Starting August 29, 2018, refugee protection claimants are being provided with a Confirmation of Referral by officers of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The Confirmation of Referral contains important information for claimants, including:
- the deadline for submission of the Basis of Claim Form (BOC Form),
- the special hearing date for abandonment (if
BOC Form not submitted on-time), and
- other important information regarding the processing of refugee protection claims.
The Confirmation of Referral does not include a hearing date. At a later date, refugee protection claimants will receive a Notice to Appear (NTA) from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) which will provide the date, time and location of the hearing. The
NTA is sent to claimants and their counsel at least 20 days before the hearing.
An updated Claimant's Kit is also available. It includes an updated Claimant's Guide and Important Instructions to reflect the new Confirmation of Referral process. The Important Instructions are available in 11 languages in addition to English and French.