Update IRCC Contact Information After Moving or Changing Email

• Use IRCC’s Change or Update Your Email or Mailing Address service for many address changes, but the correct route depends on your application type and where you applied.
• Email and phone number changes generally go through the IRCC web form, while some visitor visa and super visa applicants can update details directly in the IRCC Portal – New version.
• Keep checking your old contact details until IRCC updates your file. It can take up to 2 weeks for new information to appear in some online services.

What to do when your IRCC contact information changes

If you have an active Canadian immigration or citizenship application and you move, change your email address, or get a new phone number, update IRCC as soon as possible. The correct process depends on what information changed, what type of application you submitted, and where you applied.

IRCC warns that outdated contact information can delay or even put an application at risk if important documents or requests do not reach you. A change of address is handled differently from a change of email or phone number in many cases, so using the right route matters.

These instructions apply to applicants in Canada, the United States, and other countries. The United States is treated as a separate submission location in some IRCC tools, so choose your actual application details rather than simply selecting the country where you live today.

Start with the official IRCC contact-update service

For a mailing or residential address change, begin with IRCC’s official address service. It asks questions about your application type, submission location, and application method before directing you to the appropriate process.

Open IRCC’s Change or Update Your Email or Mailing Address service ↗

You generally only need to update an address when you have an active application in progress. If you have already become a permanent resident and are providing an address for your first PR card, that may be a different process from changing the address on an application still being processed.

Which information changed?

What changed	Usual IRCC route	Important reminder
Mailing or residential address	IRCC Change or Update Your Email or Mailing Address service	The route varies by application type and submission location.
Email address	IRCC web form, with limited portal exceptions	Keep checking the old email until IRCC confirms or reflects the change.
Phone number	IRCC web form	Include both the old and new phone numbers.

How to change your address on an IRCC application

Open the Change or Update Your Email or Mailing Address service and answer each question about your application. You may be asked whether you applied for citizenship, permanent residence, a PR card, pre-removal risk assessment, or another type of application.

1. Select the application category that matches the file you want to update.
2. Choose where you submitted the application, such as Canada, the United States, or another country.
3. Identify whether the application was submitted online or on paper when the tool asks.
4. Enter the new mailing or residential address exactly as it should appear in IRCC’s records.
5. Save any confirmation or reference information provided after submitting the update.

If the options do not match your situation or the tool does not work, IRCC directs applicants to use the web form to update an address. Do not mail a simple contact-information change to IRCC; the department says mailed updates may not be acknowledged or entered into the application.

How to update your email address or phone number

For most applications, use the IRCC web form and select the option to update an application. The form asks for identifying information such as your application number and Unique Client Identifier, or UCI.

In the request, clearly label the change and include enough information for IRCC to match it to your file. For an email update, provide the old email address and the new email address. For a phone update, provide the old and new phone numbers, including country and area codes where relevant.

A practical message can be short and direct:

• Full name as shown on the application
• Date of birth
• UCI and application number
• Application type
• Old contact information
• New contact information
• Date the change took effect

Do not use the web form to send unrelated changes without explaining them. A change in marital status, a new passport, a new child, or a change that could affect eligibility may require additional information or documents.

When you can update details directly in the IRCC Portal

There is one important portal exception. If you used the IRCC Portal – New version to apply for a visitor visa, super visa, or Canadian passport, you may be able to update contact information directly in that account.

This does not mean every online application can be edited from the account used to apply. IRCC uses several different accounts and portals, and the account used for one application may not display contact fields for another. If you applied through a different IRCC account, applied on paper, or cannot find the relevant option, use the route shown by the official contact-update service or web form.

What to prepare before submitting the update

Having your records nearby makes the process easier and reduces the chance of a matching problem. Prepare:

• Your UCI and application number
• The name and date of birth used on the application
• Your old and new address, email address, or phone number
• The date the change took effect
• Any confirmation emails or letters connected to the application
• Representative details, if an immigration representative manages the file

Use the same spelling and date format shown in your IRCC correspondence. If a representative submitted the application, coordinate with them before sending a duplicate request so both of you do not create conflicting updates.

What happens after you submit a contact change?

The web form provides an acknowledgement of receipt after submission. That confirms IRCC received the request; it does not necessarily mean the new information has already been entered into your application.

IRCC says it can take up to 2 weeks for updated contact details to appear in some online services. Also, the account used to apply online may not show the new information unless you used the IRCC Portal – New version for an eligible visitor visa or super visa application.

Until the change appears or IRCC otherwise confirms it, keep monitoring:

• Your old email account, if you can still access it
• Your old phone number, if it remains active
• Your previous mailing address or mail-forwarding service
• Your IRCC account, portal, and application-status service

For status checks, use the official IRCC status service or the account connected to your application. Status tools can show messages and progress, but they may not display every contact-information change immediately.

Check your IRCC application status ↗

Common mistakes to avoid

Using the wrong application category

The web form has separate selections for temporary residence, permanent residence, citizenship, PR cards, and other services. For example, IRCC says temporary residence should be selected for applications such as visitor visas, study permits, work permits, visitor records, and eTAs. Choosing a similar but incorrect category can make the request harder to route.

Assuming an online application updates automatically

Submitting an application online does not always mean your address, email, or phone number can be edited in the account. IRCC specifically says email and phone changes generally go through the web form, with limited portal exceptions.

Stopping checks of the old information too soon

IRCC may still use the old email, phone number, or address while the change is being processed. Continue checking old contact points where possible, especially if you are expecting a medical, biometrics, passport, interview, or document request.

Sending the update by regular mail

For ordinary contact-information changes, IRCC says not to mail the update. Use the official online route instead and keep the acknowledgement of receipt for your records.

The safest next step

If your address changed, use IRCC’s address service first. If your email or phone number changed, submit an update through the IRCC web form unless your eligible IRCC Portal – New version account provides a direct editing option. Record the submission confirmation, keep monitoring your old contact details, and allow time for the update to appear before assuming the change is complete.

Helpful Links

• IRCC contact information update instructions – Read IRCC’s current instructions for changing an address, email address, or phone number.
• IRCC Change or Update Your Email or Mailing Address service – Answer application-specific questions and find the correct address-update route.
• IRCC web form – Submit an online request to update an email address, phone number, or application information.
• IRCC application status service – Check available application messages and status information after submitting an update.
• IRCC Portal – New version – Sign in if you used the newer portal for an eligible visitor visa, super visa, or passport application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do I need to update IRCC if I only moved but my email and phone number stayed the same?

A. Yes, update the mailing or residential address connected to your active application. IRCC may send important documents by mail, and the correct process depends on your application type and where you submitted it.

Q. Can I change my IRCC email address from the account I used to apply?

A. Usually not. IRCC generally directs applicants to use the web form for email changes. A direct account update may be available only when you used the IRCC Portal – New version for an eligible visitor visa, super visa, or passport application.

Q. How long should I keep checking my old email or address?

A. Keep checking the old contact information until IRCC updates your file. IRCC says some online services can take up to 2 weeks to show the new details, and the department may still use the old information during that period.

Q. Should I send a contact-information change by mail as well as online?

A. No. IRCC says not to mail changes to contact or application information because mailed requests may not be acknowledged or updated. Use the official address service or web form instead.

Q. What if I cannot find my application number or UCI?

A. Check your IRCC acknowledgement letter, email, account, or application documents. The web form includes guidance for finding these numbers, and applicants should use the details associated with the application being updated.