ATIP Request to IRCC — How to Order GCMS Notes Step by Step
Published · Last updated · Sources: IRCC and CBSA official pages, linked in the text · Reviewed by Morteza Idjadi, RCIC R708675
Every copy of "GCMS notes" in circulation was obtained the same way: an access to information and privacy (ATIP) request to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This is the reference guide to that request: which of the two laws to apply under, who may file directly and who needs a representative, the fee, what to write so the release actually contains the officer notes, the three ways to submit, the 30-day clock and how extensions work, what the release package looks like, and what to do when IRCC misses the deadline. The other guides on this site link here rather than repeat it.
Two laws, one form
IRCC releases records under two federal statutes, and the choice affects who can file and what it costs.
| Privacy Act | Access to Information Act | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Your own personal information held by IRCC, which is what GCMS notes are[1] | Any record under IRCC's control, subject to exemptions such as Cabinet documents and information that could harm Canada's security; information about individuals is disclosed only with their consent or in the public interest[2] |
| Who may file directly | Canadian citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals, "regardless of where they are located"[1] | Canadian citizens, permanent residents and any individual or corporation present in Canada; anyone else asks a representative who qualifies to file for them, with written consent[3] |
| Fee | None | $5.00, paid by credit card online or by cheque or money order to the Receiver General for Canada by mail[4] |
| Response time | 30 days, extendable in certain circumstances, with notice of the extension and its length within the first 30 days[5] | |
For an applicant's own file the Privacy Act is enough and is free. In practice, representatives filing for clients abroad often use the Access to Information Act route, which is why the $5 fee appears in most descriptions of "ordering GCMS notes".
What to write in the request
An ATIP request is only as good as its wording. The ATIP office searches for what you describe, so a request for "my visa decision" can return a single letter. To receive the officer notes, ask for the complete record and identify yourself precisely:
- full name as on the application, date of birth, and your UCI (unique client identifier) and application number;
- the application type and the year, so the right file is located if you have several;
- a description of the records: the complete file for that application, including all GCMS notes, officer assessments, correspondence and documents on file;
- if a representative is filing, the signed consent: IRCC's form "Consent for an Access to Information and Personal Information Request" (IMM 5744) or an equivalent signed letter.[6]
Requests for CBSA records (entries, exits, border examinations) go to CBSA, not IRCC, under a separate request; see IRCC vs CBSA notes.
Three ways to submit
According to IRCC, a request can be made:[7]
- Online, through the ATIP Online Request tool, which sends the request automatically to IRCC's Access to Information and Privacy Division. Fees are paid by card at submission.
- By form, using IRCC's Access to Information and Personal Information Request Form (IMM 5563), the Treasury Board Access to Information Request Form (TBC/CTC 350-57) or the Personal Information Request Form (TBC/CTC 350-58).
- By letter, provided it states which Act the request is made under and gives enough detail to identify the records.
Forms and letters are mailed to the Access to Information and Privacy Division, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 1L1.[7] Mailed requests add postal time in both directions, so the online tool is the faster route when it is available to you.
Prefer not to file it yourself?
We prepare the request, file it with IRCC and, where required, act as your Canadian representative. From USD 19.
Order GCMS NotesThe 30-day clock and extensions
Under both Acts IRCC has 30 days to respond to a formal request. The period may be extended in certain circumstances, for example where a request involves a large number of records or requires consultations, and IRCC must tell you about the extension and its length within 30 days of receiving the request.[5] IRCC itself warns that significant increases in request volumes may affect its ability to respond within the mandated timelines.[8] In practice a GCMS release commonly arrives four to six weeks after filing; the day the clock starts is the day IRCC receives a complete request with any required consent and fee, not the day you decided to order.
What you receive
The release is a set of pages printed from GCMS, delivered electronically for online requests. It normally contains an application summary, the assessment results for each check, the dated officer notes, a correspondence log and, for a complete-file request, copies of the documents on file. Passages that would disclose information about other people, or that fall under another exemption, are removed and the applicable section of the Act is marked in the margin.[2] For what each section means and how to read the abbreviations, see what GCMS notes contain and how to read GCMS notes.
If IRCC misses the deadline
Under the Access to Information Act, where an institution fails to give access "within the time limits set out in this Part", it "shall ... be deemed to have refused to give access".[9] A deemed refusal, like an actual refusal or an unreasonable extension, can be the subject of a written complaint to the Information Commissioner of Canada, made within sixty days after the notice of refusal, the day access is given, or the day the grounds for complaint arose.[10] Complaints about Privacy Act requests go to the Privacy Commissioner. A complaint does not speed up the file by itself, but it puts the request on a monitored list, and in delayed cases it is often what produces the release.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file a request for a family member?
Only with that person's written consent, because the records are their personal information. A parent can request for a minor child.[3]
What if the response says "no records found"?
Usually the identifiers did not match: a name spelled differently, a wrong UCI, or the application filed under a family member. Re-file with every identifier and the application number from the acknowledgement letter.
Can I request my file while the application is still being processed?
Yes. The request is handled by the ATIP Division, not by the officers processing the application, and has no effect on it.
Does a request for GCMS notes include my CBSA records?
No. CBSA is a separate institution and holds its own records; a second request is needed for those.
Official sources
All information on this page is based on official Government of Canada publications:
- Who can make a request under the Privacy Act? — IRCC
- What information is available under the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act? — IRCC
- Who can make a request under the Access to Information Act? — IRCC
- What is the fee for an Access request? — IRCC
- How long does the Department have to respond? — IRCC
- Consent for an Access to Information and Personal Information Request (IMM 5744) — Canada.ca
- How and where do I submit an Access to Information or Privacy request? — IRCC
- Access to information and privacy — IRCC (Canada.ca)
- Access to Information Act, section 10 (deemed refusal) — Justice Laws Website
- Access to Information Act, section 31 (written complaint) — Justice Laws Website