When people search for “apply for asylum to Canada online”, they often mean one of two things:

1. Starting an in-Canada refugee claim online through the IRCC Portal (you are already inside Canada), or
2. Finishing the online steps after you started a claim with CBSA at the border and were instructed to complete your claim online.

This guide explains both pathways, step-by-step, with the practical details that matter most: deadlines, the BOC, uploads, and what happens after submission.

Important: A refugee claim is a legal process. Errors or contradictions in your online record can create credibility problems later at the IRB hearing.

Quick Summary (At-a-Glance) – 60 seconds

What “online asylum” means in Canada

“Online asylum” usually means submitting a refugee claim through the IRCC Portal from inside Canada, or completing online steps after a CBSA-started claim.

Who can use the IRCC Portal

You may use the IRCC Portal if you:

1. are inside Canada and want to start an in-Canada refugee claim online, or
2. started your claim with CBSA at a port of entry and were told to complete your claim online.

What to prepare before you start

Have clear electronic copies (scans/photos) of:

1. Basis of Claim (BOC) form (for inland claims; for border claims, the BOC is submitted to the IRB by deadline),
2. your passport/travel/ID documents (if you have them),
3. Use of a Representative form (only if you use a representative),
4. any key supporting evidence you already have (optional but often helpful).

The process in 10 steps (overview)

1. Confirm which pathway applies (inland start vs CBSA continue).
2. Prepare identity documents and your BOC (or BOC plan + deadline calendar).
3. Create your IRCC Portal account (invitation code by email).
4. Choose “Start a new claim” or “Continue a CBSA claim.”
5. Add family members (if they are claiming with you).
6. Complete the questionnaire carefully (names, dates, travel history, addresses).
7. Upload required documents and verify file quality.
8. Review for consistency and completeness.
9. Electronically sign and submit.
10. Save your confirmation + PDF copy, then watch for next-step messages.

The two deadlines that cause the most trouble

1. Inland claims: once you start the online application, you have up to 90 days to complete it, or you must start over.
2. Port-of-entry claims: there are 45-day deadlines that may apply to both the BOC and the online portal application (follow the exact instructions and deadlines you received).

Important clarity: “online asylum” is not a claim from outside Canada

You generally cannot use the IRCC Portal to “apply for asylum” while you are outside Canada.

1. Refugee claims are made in Canada (inland) or at a Canadian port of entry.
2. If you are outside Canada, you may have other protection pathways (for example, resettlement or sponsorship programs), but those are not the same as an in-Canada refugee claim.

Who can start or complete a refugee claim online

Starting a new in-Canada claim (inland)

If you are already inside Canada, IRCC directs most claimants to submit the refugee claim through the IRCC Portal.

Completing a claim started with CBSA at the border

If you started your claim at the border and CBSA instructed you to complete your claim online, you will use the IRCC Portal to finish the online steps.

You may need: information from your refugee documents (for example, your application number starting with “L,” your UCI, and your date of birth) to link your claim correctly.

Family members

You can generally use one Portal account to submit claims for family members who are claiming with you, but each person’s claim is still recorded separately and must be completed carefully.

Documents to prepare before you open the Portal

1) Basis of Claim (BOC) form

The BOC is one of the most important documents in the refugee process.

1. Inland claims: you will typically upload a completed BOC as part of the online submission package.
2. Port-of-entry claims: you must send the BOC directly to the IRB by the deadline (commonly within 45 days of referral).

Practical rule: Your BOC must remain consistent with everything else: online portal answers, any border interview details, prior visa applications, and your later IRB testimony.

2) Identity and travel documents

Prepare clear copies of:

1. passport(s), travel document(s), national ID cards, birth certificates,
2. marriage/divorce documents (if relevant),
3. proof of lawful status in other countries (if relevant).

If you do not have a passport/ID, you must explain why (loss, seizure, inability to obtain safely, etc.) in a consistent way.

