1. Gather documents and prepare before entering Canada

When you arrive at an official (POE) in Canada, a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer interviews you to decide if you're eligible to make a claim. You must show original documents to prove your identity. These can include your:

passport or travel document
birth certificate and identity cards
baptismal record
school certificate
political or social organization's membership card

Also bring documents that prove your relationship to your dependent children and . For example, a marriage certificate if you're married, and birth certificates or proof of legal parentage for your children

You do not need to show all the other documents that support your refugee claim to the eligibility interview.

Try to get legal advice before your eligibility interview if:

any of your identity or travel documents that you used to travel to Canada are false, or
you do not have any identity documents

If you arrived using a false passport, you will be asked questions about this and expected to prove your real identity.

Arriving from the United States

If you're in the U.S. and you want to make a refugee claim Canada, different rules apply. Read Can I make a refugee claim in Canada if I'm coming from the U.S.

Translations

Documents not in English or French must be properly translated, preferably by a certified translator.

If the translation is not from a certified translator, you also need:

an affidavit from the translator, and
a certified photocopy of the original document.

The translator cannot be you, your family member, or your representative.