of Landing but you can apply for a Verification of Status, which shows the same information, through us or through IRCC.

 

If I file for an amendment, am I risking my status in Canada?.

An application for an amendment to your Record of Landing has no bearing on your immigration status in Canada even if the request is refused.

 

What if I don’t have the passport I used when I landed?

If you no longer have the passport you used when you landed in Canada, this will have a negative effect on your request to amend your Record of Landing. You may still apply if you have the other documentation, however every request is at the discretion of the officer reviewing the application.

 

What if I don’t have any documents from my home country?.

If you do not have any documents issued from the time before you became a permanent resident of Canada, your application will likely be refused. You may attempt to replace these documents by contacting government agencies in your home country and any other countries where you resided prior to becoming a permanent resident of Canada before submitting your application.

Immigroup is able to help you acquire documentation from English-speaking countries. We may be able to help with acquiring documentation from other countries as well. Contact us to see if we can help!

 

Can my Record of Landing/COPR be amended even if there is an error on my passport?

You can apply to amend your Record of Landing to correct any inaccurate information such as your date of birth, name, or country of birth.

CIC’s official stance is that you may not amend a Record of Landing if the mistake was present on the documents you used to enter Canada. For example, if you want to fix your date of birth, but the incorrect date of birth was printed on the passport you used to enter Canada when you landed, CIC says they will not issue the amendment. In other words, CIC will only correct the document if a mistake was made by immigration when producing the document, but not if the mistake was contained within your passport.

However, whether or not the amendment is issued depends heavily on the discretion of the officer reviewing the application. Many people who did have erroneous information on their passport have had their application for an amendment approved, contrary to what IRCC officially says.

How can you amend your Record of Landing even if your documents contained the mistake? Here are some tips:

1. Submit as much supporting documentation as possible. CIC requires that you submit documents to support your application such as a copy of the passport you used at the time of your landing and ID documents issued before you came to Canada. The chances that your application will be approved are much higher the more documentation you submit. If you don’t have these documents, CIC does not have much information to work with to allow them to see why your document should be corrected. So, if the original passport is missing, submit copies of all the other passports you have had since.
2.  Submit certified translations. CIC requires that all documents that are not in French or English be accompanied by a certified translation. This includes birth certificates, hospital records, and ID documents. Do not submit translations that you or a family member has done as this will reflect poorly on your application, or they could not be accepted at all.
3. Submit a complete application. All applicants have to include a copy of a current photo ID and a copy of their Record of Landing containing the mistake. Make sure to include these documents. If your original Record of Landing is missing, apply for a replacement before you apply for the amendment. If you don’t have a photo ID, go get one. Incomplete applications are much less likely to be approved, and CIC may return the application to you without processing it until you can provide the information.

The information that is on your Record of Landing is your official information in Canada. This means that if your true date of birth is November 1, 1950 but your Record of Landing says that your date of birth is November 1, 1960, the Canadian government will recognize your date of birth as November 1, 1960. This could cause you to lose out on valuable benefits such as your pension.

You owe it to yourself to make sure that your information on file with the government is accurate.