(II) How to Complete a PIF

The information below only applies to refugee claimants who are in Canada and who have been found eligible to make a refugee claim and issued a "Personal Information Form" ("PIF").

• Before proceeding to file the PIF you should obtain the assistance of a lawyer. You can find refugee lawyers in British Columbia by attending the Legal Aid office closest to you (click here), searching the internet, calling the CBA Lawyer Referral Service (604-687-3221) or asking a refugee agency for assistance.
  
  
  • A copy of the PIF can be found on the Immigration and Refugee Board website (click here to obtain PIF form).
    
    
  • Legal Services Society of BC also publishes a Guide to completing the PIF in English, Spanish and Chinese (click here to obtain PIF guide).
    
  
  
• In completing the PIF forms for yourself and your family, you should keep in mind several issues, including:
  
  
  • Minor children who have accompanied the principal claimant to Canada may be required to complete their own PIF forms: (i) children 6 years of age and under must complete page 1 and 2 of the PIF; (ii) children 7 to 17 years of age must complete the entire PIF with their parents signatures
    
    
  • There are no additional documents required to be filed along with the PIF. The 28 day deadline requires filing of the PIF form only, however, in many cases the Refugee Tribunal may write to you shortly after filing your PIF to request that you provide tranlsated copies of your identification documents. Translations can be obtained from a certified translation company such as Mosaic Translations.
    
    
  • If you have used an interpreter to complete the PIF, the interpreter must sign page 13 of the PIF indicating that the contents of the PIF have been interpreted to you.
    
    
  • If you require additional time beyond the 28 days you can make a written request with the Refugee Protection Division in Vancouver. There is no guarantee that you will be provided additional time so you must clearly indicate on your request the reasons why you require additional time such as not having obtained an interpreter, still waiting on a legal aid request or other compelling reasons.
    
    
• The most important part of the PIF form is the narrative - your story of why you are seeking protection in Canada. The narrative can be completed on pages 10 and 11 of PIF or you can write additional information or a typed story which can be attached to the PIF.
  
  
  • The information you provide on the narrative is confidential and it is very important that you explain all important details of your life. Do not leave important events out, especially events in which you suffered harm, were threatened or discriminated against.
  
  
• If you have missed the 28 day deadline, your case may be deemed or declared abandoned by the Refugee Tribunal at an abandonment hearing. If you have missed your deadline and are still interested in pursuing your case further, you may wish to contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options. You may also contact the Refugee Tribunal and request to attend the abandonment hearing for your case (usually scheduled within a few weeks of the initial deadline). At your hearing you must provide good reasons for missing the deadline. If possible you should file your completed PIF prior to or at the abandonment hearing.