PFL — the Procedural Fairness Letter, and why it matters

You can ask IRCC for your own notes yourself, free. Or we can do it for you: Under-Process Application, ₹499C$29US$19, GST includedthe total we charge. See what is included.

Reply by the deadline in the letter. Do not wait for your notes before you reply. The law gives IRCC 30 days from receiving a request to reply, and lets it extend that by sending a notice.

What do IRCC's own rules say?

What does PFL mean for you?

A PFL is a warning before a decision. The officer has a concern and lets you answer it first.

It can be used when misrepresentation or a false document is suspected. That is why a PFL needs care.

The letter gives a deadline. A late reply, or a reply to a different question, can lead to a refusal.

If your notes show a PFL was sent and you never saw it, that matters. Check which email address was on your file.

Why do officers write PFL?

These situations can lead to it. The letter itself should tell you the officer's concern.

• Documents that could not be verified
• Information that contradicts an earlier application
• Suspected misrepresentation

How should you reply to the letter?

Answer the concern the letter names. These are general points, not a reply template.

• Reply before the deadline in the letter. Answer exactly the concern raised, nothing else
• Send documents that prove your answer, not explanations alone. Send originals only if the letter asks for them
• Do not wait for your GCMS notes before you reply. The notes can arrive after the deadline
• If the concern is misrepresentation, get legal advice before you reply

Can your GCMS notes help with the reply?

Your file is still in process. So there is no decision note yet. IRCC sends that note with a refusal.

Your GCMS notes can show what officers have recorded so far. GCMS is IRCC's case system. IRCC may hold back some lines.

Do not wait for your notes before you reply. The law gives IRCC 30 days from receiving a request to reply, and lets it extend that by sending a notice. Your letter's deadline may come first.

You can ask IRCC for your own records yourself. It is free, from anywhere in the world, under Canada's Privacy Act. Since 13 July 2022, that right is “extended to include all individuals outside Canada”. See how to do it yourself.

Or we can file the records request for you: Under-Process Application, ₹499C$29US$19, GST includedthe total we charge. Already have your notes? We can give you a plain-English written reading for ₹699C$39US$25, GST includedthe total we charge.

General information, not legal advice.Every file is different, and nothing here predicts the result of an application. We are not Canadian lawyers or RCICs. Our licence is from Punjab, India; it is not a Canadian licence. For a misrepresentation finding (A40), speak to a Canadian immigration lawyer or an RCIC first.