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- Review your Basis of Claim form, Notice to Appear, and all evidence already submitted.<\/li>\n
- Identify new, changed, missing, or unclear information and organize documents by issue and date.<\/li>\n
- Submit required documents no later than 10 days before the hearing, according to the IRB information supplied for this article.<\/li>\n
- Confirm your interpreter needs and report any interpretation problem immediately during the hearing.<\/li>\n
- Prepare your virtual setup, originals, copies, and hearing-day documents before the scheduled date.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
1. Review the record before gathering anything new<\/h2>\n
Start with the documents that already define your claim. Read your Basis of Claim form, Notice to Appear, previous submissions, letters from the IRB, and evidence you have already provided. The purpose is not to create a new version of your story. It is to understand what is already on the record and identify information that needs a careful, truthful explanation.<\/p>\n
Create a private timeline of important events. Include dates or approximate dates, locations, people involved, threats or harm, attempts to obtain protection, travel movements, and major changes since the claim was made. Mark any date you cannot remember precisely rather than filling the gap with a guess. If your recollection has changed, consider why, and obtain qualified advice before submitting an explanation or additional document.<\/p>\n
Compare the record with your current circumstances. Look for changed contact information, new identity documents, updated medical information, new communications, or events affecting family members. The IRB explains that supporting documents, including police, medical, and other material, may form part of the hearing record. Review the IRB\u2019s explanation of the refugee determination process<\/a> alongside your own file.<\/p>\n
2. Organize evidence by issue, source, and date<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\nA well-organized package helps you locate a document when it is relevant and explain what it is, where it came from, and how it relates to your claim. Avoid sending a large collection of files without an index or explanation. Each document should have a clear reason for being included, subject to the instructions that apply to your proceeding.<\/p>\n
A practical structure might include separate folders for:<\/p>\n
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- Identity and family:<\/strong> passports, identity records, civil-status documents, and documents concerning relatives involved in the claim.<\/li>\n
- Events and risk:<\/strong> police records, court documents, threats, messages, photographs, medical records, or other material connected to the events described.<\/li>\n
- Country information:<\/strong> relevant reports or other reliable information that helps explain conditions connected to your claim.<\/li>\n
- Witness material:<\/strong> statements, contact information, and documents showing a witness\u2019s connection to the facts, where appropriate.<\/li>\n
- Updates:<\/strong> evidence created or received after your original submission, with a short note explaining why it is new.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use a simple index with a document number, date, description, source, and the issue it supports. Keep file names consistent, such as \u201cD03 police report, 2024-05-18.\u201d If a document is not in English or French, do not assume an informal translation is sufficient. Translation, certification, and submission requirements can depend on the document and proceeding, so obtain appropriate advice when uncertain.<\/p>\n
The IRB provides a List of Claimant\u2019s Documents<\/a> to help claimants or counsel meet document-list requirements under the Refugee Protection Division Rules. Use the official form and current instructions that apply to your case rather than relying only on an online checklist.<\/p>\n
3. Treat the 10-day submission rule as a firm planning checkpoint<\/h2>\n
The supplied IRB information states that documents must be submitted no later than 10 days before the hearing. This includes police, medical, and other documents that support the claim. The deadline is not the same as the date you should begin preparing. Work backwards from the hearing date so you have time to collect records, arrange translations, review the package, prepare the document list, and deal with technical or delivery problems.<\/p>\n
Make a deadline plan with at least three dates: when you expect to have the evidence, when you will complete final review and submission, and the official 10-day checkpoint. Keep confirmation of the date and material submitted. If evidence becomes available after the usual deadline or you cannot meet it, ask for qualified advice about the procedure that applies to your circumstances and any explanation that should accompany a late document.<\/p>\n
Do not confuse the 10-day submission requirement with a rule that every claimant must submit identical evidence. Relevant material depends on the facts of the claim. Your goal is a complete, accurate, and properly organized record, not the largest possible file.<\/p>\n
4. Prepare to answer accurately and through an interpreter if needed<\/h2>\n
Good preparation helps you understand your evidence and remember the sequence of events. It should not involve memorizing a script. A memorized answer can sound unnatural, make it harder to respond to a differently worded question, and increase the risk of repeating an inaccurate detail.<\/p>\n
Practise explaining key events in your own words. Review names, places, relationships, dates, documents, and the reasons you did not or could not obtain certain evidence. If you do not know an answer, say so. If you are unsure of a date, explain that it is an estimate. Never invent a detail to make an answer appear complete.<\/p>\n
If you do not speak enough English or French for the hearing, the IRB states that you can have a free interpreter. The interpreter is neutral, and you should tell the RPD member if you cannot understand the interpreter or believe something is being interpreted incorrectly. Check the IRB\u2019s information about who will be at your hearing<\/a> before the hearing date.<\/p>\n
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- Confirm the language and dialect in which you can communicate most accurately.<\/li>\n
- Tell the decision-maker promptly if you cannot hear, understand, or follow an interpretation.<\/li>\n
- Ask for a question to be repeated if its meaning is unclear.<\/li>\n
- Answer the question asked, then pause so the interpreter can finish.<\/li>\n
- Correct a translation or misunderstanding immediately rather than waiting until later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Confirm whether your hearing is virtual and prepare the setup<\/h2>\n
RPD hearings are scheduled as virtual hearings by default, according to the IRB\u2019s virtual hearing guidance. Check your Notice to Appear and later communications carefully, because the instructions for your hearing control. Do not assume that a virtual hearing will work simply because your device can make an ordinary video call.<\/p>\n
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- A private location where you can hear and answer questions without interruptions.<\/li>\n
- A reliable internet connection and a charged device connected to power.<\/li>\n
- A working camera, microphone, speakers, and required hearing platform.<\/li>\n
- Access to your indexed documents without constantly switching away from the hearing.<\/li>\n
- A plan for privacy, childcare, transportation to a suitable location, and unexpected technical problems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you do not have a suitable device or private place, or another concern could affect your participation, the IRB says you may request to use IRB premises and equipment or request an in-person hearing. Read the IRB\u2019s virtual hearing guidance<\/a> and raise concerns as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
6. Use a hearing-day document checklist<\/h2>\n
Put your hearing-day documents in one clearly labelled folder, whether the hearing is virtual or in person. The IRB advises claimants to have the Basis of Claim form, Notice to Appear, originals, and a copy of evidence already sent to the RPD. The RPD member may want to see original documents.<\/p>\n
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\n \nDocument or item<\/th>\n Preparation check<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Basis of Claim form<\/td>\n Have the version submitted to the RPD available for reference.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Notice to Appear<\/td>\n Confirm the date, time, participation instructions, and contact details.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Submitted evidence<\/td>\n Keep an indexed electronic or paper copy matching your submission.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Original documents<\/td>\n Keep originals of evidence already sent accessible, as instructed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n New material<\/td>\n Do not assume it can be used automatically. Ask about the correct procedure first.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Technical and interpreter details<\/td>\n Keep hearing instructions and relevant contact information easy to find.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
- Events and risk:<\/strong> police records, court documents, threats, messages, photographs, medical records, or other material connected to the events described.<\/li>\n
- Identity and family:<\/strong> passports, identity records, civil-status documents, and documents concerning relatives involved in the claim.<\/li>\n