A new name on your PR card means a new card: the same IMM 5444 application as a renewal, plus proof of the change. Here is which documents IRCC asks for, in Canada or abroad, and how a gender identifier change fits in.
Checked Sep 25, 2026 against Guide 5445PR card fee: $50
A new PR cardIn the Permanent Residence Portal, starting with the IMM 5444 form.
Fee
$50 CADPaid on IRCC's payment site, not in the portal. The receipt is uploaded.
Proof of the new name
A legal documentWhich one depends on where the name changed. See below.
Also required
IMM 1000, IMM 5292 or IMM 5688A copy of your Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
1
The application: a new card with IMM 5444
IRCC says
You can apply for a new card if you made a mistake in your application or if you want to update your information for reasons such as a legal name change, a name change after marriage or divorce, a change of gender identifier, or an updated signature. In the portal, begin your application by filling out the application for a permanent resident card (IMM 5444).1
You do
IMM 5444 has no separate "name change" option. Question 1.1 offers three: renew your present PR card, replace a card that was lost, stolen, destroyed or never received, or get your first PR card.
Question 2.1: your name as it appears on your IMM 1000, IMM 5292 or IMM 5688, or your last PR card. Question 2.2: your current name, if different. IRCC asks for supporting documents for any change of name.
In IMM 5644, tick Legal change of name. In the portal, the documents go in the slot Name-change legal docs.
Do not apply for a renewal of your current PR card if it is still valid for more than nine (9) months (270 days), unless your legal name has changed. Otherwise, your application will be returned.2
You do
A legal name change is the exception IRCC writes into the form: you can apply before the last nine months of your card.
The documents IRCC accepts as proof of the new name are in the next two steps.
3
Name changed in Canada: the documents
IRCC says
If your present name is different from the name printed on your Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688), you must submit supporting legal documents as proof of your name change, supporting identity documents, and provincial ID in the name requested. Submit any of these documents issued by a civil authority in a province or territory of Canada: a copy of a legal change of name document, court order, adoption order, or a marriage certificate, divorce decree, registration, declaration of union, or revocation of declaration or annulment of union (unless you were married in Quebec on or after April 2, 1981 and are now a resident of this province). The document must show your new name.3
You do
Marriage or divorce: the certificate or decree from the province, showing the new name.
Any other change: the provincial change of name document, court order or adoption order.
Provincial ID in the new name: with your name, date of birth, photo and signature (a driver's licence, photo ID card or health card). IRCC says it is not required if you provide a legal name change document issued by a province.
Married in Quebec on or after April 2, 1981 and living there now? IRCC's list excludes the marriage-document route for you; use a legal change of name document.
4
Name changed outside Canada
IRCC says
If you are a permanent resident and changed your name outside of Canada, submit a foreign passport or other national authoritative document that shows your new name, and an official document linking the old and new names. If your name change was already approved in a past PR card application, include a photocopy of your last PR card.3
You do
Two documents together: one showing the new name, and an official one linking it to the old name.
A document that is not in English or French needs a translation, the translator's affidavit and a certified copy of the original.
Already on a previous card? The copy of that card is the proof.
5
Add your COPR or Record of Landing
Most missed
IRCC says
If you have had a legal name change, you must include a copy of your Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) with this application.3
You do
Scan the COPR or Record of Landing you received when you became a permanent resident and upload it with the name-change documents.
The photo, the primary identity document, a copy of your current card and the fee receipt still apply, as for any PR card application.
You can apply for a new PR card and submit the Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier [IRM 0002] form. Documents supporting a change of gender are not required.4
You do
Same application as a name change: a new PR card in the portal, with IRM 0002 uploaded in the Forms table.
Since June 4, 2019, IRCC offers three identifiers: F, M and X (another gender).
You can change your name and gender identifier on the same application.
IMM 5644 lists IRM 0002 in the PR card section: tick it if you include it.
Two other routes
IRCC got your name wrong. If a mistake is IRCC's and you received the card in the last 60 days, you can ask for the card to be reissued at no cost, with the Request to Reissue a Permanent Resident Card (IMM 5531). A name IRCC shortened to fit is not a mistake: the card holds 28 letters or less for first names and 28 for last names.
You reclaimed an Indigenous name. You can change the name on your PR card by applying for a new one. If you can't update your birth certificate or get a legal name change document, Guide 5445 asks for a statutory declaration (IRM 0005) and proof that you can't get those documents. IMM 5644 also lists IRM 0004, the form for a free replacement under Call to Action 17.1
Common questions
How do I change the name on my PR card?
Apply for a new PR card in the Permanent Residence Portal (IMM 5444), with your legal name-change document and a copy of your IMM 1000, IMM 5292 or IMM 5688. Pay the fee and upload the receipt.
Do I pay the fee for a name change?
Yes, the PR card fee of $50. The exceptions are a card IRCC got wrong (reissued at no cost if you ask within 60 days of receiving it) and a reclaimed Indigenous name under Call to Action 17.
Can I apply early after getting married?
Yes, if your legal name changed. IRCC's instructions say not to renew a card valid for more than nine months unless your legal name has changed.
What documents do I need after marriage?
Your marriage certificate from the province or territory, showing your new name, plus a copy of your COPR or Record of Landing and provincial ID in the new name. Married in Quebec on or after April 2, 1981 and living there? IRCC points you to a legal change of name document instead.
Can I change my name and gender identifier at the same time?
Yes. IRCC's Help Centre says you can change them both at the same time. Add the IRM 0002 form to the same application; documents supporting a change of gender are not required.
1.canada.ca, get, renew or replace a PR card — canada.ca
4.IRCC Help Centre, changing the sex or gender identifier — ircc.canada.ca
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