Forms, documents and procedural compliance
Translations or certified copies do not meet IRCC requirements
Not a statutory bar. It affects whether the officer is satisfied, and better evidence can change that.
What this means
Supporting evidence in a language other than English or French is uploaded without the required translation package or with an unacceptable translator.
Why it matters to the officer
IRCC states that, unless otherwise instructed, documents not in English or French must be accompanied by an English/French translation, an affidavit from the translator, and a certified photocopy of the original document.
What the officer compares
Who translated the document, affidavit, certified copy, completeness of translation and whether names/numbers match the original.
How to strengthen a new application
Use a qualified translator and follow the current IRCC rules for the application type. Translate stamps/annotations that are material to the document where needed.
Common mistakes
Applicant/family member translating their own document; translating only selected lines; missing affidavit or certified copy where required.
- Applicant/family member translating their own document
- translating only selected lines
- missing affidavit or certified copy where required
Illustrative exampleA strong property or civil-status record has little value if the officer cannot properly rely on the untranslated original.
Before you apply again
IRCC now sends the officer’s decision note with most temporary-resident refusals since 29 July 2025, so check what came with your refusal first. The decision note or GCMS notes guide explains the difference, and the decoder explains the codes in them.
Scope noteIRCC does not publish an official ranked list of refusal reasons. This is a research-based classification of the legal grounds and evidence weaknesses that recur in real refusals. A weak itinerary or a new job is not itself a statutory ground — it affects whether the officer is satisfied under IRPR 179(b). This page is general information, not legal advice.
Where this comes from
Drawn from the Government of Canada’s published law and guidance. Check us against these pages:
Questions about this refusal
Not sure this is why you were refused?
Check first whether IRCC sent you the officer’s decision note with the refusal. For the fuller record, we can request your GCMS notes for you, or you can request them yourself, free, subject to what IRCC withholds.
Have us request them for youDo it yourself or let us do it?
