How to Update Your Address, Email or Phone Number on an Active IRCC Application
Update the mailing address, residential address, email or phone number linked to an active IRCC immigration, citizenship, PR card or temporary residence application. Learn when to use the IRCC contact-information tool, web form or portal and how long updates may take to appear.
CA Canada
Immigration & Travel ~ 10 min read
14 FAQ
Updated 2026-08-27
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If you have an active IRCC application and your address, email or phone number changes, tell Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as soon as possible. For a mailing or residential address, use IRCC's contact-information or Change of Address instructions because the correct route depends on the application type and where you applied. For a new email address or phone number, most applicants use the IRCC web form. If you applied for a visitor visa, super visa or Canadian passport through the IRCC Portal - New version, you can update contact information directly in that account. IRCC says updated contact information can take up to 2 weeks to appear in services that display it, so continue checking your old address, email and phone where possible until the change is confirmed.
What you need
- You should have an active IRCC application in progress when updating the contact information attached to that application.
- Know what type of application you submitted, such as citizenship, permanent residence, PR card, visitor visa, work permit, study permit or another temporary residence application.
- For an address change, know whether you applied inside Canada, outside Canada or through another route because IRCC uses different instructions for different application types.
- For the IRCC web form, have your application number and Unique Client Identifier when available.
- For a phone-number change submitted through the web form, include both the old and new phone numbers.
- For an email change, provide the new email address through the route specified by IRCC for your application.
- Continue checking your old contact information where possible until IRCC has completed the update.
Eligibility
This procedure is for people who already submitted an immigration, citizenship, permanent residence, PR card or temporary residence application to IRCC and need to change the contact details attached to that active file.
IRCC requires applicants to keep mailing and residential addresses, email addresses and phone numbers current. The exact update method depends on what changed, the application type, where the application was submitted and, in some cases, which IRCC portal was used.
If you used the IRCC Portal - New version to apply for a visitor visa, super visa or Canadian passport, IRCC currently allows you to update your contact information directly in that account. Other applicants may need the Change of Address service, contact-information tool or IRCC web form.
How to do it
- Confirm that your IRCC application is still active and identify the application type.
- Decide which information changed: mailing or residential address, email address, phone number, or more than one of these.
- If your address changed, use IRCC's official contact-information page or Change of Address tool and answer the questions about your application type and where you submitted it.
- If your email address changed, use the IRCC web form unless IRCC gives a different route for your specific application or you used the IRCC Portal - New version for a supported application.
- If your phone number changed, use the IRCC web form and include both your old and new phone numbers in the request unless special instructions apply to your immigration program.
- If you used the IRCC Portal - New version for a visitor visa, super visa or Canadian passport, update your contact information directly in that portal.
- Enter your application number and UCI when the web form asks for them.
- Submit the update and keep the acknowledgement or confirmation for your records.
- Continue checking your old mailing address, email and phone where possible because IRCC may still use the old information while the update is being processed.
- Allow up to 2 weeks for the new contact information to appear in online services that display updated details.
Why should you update your IRCC contact information quickly?
IRCC requires applicants to keep their address, email and phone number up to date while an application is in progress.
If IRCC does not have your current contact details, important correspondence can be delayed or lost. IRCC warns that an application can also be affected if you miss a request and fail to respond.
If you are already in Canada, IRCC may contact you to verify documents or confirm that you are following the conditions of your stay. Missing that request because your contact information is outdated can affect your current status, your document or future applications.
Start with IRCC's contact information update page.
Which IRCC applications can you update?
IRCC provides contact-update instructions for active files including:
- citizenship applications;
- permanent residence applications;
- permanent resident card applications;
- temporary residence applications such as visitor visas, study permits and work permits;
- pre-removal risk assessment applications;
- other immigration applications handled by IRCC.
The correct route is not identical for every file. For an address change in particular, IRCC asks what you applied for and where you submitted the application before directing you to the appropriate service.
How do you change your mailing or residential address?
