Track Your GCMS Notes (ATIP) Request Status
Last updated · Sources: IRCC and CBSA official pages, linked in the text · Reviewed by Morteza Idjadi, RCIC R708675
Once a request for GCMS notes has been filed, there is no public tracker that shows it moving through IRCC the way the immigration application tracker does. There is, however, a fixed sequence of events with dates attached to each, and a small number of ways to find out where a request stands. This page sets out that sequence, what the statuses in your OfficerNote.ca dashboard mean, how to check status directly with IRCC's ATIP Division, what "not received" usually turns out to be, and when a late request becomes a deemed refusal you can complain about.
The timeline of a request
| Stage | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Consent received | Your signed consent form reaches us and is checked for the details IRCC requires | Day 0 |
| Request filed | The request is submitted to IRCC's Access to Information and Privacy Division; this is the day the statutory clock starts[1] | Same business day |
| Acknowledged by IRCC | The ATIP Division assigns a file number to the request | Usually within the first two weeks |
| Extension notice (some files) | IRCC may extend the 30-day period and must tell you about the extension and its length within the first 30 days[1] | By day 30 |
| Released | The records are released to the requester and appear in your dashboard as a PDF | 30 days by law; 4 to 6 weeks in practice |
Each of these stages appears as a step in your dashboard with its date, and you receive an email when a step is reached. If you filed the request yourself, the same stages apply; only the notifications differ.
Checking status with IRCC directly
Requests submitted through the ATIP Online Request service can now be tracked through the requester's ATIP Online account, which also lets the requester download the records when they are released.[2] For requests made by mail, or where the account shows nothing new, IRCC's ATIP Division can be contacted in writing at: Access to Information and Privacy Division, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 1L1.[3] Quote the ATIP file number, your full name and the date the request was made. If we filed for you, we do this on your behalf whenever a file passes its expected date, and we record the answer in your dashboard.
Note the distinction between two different numbers: your immigration application number or UCI identifies the file the notes are about, while the ATIP file number identifies the access request itself. Status enquiries need the second one.
"GCMS notes not received": what it usually is
- The clock started later than you think. The 30 days run from the day IRCC receives a complete request with the required consent and any fee, not from the day you placed an order.[1] A consent form signed a week late moves every later date by a week.
- An extension was taken. IRCC may extend the period in certain circumstances, for example a large number of records or the need for consultations; the extension notice states the new date.[1]
- The release went to the requester. Where a representative filed the request, IRCC releases the records to the representative, who passes them on; nothing is sent to the applicant's own address.
- The identifiers did not match. A "no records" response usually means a name, date of birth or UCI did not match IRCC's record; the request is re-filed with corrected identifiers.
- Volume. IRCC itself notes that significant increases in request volumes may affect its ability to respond within the mandated timelines.[4]
When a late request becomes a deemed refusal
Under the Access to Information Act, if an institution does not give access within the statutory time limits it "shall ... be deemed to have refused to give access".[5] A deemed refusal can be the subject of a written complaint to the Information Commissioner of Canada within sixty days of the day the grounds for complaint arose.[6] For Privacy Act requests the complaint goes to the Privacy Commissioner. Complaints do not jump the queue by themselves, but they place the file on a monitored list and, in our experience, are what produces movement on requests that have gone well past their extended date. The ATIP request guide explains the process.
Every step, dated, in one place
Order through us and follow your request from consent to release in your dashboard, with an email at each stage. From USD 19.
Order GCMS NotesFrequently asked questions
Can I see my request in the IRCC immigration application tracker?
No. The application tracker shows the immigration application, not access requests.[7] Access requests are tracked through the ATIP Online account or by contacting the ATIP Division.
Does an ATIP request slow down my immigration application?
No. The ATIP Division is separate from the officers processing applications, and the request has no effect on the application.
What if I ordered through you and the dashboard has not changed for weeks?
The "request filed" date is the one that matters. Once a file passes its expected date we follow up with the ATIP Division and record the reply in your dashboard. You can message us from the dashboard at any time.
Can I withdraw a request?
Yes, by writing to the ATIP Division with the file number. Fees already paid are not refunded by IRCC.
Official sources
All information on this page is based on official Government of Canada publications:
- How long does the Department have to respond? — IRCC
- Make an access to information or personal information request — Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
- 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
- What does my status mean in the application status tracker? — IRCC