Practice Notice: Exchange of documents through Canada Post Connect to the Refugee Appeal Division

​​​​​​June 15, 2020

Effective June 15, 2020, the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) will allow the exchange (i.e. receiving and ​sending) of documents electronically using Canada Post Connect.

This change in practice is being carried out in accordance with the RAD's rules (Refugee Appeal Division Rules), which permit documents to be exchanged by electronic means when allowed by the Division.

This practice notice provides important information regarding the submission of electronic documents from parties to the RAD. Please review it carefully before using Connect.

Who can send documents using Connect

This practice notice applies to all parties to a RAD proceeding including appellants, counsels, immigration consultants, designated representatives, the Canada Border Services Agency and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Use of Connect is voluntary. Clients and counsel continue to have the option of providing all documents to the RAD by one of the accepted ways set out in the Division's Rules.

What cannot be done using Connect

General inquiries, or other requests submitted in the body of a Connect message will not be accepted.

The IRB Connect account cannot be used by parties to provide documents to the Minister, where required under the Divisions' Rules. Please contact the Canada Border Services Agency or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada directly to obtain their contact information and accepted methods of delivery.

Documents that can be submitted to the RAD using Connect

Any document may be submitted electronically to the RAD using Connect, including:

  • RAD forms 
  • Applications
  • Written submissions 

Instructions for submitting documents by Connect

Registration Process

To begin the Connect registration process, you must first complete the registration form and submit it to the corresponding regional office. Counsel who have registered to submit documents to the RPD using Connect do not need to register. Counsel can use the already-existing conversation they have with the RPD to submit documents to the RAD.

Once your completed form is received, the IRB will contact you through a secure Connect conversation and you will be able to submit documents to the RAD. If you do not have an Connect account, you will be asked to register on the Canada Post website.

Do not wait until a document is due before completing the IRB's online form. The various time limits set out in the Division's Rules continue to apply. For this reason, please initiate your request for a secure connection no later than two business days prior to the date on which the document that you wish to submit electronically is due. If you are not able to do so, you should provide the document in one of the accepted ways set out in the Division's Rules and not through Connect.

Submitting documents through secure Connect conversations

You may submit documents related to RAD cases located in the same region using the same secure conversation. When submitting a document to the IRB through Connect, the message box may be left blank.

Please submit all documents in the form of a PDF attachment.  Please see the Instructions on how to submit documents through Connect to the RAD using Connect for more details on requirements for document submission.

Application of RAD rules

In order to expand the use of electronic communication with the RAD removes (waives) the requirement in the rules for signatures on documents and RAD forms submitted in support of an appeal. For example, the RAD will not require appellant’s records to be signed nor will it require a signed affidavit or statutory declaration to accompany an application under Rule 37. In addition, multiple copies of documents do not need to be submitted where required in the Rules.

However, all other All RAD rules (Refugee Appeal Division Rules) continue to apply when using Connect.

When is a document received if submitted through Connect

A document provided electronically to the RPD is considered to be received by the RAD at the date and time it is recorded as sent in Connect.

How to get help

If you are having technical problems with Connect, please contact Canada Post’s support service at 1-877-376-1212.

If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact the RAD regional email addresses:

Western Region: IRB.RAD-W-O-SAR.CISR@irb-cisr.gc.ca

Central Region: IRB.RAD-C-SAR.CISR@irb-cisr.gc.ca

Eastern Region: IRB.RAD-E-SAR.CISR@irb-cisr.gc.ca

Signed on June 12, 2020

Signed by Paula Thompson
Deputy Chairperson, RAD