How to Send Documents to the IRB Properly: My Case, Email Rules, PDFs, and Deadlines

The IRB has specific rules about how documents must be formatted, filed, and disclosed before a hearing. Filing documents incorrectly or late can result in them being excluded. This guide explains the IRB's current document submission rules in plain language.

This resource explains how to file documents with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada — including the use of the IRB's 'My Case' online portal, email filing rules, PDF requirements, pagination requirements, the disclosure deadline (typically 20 days before a hearing), and what happens if documents are filed late. It also covers how to serve documents on the other parties in a case.

IRB hearings are formal legal proceedings with strict procedural rules. Documents that are filed incorrectly, not paginated, missing a document disclosure sheet, or submitted after the deadline may be excluded by the RPD member. Claimants who file country condition evidence or personal documents incorrectly risk having that evidence unavailable at their hearing. Understanding the procedural rules for document filing is as important as having the right evidence.

• The IRB's primary online filing system for refugee claimants is 'My Case' — claimants can file documents, receive notices, and track their hearing through this platform
• The disclosure deadline for most RPD hearings is 20 days before the scheduled hearing — documents received after this deadline may require leave from the board member to be admitted
• Documents must be in PDF format for electronic filing — each PDF should be paginated (page numbers added) and should include a disclosure sheet (IRB Form 2)
• Country condition documentation (National Documentation Packages published by the IRB) does not need to be disclosed separately — the IRB uses its own NDP and it is considered part of the evidentiary record
• Personal documents must be disclosed with page numbers and a table of contents — the disclosure sheet must identify each document in the package