IRCC to issue refugees new form of photo ID

CWICE received the following communication from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:

"On March 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will begin issuing refugee (asylum) claimants a new form of secure Canadian photo identification called a Refugee Protection Identity Document (RPID). Claimants can use their RPID to access the Interim Federal Health Program and other services. The RPID will be issued in place of the old Refugee Protection Claimant Document (RPCD), which will slowly be phased out as they expire. 

The RPID is bilingual, making it easier to use anywhere in Canada. We’ve also removed some personal information, including a claimant’s eligibility decision, and their sex or gender identifier.

Claimants who already have a valid RPCD should continue to use them until their noted expiry date. Claimants can apply to renew an expired RPCD or replace a lost, destroyed or stolen one using the step-by-step instructions found on IRCC’s website.

You can find examples of different types of immigration documents here."

At this time, the IRCC website does not appear to reflect this change. We will update this article when new information becomes available.