Use IRCC's Change or update your address tool.
The tool asks questions about your application, such as whether it concerns citizenship, permanent residence, a PR card, pre-removal risk assessment or another application. It may also ask where the application was submitted.
If none of the options fit your situation or the address tool does not work, IRCC says you can use the IRCC web form to update the address.
How do you update your email address?
For most active applications, IRCC instructs applicants to use its web form when the email address changes.
Continue checking the old email account if you still have access. IRCC may try to contact you using the old address before the update reaches the processing system.
Use the official contact-information page because some permanent residence pathways have special instructions.
How do you update your phone number?
IRCC currently directs applicants to use the web form when a phone number changes.
In the request, include both your old and new phone numbers.
As with email and mailing addresses, continue monitoring the old number where possible until the update is complete.
Can you change contact information directly in your IRCC account?
It depends on the portal you used.
If you used the IRCC Portal - New version to apply for a visitor visa, super visa or Canadian passport, IRCC says you can update your contact information directly in the account.
For many other applications, changing information in the account used to submit the application is not the approved update method. Use the specific IRCC contact-information instructions instead.
Can you change the email used to sign in to the Permanent Residence Portal?
No. IRCC says you cannot change the email address used to sign in to an existing Permanent Residence Portal account.
If you already submitted the permanent residence application, however, you can ask IRCC to send application updates to a new email address by using the web form.
If you have not submitted the application yet, IRCC says you can create a new Permanent Residence Portal account using the new email address.
See IRCC's Permanent Residence Portal email guidance.
What information do you need for the IRCC web form?
If you have an application in progress, have your:
- application number;
- Unique Client Identifier, commonly called a UCI;
- application type;
- current contact information;
- new contact information;
- old and new phone numbers when changing a phone number.
The IRCC web form includes an option to Update your application.
For temporary residence applications, IRCC says to select Temporary Residence when the file concerns an eTA, visitor visa, work permit, study permit or visitor record.
Do some permanent residence programs use different instructions?
Yes. IRCC publishes special instructions for certain permanent residence pathways.
For example, some pilot applicants whose program is not listed in the web form must select Permanent residence and then Federal skilled worker, choose the processing-location answer specified by IRCC and identify the actual pilot in the request.
Other special pathways may require a specific code in the web form or direct contact using an IRCC email address identified on the official contact-information page.
Because these instructions can change, check the current IRCC program-specific contact instructions before sending the update.
Is changing your contact information the same as updating your application?
No. IRCC separates contact-information changes from changes to the facts in your application.
A new address, email or phone number follows the contact-information procedure. Other changes may need to be reported through the application-update process, including:
- marriage, separation or divorce;
- the birth or adoption of a child;
- a new passport;
- a legal name change;
- significant changes in health;
- new criminal charges or convictions;
- changes that may affect your eligibility.
For these changes, follow IRCC's application information update instructions.
How long does an IRCC address, email or phone update take?
IRCC states that it can take up to 2 weeks for the new mailing address, email or phone number to appear in online services that show updated contact information.
This does not mean every application account will display the new information. IRCC specifically notes that you generally will not see the updated contact details in the account originally used to apply online unless you used the IRCC Portal - New version for a supported application such as a visitor visa or super visa.
What should you do while the update is being processed?
Keep monitoring the old contact information if you can.
IRCC may still:
- mail correspondence to the old address;
- send a message to the old email address;
- try the previous phone number.
Do not assume that submitting the change instantly redirects every message already generated by IRCC.
How can you check whether IRCC updated your information?
Whether you can see the change depends on the service.
IRCC says an updated mailing address may appear in:
- the Address Notification service where applicable;
- the Change of Address service;
- the IRCC Portal - New version for supported applications.
Updated email or phone information may be visible in the IRCC Portal - New version when that portal was used for the supported application.
If you cannot see the change in your original online account, that does not necessarily mean IRCC failed to update the application.
What can happen if you do not update IRCC?
