The rule that governs every translated document in a Canadian refugee hearing is three sentences long. It asks for a translation and a short signed declaration, nothing more. No stamp, no notary, no certified translator.
What trips people up is everything around it: a police summons that arrives the week of the hearing, a threat message translated by a phone app, a Dari document translated as if it were Farsi with no dialect recorded.
This guide covers what the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) requires, how that differs from IRCC's affidavit rule, which documents to translate, the deadlines, and appeals, as of October 2026.
What does the IRB require for a translated document?
A translation and a translator's declaration. Rule 32(1) of the Refugee Protection Division Rules says documents used by a claimant must be in English or French "or, if in another language, be provided together with an English or French translation and a declaration signed by the translator."
Rule 32(3) sets the content. The declaration "must include translator's name, the language and dialect, if any, translated and a statement that the translation is accurate." The IRB adds three practical points:
- There is no form. "There is no form for this declaration," so a translator's signed statement containing those elements is enough.
- Electronic filing waives the signature. Under the RPD's Practice Notice on Procedural Issues, a translator's declaration filed electronically need not be signed, but every document "must be dated."
- Humans only. The RPD "will not accept documents translated by software, artificial intelligence (AI), or web services like Google Translate." The practice notice says machine translation "does not comply with RPD Rule 32."
The IRB also wants the original-language copy filed with each translation, so the member can see both.
Is the IRB rule the same as IRCC's affidavit rule?
No. For permanent residence, citizenship and most other IRCC applications, a translation by anyone other than a certified translator needs the translator's sworn affidavit. The RPD asks only for the signed declaration, and IRCC's own guide for inland refugee claims asks for the same thing: "The translations and a translator's declaration must be provided, along with copies of the documents."
| Where the document goes | What must come with the translation |
|---|---|
| IRCC portal, refugee claim made inside Canada | Translator's declaration with the translator's name, the language translated and a signed statement of accuracy |
| Refugee Protection Division | Declaration with name, language and dialect, statement of accuracy (rule 32) |
| Refugee Appeal Division | The same declaration (rule 28 of the RAD Rules) |
| Later IRCC applications, such as permanent residence | IRCC's general rule: a certified translator or, if the translator is not certified, a sworn affidavit |
Rule 32 asks for a declaration, not an affidavit. Keep the affidavit for the IRCC stages, explained in our IRCC translation requirements guide and in certified translation vs sworn affidavit.
Which documents should a refugee claimant translate?
Start with identity. Rule 11 requires "acceptable documents establishing their identity and other elements of the claim," and a claimant without them must explain why and what steps they took to get them. Section 106 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act makes identity documentation a credibility factor.
Rule 7(3) also requires copies of identity and travel documents "genuine or not" to be attached to the Basis of Claim (BOC) form, with any other relevant documents in your possession.
The IRB's own examples of personal evidence:
- Passport, national identity card, birth and marriage certificates, driver's licence, military documents
- School transcripts, professional cards, religious membership cards
- Proof of membership in political organizations, police reports or documents
- Sworn statements from witnesses, medical or psychological reports
- Notes or recordings of threats, news clippings, photographs, business records
Every one of these that is not in English or French needs a translation and declaration. Witness statements notarized abroad need the notary's text translated too. Threats received by text or messaging app should be translated with sender, date and time for each message; see our page on translating text messages.
Country evidence is different. The IRB's National Documentation Package (NDP) for your country is already in the record: "Do not send us documents from the NDP." Other country reports are capped at 100 pages per country of reference without an application, and both sides of a sheet count as two pages. Personal documents have no page limit, but must be relevant and not duplicate what the RPD already has.
When must translated evidence reach the RPD?
At least 10 days before the hearing. Rule 34(3) says documents must be received "no later than (a) 10 days before the date fixed for the hearing; or (b) five days before" if they respond to another party's or the Division's document. The practice notice counts these as calendar days.
Late documents need an Application to submit late disclosure. Under rule 36 the member weighs "the document's relevance and probative value," "any new evidence the document brings," and whether you "could have provided the document" on time with reasonable effort. A translation ordered at the last minute is a weak reason.
The earlier clocks matter too:
- Port of entry claims. The Regulations allow 15 days for the BOC form, but the RPD has extended this to 45 calendar days under its practice notice. An extension request must arrive at least 3 working days before the deadline. Miss it and you face an abandonment hearing.
- Inland claims. The BOC form and documents go in through the IRCC portal, and you have 90 days from starting the online application to submit it.