3) Use of a Representative form

If you use a representative, you must upload the appropriate signed form.

Two different scenarios:

1. Your representative helps you, but you submit your own claim (you still sign and submit in your own account).
2. An authorized representative submits the claim on your behalf (they must use the correct representative portal/account and follow the client attestation steps required by the system).

4) Supporting evidence (what helps most)

Evidence is case-specific, but commonly helpful categories include:

1. police or medical records (if safe and available),
2. threats, summons, warrants, or communications,
3. screenshots/photos with context (what, when, who, how you obtained them),
4. proof of political, religious, or social group involvement,
5. witness letters (with contact details and how the witness knows the facts),
6. country condition evidence (carefully selected to match your facts).

Don’t overload the Portal with irrelevant documents. Upload what is clear, real, and directly supports your narrative.

Step-by-step: how the IRCC Portal process works

Step 1: Create your IRCC Portal account (invitation code)

To create an IRCC Portal account, you typically enter your email and receive an invitation code by email. You then use that code to sign up.

Practical tips:

1. Use an email you control and will keep long-term.
2. Keep access to that email; the Portal may send login verification codes.
3. Avoid using an email that belongs to a friend or “helper.”

Step 2: Choose “Start a new claim” vs “Continue a CBSA claim”

Inside the Portal, you’ll choose the option that matches your situation:

1. Start a new claim (inland), or
2. Continue a claim made to CBSA (border claim instructed to continue online).

If you are continuing a CBSA claim, you may be asked to confirm details exactly as shown on your refugee documents (application number/UCI/DOB).

Step 3: Complete the online questionnaire carefully

This is where many claims get delayed. Be extremely careful with:

1. spelling of names (match passports exactly),
2. dates of birth, marriages, divorces,
3. travel history (countries, dates, routes),
4. past addresses (avoid gaps),
5. work/school history,
6. prior applications to Canada or other countries.

If you don’t know an exact date: follow the portal/guide instruction (estimate when allowed) and upload one short explanation document listing all estimated dates and why.

Step 4: Upload documents and validate file quality

Before you click submit:

1. confirm every page is legible,
2. confirm you uploaded the right document to the right field,
3. confirm translations are included where required,
4. confirm each family member’s documents are in the correct application.

File issues are common. Some portal fields have strict size limits. If you need to compress files, do it carefully and keep the original scan.

Step 5: Electronically sign and submit (what submission legally means)

When you submit, you are confirming the information is truthful and complete to the best of your knowledge.

Key point: Portal answers become a legal record. In refugee proceedings, contradictions are often treated as credibility problems.

Step 6: Save your submission PDF and confirmation messages

Immediately save:

1. the confirmation message(s) in your portal account, and
2. the PDF copy of what you submitted.

Best practice: keep 3 backups (cloud + USB + email to yourself).

After you submit online: what happens next

Acknowledgement of claim, documents, and next instructions

After submission, you may receive official documents confirming your claim and instructions for next steps.

Depending on your pathway (inland vs border) and where you are in processing, you may receive documents such as:

1. an acknowledgement/confirmation document,
2. and/or a refugee claimant identity document.

Always follow the instructions in your own file—not general internet advice.

Biometrics and interview/appointment scheduling

IRCC or CBSA may contact you for:

1. biometrics (fingerprints and photo), and/or
2. an interview or appointment.

Do not miss scheduled steps. If you cannot attend, reschedule properly and keep proof.

Eligibility decision and referral to the IRB (RPD)

A refugee claim must be found eligible before it is referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) for a hearing at the Refugee Protection Division (RPD).

Deadlines and the BOC time limit (port of entry vs inland)

Deadlines differ depending on how you started the claim:

If you claimed at a port of entry:

1. BOC to IRB: commonly within 45 days after referral.
2. Portal application (if required): commonly within 45 days if you were instructed to complete it.

If you claimed from inside Canada (inland):

1. Portal completion: you have up to 90 days from when you start the online application to submit it, or you must start over.