Outdated contact details can create more than an inconvenience. IRCC warns that important documents may be delayed or lost and an application may be refused or considered abandoned if required communication is missed.
If IRCC contacts you to verify your immigration documents or conditions and you cannot respond because the contact information is outdated, the consequences can also extend to your current status or future applications.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Changing an address in the CRA account and assuming IRCC will receive it automatically.
- Using only the online application account when IRCC directs your application type to the web form or Change of Address service.
- Forgetting to include the old phone number when reporting a new number through the web form.
- Assuming the login email for an existing Permanent Residence Portal account can be changed after submission.
- Stopping access to the old email or mailing address immediately when you could still monitor it.
- Sending repeated web forms simply because the update does not appear immediately.
- Using the contact-information process for a marriage, new child, new passport or another substantive application change that must be reported separately.
IRCC contact information update checklist
- Confirm that your application is still active.
- Identify the application type and where it was submitted.
- For an address change, follow IRCC's Change of Address instructions.
- For an email change, use the web form unless a portal or program-specific instruction applies.
- For a phone change, include both the old and new numbers.
- Have your application number and UCI ready.
- If you used the IRCC Portal - New version for a supported application, check whether you can update the details directly.
- Follow any special permanent residence pathway instructions.
- Keep the confirmation that your request was submitted.
- Continue monitoring the old contact details where possible.
- Allow up to 2 weeks for the change to appear in supported online services.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change my address on an active IRCC application?
Use IRCC's Change or update your address tool. The correct method depends on the application type and where you submitted it. If the tool does not cover your situation, IRCC says you can use the web form.
How do I change my email address with IRCC after applying?
Most applicants should use the IRCC web form to report a new email address. If you used the IRCC Portal - New version for a supported application, you may be able to change the contact information directly in the portal.
How do I update my phone number with IRCC?
Use the IRCC web form and include both your old and new phone numbers in the request, unless IRCC publishes a special instruction for your specific permanent residence pathway.
How long does IRCC take to update contact information?
IRCC says it can take up to 2 weeks for a new mailing address, email or phone number to appear in online services that display updated contact information.
Do I have to pay to change my address or email with IRCC?
IRCC does not list a fee for updating contact information linked to an active application.
Can I change my IRCC contact information in my online account?
It depends on the portal. If you used the IRCC Portal - New version to apply for a visitor visa, super visa or Canadian passport, you can update contact information directly there. Other applications may require the address tool or web form.
Can I change the email used to sign in to my Permanent Residence Portal account?
No. IRCC says the sign-in email for an existing Permanent Residence Portal account cannot be changed. After submitting the PR application, you can use the web form to have application updates sent to a new email address.
What information do I need for the IRCC web form?
For an application in progress, have your application number, UCI, application type and the contact information you need to change. For a phone-number update, include both the old and new numbers.
Can I use the IRCC web form to change my address?
Yes in situations where IRCC directs you to the web form, including when the Change of Address options do not fit your case or the tool is not working.
Should I keep checking my old email after telling IRCC about a new one?
Yes. IRCC specifically advises applicants to keep checking the old email until the update is completed because it may still try to contact you there.
Will my updated contact details appear in the account I used to apply?
Not necessarily. IRCC says updated information generally will not appear in the account originally used to apply online, except in supported services such as the IRCC Portal - New version.
What happens if I forget to update my address with IRCC?
IRCC warns that important documents can be delayed or lost. Missing required correspondence can also result in an application being refused or considered abandoned.
Do I use the same process to report marriage or a new child?
No. A marriage, separation, divorce, new child, new passport or another substantive change to your application follows IRCC's application-information update procedure rather than only the contact-information process.
Does changing my address with the CRA also update IRCC?
No. Government departments maintain separate records. Update the contact information linked to your IRCC application directly through the method IRCC specifies.
Official sources
Update your contact informationChange or update your email or mailing addressIRCC web formUpdate your application informationCan I change the email address for my Permanent Residence Portal accountContact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaRelated procedures
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