OtterFillHow to fill out IMM 5645 (Canada Family Information form)
IMM 5645, “Family Information”, is a form from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that lists your spouse or common-law partner, parents, children and brothers and sisters, with each person’s date and country of birth, marital status, address and occupation. Each person aged 18 or older applying for a visitor visa, or for a study or work permit from outside Canada, fills in their own.
Last checked against the official form:
- Form
- IMM 5645
- Edition
- IMM 5645 (01-2021) E
- Issued by
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Form language
- English
- Who receives it
- IRCC, with your visitor visa, study permit or work permit application, when your application package or document checklist lists it
- Who fills it in
- Each applicant aged 18 or older, one form each
- What it covers
- You, your spouse or common-law partner, your parents, all your children and all your brothers and sisters, on 2 pages
- Edition used here
- IMM 5645 (01-2021) E
- Cost
- The form is free. The application it goes with has fees: check the official page for the current amounts
What this form is
IMM 5645, “Family Information”, is a 2-page IRCC form that lists your closest family: your spouse or common-law partner, your mother and father, all your children and all your brothers and sisters. It goes with an application for a visitor visa, or for a study or work permit from outside Canada, next to the main form such as IMM 5257 or IMM 1294.
It has four sections: A for you, your spouse or partner and your parents; B for your children; C for your brothers and sisters; D for your certification. For each person you give the name, relationship, date of birth, country of birth, marital status, present address, occupation and whether they will come with you to Canada. The form asks you to include every family member, even those who are not coming, and to write every name in English and in your native language.
IRCC has a second family information form for the same applicants, IMM 5707, last updated in January 2023. Use the one listed in the application package for your country, or in the document checklist the portal gives you when you apply online. Open the form on a computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher; it may not open on tablets or phones.
Who has to fill it in
You fill it in if:
- You are 18 or older and applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (visitor visa), or for a study or work permit from outside Canada.
- Family members aged 18 or older are applying with you: each one fills in their own copy.
- Your application package or your document checklist names IMM 5645.
You use something else if:
- Your package or checklist names IMM 5707: fill in that form instead.
- You are applying for permanent residence: those applications have their own form, Additional Family Information (IMM 5406).
- You are under 18: IRCC asks for this form from each applicant aged 18 or older.
- You apply for a study or work permit from inside Canada: IRCC’s rule for this form covers applications made outside Canada, so follow your own checklist.
Field-by-field instructions
Type of application
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Type of application: Visitor / Worker / Student / Other | What you are applying for. | Check one box: Visitor for a visitor visa, Worker for a work permit, Student for a study permit, or Other. |
Section A
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The full name of each person you list. | Write every name in English and also in your native language, as the top of the form asks: for example in Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese, Korean or Japanese characters, or in Chinese commercial/telegraphic code. Spell each name the same way as on the person’s documents and on your other forms. |
| Relationship | How each person is related to you. | In Section A the rows are already labelled Applicant, Spouse or common-law partner, Mother and Father. In Sections B and C, write the relationship, for example son, adopted daughter, stepson, brother or half-sister. |
| Date of birth (YYYY-MM-DD) | Each person’s date of birth. | Enter it as YYYY-MM-DD: year, month, day. |
| Country of birth | The country where each person was born. | Write the country where the person was born, the same as on their documents. |
| Marital status | Each person’s current marital status. | Choose from the list: Annulled marriage, Common-law, Divorced, Legally separated, Married, Single or Widowed. In your own row and your spouse’s row, Married is split into Married-physically present and Married-not physically present: pick the one that says whether you (or, in their row, your spouse) were physically present at the marriage. |
| Present address (if deceased: give city/town, country and date) | Where each person lives now. | Write the full current address. If the person has died, write “deceased” and give the city or town, the country and the date of death. |
| Present occupation | Each person’s current job. | Write the job. If the person is not working, say what they are doing instead, for example retired or studying. |
| Will accompany you to Canada? YES / NO | Whether the person will come with you to Canada. | Check YES or NO for each family member. Your own row has no box. List people who are not coming too, and check NO for them. |
| Applicant | Your own row, at the top of Section A. | Fill in your name, date and country of birth, marital status, present address and occupation, the same as on your main application form, such as IMM 5257 or IMM 1294. |
| Spouse or common-law partner | Your current husband, wife or common-law partner, if you have one. | Give the same details as in your own row and check whether they will accompany you. If you have no spouse or common-law partner, write N/A in this row and sign Note 1. |
| Mother / Father | Your mother and your father. | Fill in both rows, even if a parent has died or is not coming with you. For a parent who has died, write “deceased” under Present address, with the city or town, the country and the date of death. |
| Note 1NOTE 1: If no spouse or common-law partner is listed in Section A, read and sign below. / I certify that I do not have a spouse or a common-law partner. / Signature / Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | A declaration that you have no spouse or common-law partner. | Sign and date it only if you listed no spouse or partner in Section A. Leave it blank if you listed one. |
Section B – Children
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| SECTION B - CHILDREN (Include ALL sons and daughters, including ALL adopted and step-children, regardless of age or place of residence) | All your sons and daughters, whatever their age and wherever they live. | List every child, including married, adopted and step-children, children adopted by others, children in the custody of an ex-spouse, former common-law partner or other guardian, and children who are already permanent residents or citizens of Canada. Give the same details as in Section A. There are 4 rows; print an extra page of the section if you need more. |