Important: You may see a technical “90-day” system window for drafts, but you must always respect the legal or procedural deadline that applies to your pathway (often the shorter one).

If you can’t submit online (accessibility or exceptional situations)

Paper-submission exemption request

IRCC publishes a process to request permission to submit an inland refugee claim on paper in certain accessibility or exceptional situations.

The published process starts by emailing: IRCC.RefugeePortalExemption-ExemptionPortailRefugies.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

In your email, explain clearly why you cannot submit online and what accessibility barrier exists.

Practical options if you lack internet or equipment

Before requesting a paper exemption, consider:

1. a public library (internet + scanning/printing),
2. trusted community organizations that support refugee claimants,
3. paid representation (if you choose) to help you complete the online steps.

Security caution: if you use a public computer, log out fully, do not save passwords, and remove downloaded PDFs from the computer.

Common mistakes that delay or weaken online claims

1. Starting too early without your documents ready (then rushing and making errors).
2. BOC inconsistencies (BOC doesn’t match portal answers, prior applications, or later testimony).
3. Unreadable uploads or missing pages (especially identity documents).
4. Missing translations or missing translator declarations.
5. Mixing family members’ documents in the wrong application.
6. Not saving proof of submission (later you can’t prove what was sent).
7. Overloading the portal with irrelevant or repetitive documents.
8. Leaving timeline gaps (addresses, work, travel) with no explanation.
9. Using copied text that doesn’t reflect your real voice or facts (credibility risk).
10. Not updating contact information (missed messages can lead to serious consequences).

Do I need a consultant?

You are allowed to represent yourself. Many people still choose professional help because refugee claims are high-stakes, credibility-based, and deadline-driven.

A qualified representative can help you:

1. build a clear and consistent legal theory that fits your facts,
2. prepare the BOC and narrative so it is complete and credible,
3. package evidence with a clear chain of relevance,
4. meet deadlines and avoid technical mistakes,
5. prepare for eligibility interviews and the IRB hearing.

Depending on your needs and the proceeding, representation may be provided by an immigration consultant RCIC-IRB / immigration lawyer, as applicable.

What to do today: a practical checklist

1. Confirm your pathway: Start inland online vs Continue a CBSA claim online.
2. Create a secure file system (one folder per family member).
3. Build a clear timeline (dates, locations, events, and fear today).
4. Scan identity documents and key evidence (clear + complete pages).
5. Plan translation early (no software translation).
6. Save everything you submit (PDF + confirmation messages).
7. If you want professional help, book it before you submit—fixing mistakes later is harder.

Related LMRT asylum guides (internal links)

1. Asylum in Canada (Complete Guide): https://lmrtimmigration.com/asylum-canada/
2. Claim refugee status from inside Canada: https://lmrtimmigration.com/asylum-canada/claim-refugee-status-from-inside-canada/
3. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) exceptions: https://lmrtimmigration.com/safe-third-country-agreement-exceptions-canada/

Sources (official guidance)

1. IRCC: Start a claim online (in Canada): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/asylum/in-canada/start-online.html
2. IRCC: If you are asked to complete your claim online (border): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/asylum/border/continue-online.html
3. IRCC: Paper-submission exemption request: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/protection/apply-paper.html
4. IRCC: Guide 0174 (Inland claims through the IRCC Portal): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0174-inland-refugee-claims-portal.html
5. IRCC: Guide 0192 (CBSA claims through the IRCC Portal): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0192-cbsa-refugee-claims-ircc-portal.html
6. IRB: Step 1 (deadlines overview): https://irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/applying-refugee-protection/pages/crp-step-1.aspx
7. IRB: Step 2 (send your BOC): https://irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/applying-refugee-protection/pages/crp-step-2.aspx
8. IRB: Step 5 (evidence + translations): https://irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/applying-refugee-protection/Pages/crp-step-5.aspx