What is an AOR? – Canada Immigration

An Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) is an official document that confirms that Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has received your application.

IRCC issues an AOR document after an individual submits an application for immigration, citizenship, or temporary residence.

The document’s significance varies depending on the application submitted, and how it has been submitted.

How Long Does it Take to Receive an AOR from IRCC?

IRCC may issue an AOR at different times depending on the application type. For example, an AOR for Express Entry is generated automatically, usually just minutes after the permanent residence application is submitted.

In contrast, applications such as family sponsorship or citizenship may take several weeks or months to receive an AOR, as it is not generated automatically. Instead, AORs for these applications are often processed manually after review from IRCC for completeness.

What does the Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) mean?

The AOR serves as a document to confirm that IRCC has received your application.

The date of the AOR is important when considering factors such as:

The lock-in age for dependent children:

Individuals may only include a child as a dependent to their application if they meet IRCC’s definition of a dependent child; unmarried and under the age of 22, with some exceptions. The date your application was received by IRCC as indicated on your AOR will be used to determine whether the dependent meets the requirements. If your child was 21 years of age on the date indicated on the AOR, but turned 22 during the time your application is being processed, they will still be considered a dependent. 

Your document validity:

Supporting documents submitted with your application such as police reports, IELTS results, and ECA reports, are only valid for a certain time period with an expiry date. These documents must have been valid on the date your application was received by IRCC indicated on your AOR. Ensuring that you submit your application with sufficient time before any of your documents expire is critical to avoid any delays or refusals.

Does receiving an AOR mean my application is complete?

Receiving an AOR does not necessarily mean your application is complete or incomplete; this will depend on the type of application you have submitted. For instance, IRCC issues an AOR automatically for Express Entry applicants without any review, and may still refuse the application for missing documents after sending an AOR.
However, receiving an AOR after submitting a citizenship application means that IRCC has confirmed that your application is complete.

Paper-based applications vs electronic applications

An AOR confirms when IRCC receives your application. Therefore, if you are submitting a paper-based application, the AOR date will correspond with the date that the IRCC mailroom received your application package. They will send the AOR once they start processing your application. For this reason, it is important to use a courier service that requires a signature when delivering your application in order to track it to receive confirmation on the date it arrives.

When submitting an electronic application, the AOR date typically corresponds with the date that you click the submit button. However, the date on your AOR can sometimes indicate one or two days later due to technical glitches or time differences. For this reason, it is recommended to submit your application in advance.

How long does it take to get PR after receiving AOR?

Receiving an AOR does not necessarily mean IRCC has started processing your application. After receiving your AOR, the time it takes to obtain a PR will depend on the specific program you submitted under (express entry, sponsorship, etc.), in addition to other various factors, such as country of residence, application volume, and completeness of the application, Processing times can vary, ranging from a few months up to over a year.

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