Mistake on your COPR? How IRCC’s request to amend works and what it cannot fix

Update: the tracker is currently offline

Updated October 15, 2026. When we checked IRCC’s Application status tracker page on October 15, it said: “The Application status tracker isn’t available.” It added that IRCC is “still processing applications as usual” and that you “can still get updates in other ways”.

An IRCC briefing note dated May 28, 2026 says the tracker was taken offline on May 14, 2026 because of outdated information and possible security vulnerabilities. It says IRCC was giving “high priority to reactivate” it. Some news sites report a relaunch, but IRCC’s own page did not show one when we checked, so we do not treat it as confirmed.

While the tracker is offline, check your status in your IRCC secure account. IRCC says the account shows the status of applications you submitted in it and of applications you linked to it. The section statuses below describe the tracker when it is running.

The short answer

IRCC’s request to amend page says to use this package to fix mistakes on valid temporary resident documents, a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) or record of landing, or a protected person document. It says: “Any errors you want to fix must have been made by Canadian immigration officials when recording your personal information.”

You send the package by mail to the Operations Support Centre (OSC) in Ottawa. The package includes form IMM 1436. Form IMM 5476 is for use if you have a representative. The instruction guide is IMM 5218.

What the process can and cannot fix

IRCC’s Guide IMM 5218 says information is amended “only to correct errors made by Canadian immigration officials in recording the information you provided when you originally applied for or were issued the document”.

IRCC’s guide has a section called “Requirements for a name and or gender change”. IRCC gives no fee amount in the sources we used, so check the guide for the current fee.

What you get if IRCC approves

Guide IMM 5218 says: “If an administrative or clerical error was made by an immigration official, the amendment will be made in IRCC’s system of record and you will be issued a Verification of Status (VoS) free of charge.”

IRCC does not reprint your COPR. Instead, it says: “Please present the VoS document with your original RoL, CoPR, protected person document or other eligible document when you are asked to present your entry documents.” Keep the VoS and your original COPR together.

If your request is urgent

IRCC’s Help Centre answer says to “clearly mark URGENT on your mailing envelope” and to “include proof as to why urgent processing is required”. Without that, your request goes in the regular queue. IRCC also says to check the guide first to make sure the error can be corrected.

A wrong PR card is a different process

If the mistake is on your permanent resident (PR) card, this is not the route. IRCC lists “Request to reissue a permanent resident card bearing incorrect information” as its own application on its application forms and guides page. See our PR card guide.

What the IRCC pages we used do not cover

These pages do not cover errors you notice before you become a PR, for example at the portal stage, or errors on an Invitation to Apply (ITA) or an Express Entry profile. We do not guess about those cases. Use the IRCC web form for them. IRCC pages also list the supporting documents for a request. Open Guide IMM 5218 for that list and for the fee.

What this means for you

• An official recorded your information wrongly: IRCC says you can use the request to amend package. If it approves, you get a VoS free of charge.
• You gave the wrong information yourself: IRCC says this process does not fix it. Read our post on correcting a wrong answer to IRCC.
• You want a name or gender change on a document: the same form can be used, for a fee. Check Guide IMM 5218.
• The error is on your PR card: this is a separate application.

What to do next

1. Compare your COPR with the information you gave in your application. Decide whether the mistake came from an official’s recording or from your own answer.
2. Open Guide IMM 5218 and check that your error can be corrected.
3. Complete form IMM 1436 and the supporting documents the guide lists. Mail the package to the OSC in Ottawa.
4. If it is urgent, mark URGENT on the envelope and include proof.
5. If approved, keep the VoS with your original COPR.

If your case is complicated, see how to check a consultant’s licence.

Frequently asked questions

Will IRCC give me a new COPR?

No. IRCC says it issues a Verification of Status (VoS) free of charge. You present the VoS with your original COPR.

What if I made the mistake myself?

IRCC says information is amended only to correct errors made by Canadian immigration officials when recording what you provided.

Which form do I use?

Form IMM 1436 in the Request to Amend package, with instruction guide IMM 5218. Form IMM 5476 is for use with a representative.

Where do I send it?

By mail to the Operations Support Centre (OSC) in Ottawa.

Can I change my name or gender with this form?

IRCC says a name or gender change on certain documents can be requested with this form, for a fee. See the guide for the requirements.

Is a wrong PR card handled the same way?

No. IRCC lists reissuing a PR card with incorrect information as a separate application.

Sources

• IRCC: Request to amend a record of landing, COPR or valid temporary resident documents
• IRCC: Guide IMM 5218
• IRCC Help Centre: urgent amendment requests
• IRCC: Application forms and guides