If you have a baby after receiving your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) but before landing in Canada, you must halt your travel immediately. You must return the COPR to IRCC and add the newborn to your sponsorship file. The government fee to add a dependent child is $180 CAD.
Receiving your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your Canadian immigrant visa is one of the most joyous moments in a newcomer’s life. However, if your family composition changes between the day the COPR is printed and the day you actually land at a Canadian airport, you face a critical legal hurdle. The most common scenario is the birth of a child. Many applicants mistakenly assume they can simply fly to Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal on a tourist visa for the baby, land as a Permanent Resident, and sort out the baby’s paperwork later. This is a severe violation of Canadian immigration law.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, your family composition must be 100% accurate at the exact moment you land in Canada. If you arrive with an undeclared newborn, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer will cancel your COPR on the spot and deny your permanent residency 👶. Worse yet, if you somehow manage to enter without declaring the child, you will face a lifetime ban on ever sponsoring that baby in the future under Regulation 117(9)(d). To prevent this nightmare, it is strongly advised to consult an immigration lawyer from our directory . In this guide, we will outline the exact steps required to legally add your newborn to your finalized IRCC application.
Step-by-Step Process in Canada
Adding a child to an already approved application requires undoing the final step of the process. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) must physically cancel your current documents and issue new ones that include the infant.
Step 1: Do Not Travel to Canada
The absolute most important step is to cancel any booked flights 🛫. Do not attempt to cross the Canadian border. Your current COPR is legally invalid the moment the child is born because your family size has officially changed. Even if the baby’s other parent is a Canadian citizen, you cannot proceed with your own landing until the paperwork is formally updated. Contact your airline and explain that you are awaiting updated immigration documents.
Step 2: Notify IRCC Immediately via Webform
You must inform IRCC about the birth of the child as soon as possible. Use the official IRCC Webform to send a message to the specific visa office handling your file (e.g., the visa office in London, New Delhi, or Sydney, Nova Scotia) . In the message, clearly state your application number, your Unique Client Identifier (UCI), and the fact that you have had a baby. Request formal instructions on how to add the newborn as an accompanying dependent to your spousal sponsorship application.
Step 3: Return the Original COPR and Visa
Once the visa office processes your webform, they will send you an official email instructing you to mail back your physical COPR document and your passport containing the unused immigrant visa. You must return these documents exactly as instructed. It feels terrifying to mail back your approved PR documents, but it is a mandatory legal step. IRCC must physically destroy the old COPR before they can generate a new one.
Step 4: Submitting the Newborn’s Documents
IRCC will provide a checklist of documents required for the baby 📑. You will need to obtain the child’s official birth certificate and apply for their passport in their home country. You must also pay the $180 CAD dependent child processing fee online and submit the receipt. Furthermore, the baby will need to undergo a mandatory Canadian immigration medical examination. Fortunately, infants are generally exempt from providing biometrics (fingerprints) and police certificates.
Step 5: Waiting for the New COPR Documents
After you submit the baby’s passport, medical results, and updated IMM 0008 (Generic Application Form for Canada), the visa office will recalculate your family size . The sponsor in Canada must also meet the financial requirements for the larger family size, though standard spousal sponsorships generally do not have a strict Minimum Necessary Income (MNI). Once approved, IRCC will print a new COPR for you and issue a brand-new COPR for the baby. Only then can you safely book your flight to Canada.
| Action | Consequence at Canadian Border | Legal Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Travelling with undeclared baby | CBSA will refuse your entry as a PR. | Your COPR is cancelled; you must start over. |
| Leaving baby behind and landing alone | You become a PR, but baby is undeclared. | Lifetime ban on sponsoring the baby (Regulation 117(9)(d)). |
| Returning COPR to IRCC | N/A (You stay in your home country). | IRCC issues new documents legally including the child. |
How Much Does it Cost in Canada?
Adding a dependent child is relatively inexpensive in terms of government fees, but you must account for the logistical costs.
- IRCC Child Processing Fee: The mandatory fee to add a dependent child to your PR application is $180 CAD.
- Medical Exam Fees: The cost of the baby’s immigration medical exam is paid directly to the Panel Physician and usually ranges from $100 to $250 CAD, depending on the country.
- Lawyer Fees: If you are terrified of making a mistake and hire an immigration lawyer to handle the Webform and document return, expect to pay between $1,000 and $2,000 CAD for this specific intervention.
How Long Does the Process Take?
Returning your documents and waiting for IRCC to process the baby’s file will undoubtedly delay your move to Canada ⌛. Generally, obtaining the baby’s passport and completing the medical exam takes 1 to 2 months. Once IRCC receives all the new documents, it typically takes them 2 to 4 months to issue the updated COPRs and visas. In total, expect your travel plans to be delayed by approximately 3 to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is my baby automatically a Canadian citizen?
A baby born abroad is automatically a Canadian citizen if at least one parent was born or naturalized in Canada. Additionally, under Bill C-3 (which took effect on December 15, 2025), a Canadian parent who was themselves born abroad can automatically transmit citizenship to their child born abroad, provided that parent can demonstrate a “substantial connection” to Canada by accumulating at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada prior to the child’s birth. If the parent is only a Permanent Resident or does not meet these criteria, the baby is not a citizen at birth and must be sponsored as a PR.
Can I bring the baby on a tourist visa and apply from inside Canada?
No. If you hold a COPR and attempt to enter Canada, you are doing so to become a Permanent Resident. If your family composition is incorrect at that moment, CBSA will not allow you to land, and the baby’s tourist visa will not solve the legal issue of an undeclared dependent.
What if my COPR expires while I am waiting for the baby’s passport?
This is exactly why you must notify IRCC immediately. When you return the original COPR, IRCC will eventually issue new documents. The new COPR will typically have a new expiration date aligned with your baby’s medical exam validity.
Do I have to redo my own medical exam?
Usually, no. However, if the process of adding the baby takes so long that your own medical exam expires (they are valid for 12 months), IRCC may ask you to undergo a new medical exam before issuing the updated COPRs.
Will IRCC refuse to add the baby?
As long as the child is legally yours, passes the medical exam, and you provide all requested documents, IRCC will almost certainly approve the addition. The only risk is if you fail to follow their exact instructions for returning the old documents.
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