Eligibility has also tightened. Since the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026, a claim by someone who entered Canada after June 24, 2020 and claimed more than one year after entry is ineligible for referral to the RPD. The bar applies to claims made on or after June 3, 2025, the day the earlier Bill C-2 was introduced. Other parts of that Act, changing how claims are referred, were not yet in force in the consolidation current to September 21, 2026.
How should translated documents be organized and sent?
As one numbered package. Rule 31 requires typed documents in at least 12-point type on 8½ by 11 inch paper, clear photocopies, "a list identifying each of the documents," and consecutive page numbers across everything "as if they were one document."
- Pair each original with its translation and the translator's declaration, in the order you want them read.
- Number every page from 1 to the end of the package.
- Add the list of documents (the IRB's List of claimant's documents form works) and a cover page with your name, address, date and RPD file number.
- File electronically. Counsel must use the IRB's My Case portal; claimants invited to My Case must use it; others can email PDFs to the regional RPD registry.
- Copy the Minister. If IRCC or the CBSA has filed a Notice of Intent to Intervene, send them the same package, and tell the RPD how and when you did.
Bring originals and copies to the hearing. The member may ask to see the originals.
Who can translate evidence for a refugee hearing?
Any human translator. Neither rule 32 nor the IRB's claimant instructions require a certified translator or list who is barred. The only express exclusion is machine translation.
Independence still matters, because every translated document is evidence of credibility. A translation by a relative or by the person helping with the claim is easy to challenge. A translator also must not tidy up the original: if a summons misspells your name or gives a date that differs from your BOC narrative, the translation shows exactly that, and you explain it.
Do not confuse the hearing interpreter with your translator. Under rule 19 you tell the officer at referral which language and dialect you need, and an interpreter works at the hearing. The BOC form itself must be completed in English or French; if an interpreter helped, they sign a declaration under rule 6(3) that the form "and all attached documents were interpreted to the claimant." Your asylum declaration and supporting documents are a separate written translation job.
What changes if the claim goes to the Refugee Appeal Division?
The translation rule stays the same; the evidence rules tighten. Rule 28 of the Refugee Appeal Division Rules repeats the declaration requirement in almost identical words. An appeal must be filed within 15 days and perfected within 30 days after you receive the RPD's written reasons.
New evidence is narrow. Under section 110(4) of the Act you may present only evidence that arose after the rejection, was not reasonably available, or could not reasonably have been presented at the time. A document you held but did not translate in time is unlikely to fit.
Why translated evidence gets refused or discounted
- Filed after the 10-day deadline without a late disclosure application.
- Machine translated, or translated by an app and "corrected" by a friend.
- No declaration, or one that omits the translator's name, the dialect or the statement of accuracy.
- Partial translations that skip stamps, seals, reference numbers or the reverse side.
- Names and dates that differ from the BOC form, the passport and other translations.
- NDP documents resubmitted, or country reports over 100 pages without an application.
- No copy to the Minister's counsel when the Minister has intervened.
Checklist: translated evidence for the RPD
Questions people ask
What must a translator's declaration for the IRB include?
Under rule 32(3) of the Refugee Protection Division Rules, the declaration must include the translator's name, the language and dialect translated, if any, and a statement that the translation is accurate. There is no IRB form, and the signature is waived when the declaration is filed electronically, though it must be dated.
Do I need a sworn affidavit or notarized translation for my refugee hearing?
No. The RPD Rules require a declaration signed by the translator, not an affidavit, and IRCC's guide for inland claims also asks for a translator's declaration. Affidavits belong to IRCC's later stages, such as a permanent residence application.
Can I use Google Translate or AI for my documents?
No. The IRB states that the RPD will not accept documents translated by software, artificial intelligence or web services like Google Translate, and its practice notice says such translations do not comply with rule 32. A human translator must make the translation and sign the declaration.
When is the deadline to send translated documents?
Documents must be received by the RPD and any other party at least 10 days before the hearing, or 5 days if they respond to another document. After that you need an application to submit late disclosure, and the member decides whether to accept it.
Can a family member translate my documents for the IRB?
The RPD Rules do not expressly forbid it, but the translation becomes part of the evidence of your credibility, and a relative's translation is easier to question. An independent translator who signs the declaration avoids that argument.
Do I need to translate country reports about my home country?
Not those in the IRB's National Documentation Package, which the RPD already considers and asks you not to send. Other country reports in another language need a translation and declaration, and country evidence is capped at 100 pages per country without an application.
How much does translating refugee evidence cost?
Official Translations charges CA$39.95 per page, a page being up to 300 words, with a signed Certificate of Accuracy on every translation. Most one-page documents are delivered as a signed PDF within 24 hours, and longer bundles take 1 to 3 business days, so order well before the 10-day deadline. See how long certified translation takes.
