Entire File from IRCC and CBSA

Requesting the Entire File for immigration, student, visitor or work visa includes every single document related to your Canadian visa application. It will include all the documents submitted by you or your lawyer to support your visa application. It will also include a copy of your GCMS Notes.

Requesting the Entire File (also referred to as the physical file) does not have any impact on the processing of your visa application.

Requesting the entire file may not be suitable for all applicants. If you find yourself in the following circumstances then you should consider obtaining your file;

• You are reapplying for a visa and want to ensure consistency and accuracy with the previous application
• You need a copy of the IELTS, CELPIP or TEF certificate that was mailed to IRCC
• You need copies of employment references that were sent to IRCC
• You need copies of documents that were submitted with your application

Document Retention Policy – Pursuant to IRCC’s policy regarding the retention and disposal of information, in general, Entire File related documents are disposed off 2 years after IRCC’s last administrative action. If it has been more than 2 years since IRCC notified you of a visa refusal then do not order the Entire File, IRCC may have destroyed those documents (Depending on the application, visa office and method of submission, some applications are uploaded into IRCC’s system and IRCC therefore may have access to these records beyond the 2 years).

Requesting the Entire File may take longer than GCMS Notes