What has to go into my Basis of Claim Form and can I update it later?
The Basis of Claim Form is where you set out, in your own words, why you are seeking protection: your personal background, the specific events that led you to fear returning to your home country, who you fear and why, and any efforts you made to seek protection there before leaving. It needs to be detailed, consistent with your other statements, and complete, because it becomes the foundation the Refugee Protection Division measures your later testimony against.
Yes, it can be updated. If you remember additional details, realize something was left out, or if circumstances change after you filed it, you can generally submit an amendment or additional narrative before your hearing. Waiting until the hearing itself to raise significant new information you knew about earlier, without explanation, can hurt your credibility, so updates should be made as soon as you realize something needs adding or correcting.
Because inconsistencies between this form and your oral testimony are one of the most common reasons credibility gets challenged at a hearing, treat the form as something to get right early and revise carefully, ideally with help translating and organizing your account, rather than as a formality to complete quickly.
Key takeaways
- The form sets out your personal story and reasons for fearing return — it must be detailed and complete.
- It becomes the benchmark your later testimony is measured against for consistency.
- You can update it before your hearing if new details emerge or circumstances change.
- Unexplained new information raised only at the hearing can hurt your credibility.