Certified copies are necessary in some circumstances when applying for renewal of your Permanent Resident Card. By using the authority of a particular profession you are guaranteeing that the copy that you have made of an original document has not been altered in any way and that you are not trying to defraud Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
CIC has recently been very diligent in uncovering immigration frauds, so it is very important that you follow their application instructions very closely so that you are not mistaken for a fraud.
Certified copies must have the following written on them. Make sure that the writing does not obscure any of the original text of the document.
- The words “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document” must be written on the photocopy by a person who can certify a document (see below).
- The name of the original document is to be written out on the photocopy.
- The official’s name, position, signature and date must also appear on the photocopy.
Below is a list of professions and titles of people who can create certified documents
| Chiropractor | Medical Doctor | Police |
| Commissioner of oaths | Member of a Provincial Legislature | Postmaster |
| Dentist | Member of parliament | Teacher or Professor |
| Funeral director | Minister of religion | Professional accountant |
| Justice of the peace | Municipal clerk | Professional engineer |
| Lawyer | Notary | Social worker |
| Manager of a financial institution | Pharmacist | Veterinarian |
An Official of an embassy, consulate or high commission who is allowed to certify documents in their own country can also sign certified copies.
This blog is a part of a series on how to renew your Permanent Resident Card and is related to an article about which documents are needed in order to complete you renewal application. Check back to Immigration Direct frequently for more information about the application process.
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