What is a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) – And How Should you Respond in 2025?

Zareenjit Kaur
Jun 12
2 min read

1. Procedural Fairness Letters: Your Last Chance Before Refusal — Don’t Face It Alone

2. What to Do If You Get a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) in 2025 – “Expert Advice from Admire Immigration”

3. Received a Procedural Fairness Letter from IRCC? Here’s What It Means and How to Respond

Receiving a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can be stressful – but it’s not a refusal.

Instead, its letter sent by the immigration officer as a warning sign stating there is a concern or problem with your immigration, citizenship, or visa application, and you are being given a chance to explain or correct the issue before a final decision is made.

A PFL can be sent for several reasons, including:

· Missing or inconsistent information in your application

· Suspected misrepresentation (it can even be accidental mistakes)

· Doubts about your relationship, job offer, or intent to stay

· Questionable supporting documents

· Concerns about admissibility (criminal, medical, financial, etc)

This letter lists the concerns or issues with the file of the applicant, and invites the applicant to respond within a deadline (usually 7 to 30 days). It also warns the applicant that failure to respond may lead to a refusal or serious consequences, such as a 5 year ban for misrepresentation.

Responding to a PFL isn’t just about replying quickly – it’s about replying effectively and legally sound. A careless or emotional response can do more harm than good.

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A strong response should:

1. clearly address each concern raised

2. Provide legal explanations, context, or justification

3. Include supporting evidence (affidavits, timelines, documents, etc.)

4. Remain respectful and factual – never defensive or angry.

Don’t Risk It – Get Expert Guidance

At Admire Immigration, we’ve seen for too many applicants make the mistake of responding to a PFL on their own-only to face refusals or long-term bans because their reply was incomplete, unclear, or legally weak.

Our Team Can Help You:

· Review the PFL carefully to understand the officer’s concern

· Gather strong evidence to support your case

· Draft a professional response with proper legal arguments

· Prevent misrepresentation issue and protect your future applications

· Avoid emotional or rushed mistakes that could damage your case.

Responding to PFL? TIME IS TICKING

If you’ve a Procedural Fairness Letter:

For personal guidance and support, Contact us

ADMIRE IMMIGRATION SERVICES INC

Vancouver: #200, 223 W Broadway, BC, V5Y 1P5. Phone: 778-925-3008

Surrey: #385-8148, 128 Street, BC, V3W 1R1. Phone: 778-683-3008