Applicants for Canadian immigration or citizenship applications may withdraw their application at any time before a final decision is made. Whether a refund of fees is available depends on when the withdrawal is requested relative to when IRCC started processing the application. A full refund is generally available if processing has not yet started; a partial refund (of specific fee components, not the processing fee) is available if processing has begun. Refusal of an application does not entitle the applicant to a refund of processing fees. The right of permanent residence fee (RPRF) is refundable if the applicant has not yet completed the landing process. Eligible refunds take 2 to 8 weeks to be processed. IRCC may refuse a withdrawal request if the application has already been decided. This page explains the withdrawal and refund framework, which fees are and are not refundable, how to request a withdrawal, and the timing rules.

For the current withdrawal process, fee refund policy, and how to submit a withdrawal request, refer to the IRCC withdraw or cancel your application page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations — applications for permanent residence, temporary resident visas, and work/study permits are governed by IRPA and the IRPR; the Regulations specify fees payable for applications; the refund policy flows from the regulatory framework for fees and the operational policy on partial processing
• Citizenship Act — citizenship applications can be withdrawn; the Citizenship Act and IRCC's operational guidance set out the process for withdrawing a citizenship application, which may differ procedurally from immigration applications
• Treasury Board policy on fees — the refundability of government fees is governed by Treasury Board policy; the principle that a processing fee partially consumed by IRCC is not refundable reflects the cost-recovery nature of the fee
• IRCC: Withdraw or cancel your application — canada.ca/withdraw-application
• IRCC: Fees refund — ircc.canada.ca/fees/refund

When processing starts — the key threshold

Whether a full or partial refund is available depends on whether IRCC has started processing the application. IRCC considers processing to have started when it has determined the application is complete and begins substantive assessment. Processing ends when a final decision is made. The distinction matters because:

• Before processing starts: IRCC has not expended resources on the application — full refund available
• After processing starts but before a decision: IRCC has already expended processing resources — processing fee not refundable, but certain other fees may still be refundable
• After a decision is made: IRCC may refuse the withdrawal request entirely, as processing is complete

Full refund — before processing starts

If IRCC has not yet started processing the application:

• A full refund of all fees paid is generally available
• For online applications, IRCC typically issues the refund automatically to the original payment method without requiring a separate refund request from the applicant
• For paper applications or applications that require a manual refund request, the applicant may need to contact IRCC using the receipt number to request the refund

Partial refund — after processing starts

If IRCC has started processing the application, only some fees may be refunded:

• Processing fees: generally not refunded once processing has started — IRCC has used resources to assess the application and the processing fee covers that cost
• Right of permanent residence fee (RPRF): the RPRF (currently $500 CAD) is refundable if the applicant has not yet completed the landing process as a permanent resident; if the application is withdrawn or the principal applicant's application is refused before landing, the RPRF is returned; once landing is completed, the RPRF is not refundable
• Biometrics fee: the biometrics collection fee may be refundable in some circumstances; refer to the IRCC refund page for the current biometrics refund policy
• Sponsored dependant fees: fees paid for secondary applicants (dependants included in a PR application) may be partially refundable in some circumstances

Refusal — no processing fee refund

A refused application does not entitle the applicant to a refund of the processing fee:

• IRCC does not issue refunds of processing fees because an application was unsuccessful — the fee pays for the assessment process, not a particular outcome
• The RPRF, if paid, is refundable on refusal (before landing occurs)
• An applicant who reapplies after a refusal must pay the full processing fee again for the new application

How to request a withdrawal

The withdrawal process depends on how the application was submitted:

• Online applications (IRCC secure account): log in to the IRCC account and use the withdrawal option within the application; for most applications, the withdrawal request can be submitted directly through the account; IRCC may automatically process the eligible refund
• Applications in processing (web form): if IRCC started processing the application, submit the withdrawal request using the IRCC web form; IRCC will contact the applicant if more information is needed
• Citizenship applications: there is a specific process for withdrawing a citizenship application — see the IRCC citizenship withdrawal page
• Sponsorship applications: sponsorship applications have specific withdrawal rules — a sponsor may be able to withdraw but this may affect the associated sponsored person's application; refer to IRCC guidance on sponsorship withdrawal

Refund timeline

Eligible refunds take between 2 and 8 weeks to appear in the applicant's account or original payment method. If it has been more than 8 weeks and no refund has been received:

• Use the receipt number from the original fee payment to contact IRCC and enquire about the refund status
• IRCC's help centre provides guidance on how to follow up on a refund that has not arrived

Special situations

Some application types have distinct refund rules:

• Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): the eTA fee is non-refundable — there are no fees that can be refunded for an eTA
• Express Entry ITA — 60-day deadline: candidates who receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and choose not to submit the application have the 60-day window lapse naturally (the ITA expires); they do not need to formally withdraw
• Transferring fees to a new application: fees paid for one application cannot generally be transferred or applied to a different application; a new application requires new fees

The withdrawal and refund framework is practically relevant to applicants who need to change their plans mid-application — changing immigration programs, a change in personal circumstances, a change in the sponsor's situation, or a decision to postpone. The distinction between before and after processing starts is critical to refund expectations: applicants who withdraw very early (before the application completes IRCC's intake review) typically receive full refunds, while those who withdraw months into processing may only receive the RPRF back. The RPRF refund on refusal is frequently misunderstood — applicants who are refused their permanent residence application should ensure they request the RPRF back if it was paid but landing did not occur. The eTA non-refund rule is one of the few absolute non-refund rules and is worth noting for applicants who pay the eTA fee and then discover they did not need one. For current guidance on when IRCC considers processing to have started, the specific refundable fees for each application type, and how to submit a withdrawal request, refer to the IRCC withdraw or cancel your application page.