IRCC sends a procedural fairness letter (PFL) when an officer has a specific concern that could lead to refusal or a finding of inadmissibility and is required to give you a chance to respond first. The most serious version alleges misrepresentation under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act: a document the officer believes is not genuine, employment the officer could not verify, an undisclosed refusal or family member, or an answer on a form that does not match the record. A misrepresentation finding makes you inadmissible to Canada for five years and applies to your accompanying family members as well.
PFLs also arise in other contexts: medical inadmissibility where the officer believes a condition would place excessive demand on health or social services, criminal inadmissibility based on a foreign conviction, concerns about the genuineness of a relationship or a job offer, and doubts about proof of funds or work experience. In every case the letter identifies the concern and sets a deadline, typically somewhere between seven and thirty days, and that deadline is where most people lose.
A strong response does two things. It puts the officer’s specific concern to rest with verifiable evidence, and it makes the legal argument that supports you: that the information was accurate, that any error was innocent and not material to the decision, or that the officer’s concern rests on a misunderstanding of the documents. We draft the submission, provide a checklist of documents and, where the deadline is genuinely too short, request an extension in writing so the response is complete rather than rushed.
Who this is for
- Applicants accused of misrepresentation over employment letters, education documents, bank statements or undisclosed information
- Families whose sponsorship or PR application has been questioned for genuineness or eligibility
- Applicants facing a medical inadmissibility concern based on excessive demand
- Workers and students whose employer, school or funds could not be verified by the visa office
What we do
- Read the PFL against your full application to identify exactly what the officer doubts and why
- Calculate the response deadline and, where necessary, request an extension immediately in writing
- Obtain third-party verification: employer confirmations, institutional letters, bank-issued statements, notarized or apostilled records
- Draft sworn statutory declarations from you and from witnesses who can confirm the facts
- Write the legal submission: materiality, innocent mistake, and the evidence that answers each point in the letter
How it works
- 1
Same-week assessment
Send us the PFL and your application the day you receive it. We identify the concern, confirm the deadline and tell you what evidence we will need from you.
- 2
Evidence gathering
We contact employers, institutions and banks for direct confirmations, collect original documents and prepare sworn declarations.
- 3
Submission drafting
We write a structured response that addresses each allegation with evidence and the applicable legal principles, and review it with you before filing.
- 4
Filing and follow-up
We submit through the correct channel before the deadline, confirm receipt, and monitor the file for the officer’s decision or further questions.