2. Fill out the application form
The application form for a Pre-removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) is not available online. A Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer must give you a paper copy. There is no fee to apply.
Read the Guide and follow the instructions on the form.
All of your family members in Canada who are 18 years of age or older and who are also applying for a PRRA must complete their own separate application.
The application asks you for basic biographical information, your immigration history, and identity documents.
Your PRRA might not be accepted if you do things like:
- give information that is different from other information in your immigration file
- give information that is not true
- don’t give enough details
Check any previous applications to the IRB, IRCC, or CBSA, for example, a refugee claim, work permit, or visa application, to see what information you provided. If you made a mistake on a previous application, you should correct it and explain the mistake in your PRRA.
You should get legal advice for help fixing any mistakes or inconsistencies.
Check that your application is complete. Be sure to answer all the questions. If something doesn’t apply to you, don’t leave it blank. Instead, write “Not applicable” in the space.
Don’t leave any gaps in time. You will be asked to provide some information over a period of time, like your address or employment history. If you need more room to write, attach a blank sheet of paper and clearly mark it with your Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number, name, and birth date.
Do not guess. If you don’t know an exact date, give the information that you do know. For example, you could write the year or the year and the month and then write “exact date unknown”.
Explain your fears
The application also asks you to explain the reasons why you’re afraid to return to your country. Describe your fears in detail, including:
- what you fear will happen
- who you fear will harm you
- why you believe you are personally at risk
- how and why the risk you face is higher than the risk the rest of the people in your country face
- why the police in your country cannot protect you
- why you cannot live safely anywhere in your country
Family members
You must list all of your family members on the application, whether they live in Canada or outside of Canada. If you don’t list a family member on the form, they might not be able to stay in Canada with you. Also, you won’t be able to bring to Canada any family members you didn’t list. Exceptions to this rule are rare.