| Note 2NOTE 2: If no children are listed in Section B, read and sign below. / I certify that I do not have any natural, adopted nor step-children. / Signature / Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | A declaration that you have no natural, adopted or step-children. | Sign and date it only if you listed no children in Section B. |
Section C – Brothers and Sisters
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| SECTION C - BROTHERS AND SISTERS (Include ALL brothers and sisters, ALL half-brother and sister and stepbrother and sister.) | All your brothers and sisters, including half-brothers, half-sisters, stepbrothers and stepsisters. | List each one with the same details as in Section A, whether or not they are coming. There are 7 rows; print an extra page of the section if you need more. If you have none, write N/A. |
Section D – Certification
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| I certify that the information contained in this document is complete, accurate and factual. I also realize that once this document has been completed and signed that it will form part of my Immigration Record and will be used to verify my family details on future applications. / Signature / Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Your statement that the form is complete, accurate and factual. Once signed, it becomes part of your Immigration Record and is used to check your family details on future applications. | On a paper application, sign and date it (YYYY-MM-DD). If you apply online, IRCC says not to print the form to sign it: you sign the application electronically when you submit it. IRCC says a form that is not signed and dated is sent back to you. |
Key terms
| Term on the form | What it means |
|---|---|
| Native language | The language you grew up speaking. The form asks for every name in English and in your native language or script. |
| Chinese commercial/telegraphic code | A system that writes each Chinese character as a 4-digit number. The form accepts it as one way to give names in Chinese. |
| Common-law partner | A partner you have lived with in a marital-type relationship for at least one year. A common-law partner goes in the spouse row. |
| Married-physically present / Married-not physically present | The two choices for Married in your row and your spouse’s row. They say whether you, or your spouse, were physically present at the marriage. |
| Legally separated | Still married, but separated. One of the choices in the marital status list. |
| Annulled marriage | A marriage that has been annulled, that is, legally declared void. One of the choices in the marital status list. |
| Step-children | The children of your spouse or common-law partner. IRCC says to list them in Section B. |
| Half-brother and sister / stepbrother and sister | A half-brother or half-sister shares one parent with you; a stepbrother or stepsister is the child of your parent’s spouse. All of them go in Section C. |
| Not applicable / N/A | What to write when a question or section does not apply to you. IRCC says to answer all questions rather than leave a box blank. |
| Immigration Record | Your file with IRCC. Once signed, this form joins it and is used to check your family details on future applications. |
| PROTECTED WHEN COMPLETED - B | A Government of Canada security marking printed at the top: once filled in, the form holds personal information that must be protected. |
| Family Information (IMM 5707) | A newer family information form for visitors, students and workers, last updated in January 2023. IRCC says to use the one listed in the application package for your country. |
Common mistakes
- 1
Leaving out family who are not coming
The form says to include ALL family members even if they are not accompanying you. List everyone and check NO in the accompany column for those who stay behind.
- 2
Missing some of your children
Section B covers every child: married, adopted and step-children, children adopted by others, children living with an ex-spouse or another guardian, and children who are already Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- 3
Leaving boxes blank
IRCC says you must answer all questions. Where something does not apply, write “Not applicable” or “N/A”. The form warns that an incomplete form may delay your application or stop it being processed.
- 4
Forgetting Note 1 or Note 2
If you have no spouse or common-law partner, sign and date Note 1 at the end of Section A. If you have no children, sign and date Note 2 at the end of Section B.
- 5
Writing names only in English
The form asks for ALL names in English and in your native language, for example in Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic, Korean or Japanese characters.
- 6
- 7
Using the wrong family form
IMM 5645 and IMM 5707 are both family information forms for visitors, students and workers. Fill in the one your application package or document checklist names.
- 8
Not signing, or printing to sign online
On paper, sign and date Section D, or the form is sent back to you. If you apply online, IRCC says not to print the form to sign it; your electronic signature on the application counts.
- 9
Opening it in a browser or on a phone
IRCC says to use a computer and Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher. The form may not open on tablets or mobile phones.
Questions and answers
What is IMM 5645 used for?
IMM 5645 is IRCC’s Family Information form for visitors, students and workers. It lists your spouse or common-law partner, parents, children and brothers and sisters, and it goes with a visitor visa application, or a study or work permit application made from outside Canada.
Should I use IMM 5645 or IMM 5707?
Both are family information forms for the same applicants; IMM 5707 is the newer one, last updated in January 2023. IRCC says to complete the one listed in the application package for your country. When you apply online, follow the document checklist the portal gives you.
Who has to fill in IMM 5645?
Each person aged 18 or older who is applying for a Temporary Resident Visa, or for a study or work permit from outside Canada. If your spouse or an adult child applies with you, each of them fills in their own copy.
Do I list relatives who have died or who are not coming?
Yes. The form asks for ALL family members even if they are not accompanying you. For someone who has died, write “deceased” under Present address with the city or town, the country and the date of death.
What if I have no spouse, no children or no siblings?
With no spouse or common-law partner, sign and date Note 1 in Section A. With no children, sign and date Note 2 in Section B. Where a section does not apply to you, IRCC says to write “Not applicable” or “N/A”.
Do I have to sign IMM 5645 if I apply online?
IRCC says not to print the form to sign it when you apply online. In an IRCC secure account, you sign by typing your name and answering a security question when you submit. On paper, you sign and date the form by hand.
What if there are not enough rows?
The form says to print an additional page with the section you need, fill it in and send it with your application. Section B has 4 rows and Section C has 7.
Does IMM 5645 cost anything?
No, the form is a free download from IRCC. The visa or permit application it goes with has fees; check the official IRCC fees page for the current amounts.
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