Got a passport request (PPR) on your PR application? What IRCC says happens next

Follow your own request

Follow the instructions in the passport request you received. IRCC’s passport submission page is written for applicants who submitted a temporary resident application online, so treat it as general context for PR, not a PR rule. That page says not to submit your passport until you receive a request, that you have 30 days after the request to submit it, and that each traveller must receive their own request. It does not give a PR timeline.

IRCC also says visa offices abroad process applications from applicants outside Canada for permanent residence and are not open to the public.

If IRCC approves: the COPR and visa

IRCC’s Express Entry approval page says that if your application is approved, IRCC mails you a COPR. It also mails a permanent resident visa if you are from a country that needs a visa.

• Check that the COPR is correct. It should be the same as the information on your passport.
• If there is a mistake, contact IRCC through your account. See our guide on fixing an error on your COPR.
• IRCC says it cannot extend your COPR, so travel to Canada before it expires.

These facts come from IRCC’s Express Entry pages. This guide does not extend them to every PR program.

What you need to land

For Express Entry applicants approved from outside Canada, IRCC’s outside Canada page lists what to have when you arrive:

• your valid passport or travel documents, which must be a regular, private citizen passport (not a diplomatic, government service or public affairs passport)
• your COPR and your permanent resident visa, if IRCC gave you one
• proof that you have the funds to support yourself and your family, unless you are exempt

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer checks that you enter Canada before or on the expiry date shown on your COPR.

If you get a new passport

IRCC lists “a new passport” as a change you must report while your application is open. Include proof of the change. Use IRCC’s web form to update your application, choose “No, I want to add the document(s) to support or complete my application,” explain what you are submitting and upload the proof. IRCC’s status page says you must submit a scanned copy of your new passport and not send changes by mail.

What IRCC does not say

On the pages used for this guide, IRCC does not say:

• how long it takes from passport request to COPR or visa
• that a passport request means your application is approved
• how and when a visa office returns your passport with the PR visa and COPR
• what happens if you miss the 30-day window on a PR application
• any special steps for a passport lost after it was sent

For these, follow your request letter and contact IRCC through your account. Do not rely on timelines from forums.

What this means for you

• You just received a passport request: read your letter or email and note the deadline it states.
• You are approved and hold a COPR: compare its details with your passport and plan travel before the expiry date.
• You got a new passport while waiting: report it with the web form and a scan.
• Your question is not answered here: ask a licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) or lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

Does a passport request mean my PR is approved?

IRCC does not say this on the pages used for this guide.

How long from passport request to COPR?

IRCC publishes no PR-specific timeline.

Can IRCC extend my COPR?

No. IRCC says it cannot extend a COPR.

How do I report a new passport?

Use IRCC’s web form and upload a scanned copy of the new passport. Do not send it by mail.

Sources

• IRCC: Where to submit your passport
• IRCC: Visa offices
• IRCC: If your Express Entry application is approved
• IRCC: Approved from outside Canada
• IRCC: Update your application
• IRCC: Check your application status

Facts as provided in our research brief dated October 23, 2026.