Refugee Claim
Document ChecklistRefugee Claim Document Checklist — What You Need to Apply
Complete document checklist for a Refugee Claim application, organized by category. 19 items typically required, though specific files may need additional documentation based on country of origin, prior applications, and individual circumstances.
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Before you start gathering documents
This checklist is a baseline. Every immigration file has specific quirks — prior visa history, multi-country residence, document availability from the source country, and program-specific requirements. The documents below cover most files; book a free consultation to confirm what your specific case needs.
Identity
- Passport (if available)Original or copies — many claimants don't have current passports; this is not a bar to claiming.
- National identity cardWhere available.
- Birth certificateWhere available; not strictly required.
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)Where available.
- Sworn affidavit explaining identityWhere original identity documents are unavailable or unreliable.
Claim foundation (Basis of Claim)
- Basis of Claim (BOC) FormSubmitted within 15 days of referral. Personal narrative of risk and persecution.
- Personal narrative attachmentsDetailed account of events, dates, places, perpetrators.
- Sworn affidavits from witnesses (if available)Family, friends, community members who witnessed events.
Country-conditions evidence
- UNHCR reports specific to the claim's country and risk profileEligibility, displacement, and protection-context reports.
- US State Department Country Reports on Human Rights PracticesAnnual country-specific human rights reports.
- Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch reportsSpecific to the country and risk profile.
- IRB National Documentation Package (NDP)IRB-curated country information package for each major source country.
- Media reports of incidents in the countryRecent news demonstrating ongoing risk.
Personal-risk evidence
- Medical reportsDocumenting injuries, treatment for trauma, conditions consistent with claimed events.
- Psychological assessmentsFrom qualified professionals — supports credibility and trauma narrative.
- Police reports, court documents, threatening lettersWhere available — documenting the claimant's specific risk.
- Membership documents (political, religious, social organizations)Where membership creates the risk profile.
Personal background
- Education records, employment recordsEstablishes life context before persecution events.
- Family informationSpouses, children, parents — accompanying or not; affects family-of-claimant procedures.
Frequently asked questions — Refugee Claim documents
What if I don't have my passport or identity documents?
Many refugee claimants don't have current passports or identity documents — this is not a bar to claiming. The IRB recognizes that fleeing persecution often means leaving documents behind, or destroying them to protect family. Provide whatever you have (even copies, photographs of documents, expired documents); for missing documents, prepare a sworn affidavit explaining what was lost or destroyed and the circumstances. The RPD has procedures for accepting alternative identity evidence.
What goes in the Basis of Claim (BOC) Form?
The BOC is the personal narrative of your refugee claim. It must answer: who you are, where you're from, what happened to you (and to your family), why you fear returning, who you fear (specific actors), what they did or threatened, when, where, why, and how. Include specific dates, places, and names where possible. Avoid generic statements; specific incidents are more credible. The BOC must be submitted within 15 days of claim referral.
What country-conditions evidence is required?
Country-conditions evidence demonstrates the broader context that supports your specific risk. Core sources: IRB National Documentation Package (NDP) for your country (IRB-curated), UNHCR reports on your country, US State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch country reports, US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reports for religious-persecution claims. Specific reports addressing your risk profile (LGBTQ+, religious-minority, political-opposition, specific ethnic group) carry the most weight. The claim file typically includes 50–200 pages of country-conditions evidence.
Build your personalized Refugee Claim checklist
Use our Document Checklist tool to build a personalized list based on your country of residence, family situation, and prior application history.