How much time do I have to file a notice of appeal with the Immigration Appeal Division?

There is a short, strict deadline to file a notice of appeal with the Immigration Appeal Division, running from the date the written decision or reasons are received, and it is measured in weeks rather than months. Because the exact number of days is set out in the Immigration and Refugee Board's own rules and can be updated, the current, precise deadline should always be confirmed directly rather than relied on from memory or an older source.

Missing this deadline is a serious problem. Late filing is not automatically accepted, and while a limited extension may sometimes be requested with a genuine explanation, that is not something to plan around — the safer approach is always to treat the deadline as fixed and act well before it. Given how quickly enforcement can move once an appeal window closes without a notice being filed, delay is one of the most common and most avoidable ways an otherwise strong case is lost.

Anyone who has just received a refusal or removal order decision should confirm the applicable deadline immediately and begin preparing the notice of appeal right away, rather than waiting.