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Immigration and Citizenship Assistance

Greg McLean’s constituency office assists residents of Calgary Centre with immigration and citizenship matters involving Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). We may be able to make enquiries regarding delayed applications, obtain status updates, and help constituents navigate federal immigration and citizenship processes.

However, we cannot approve applications, overturn decisions, provide legal advice, or guarantee faster processing.

Before contacting our office, please review the information below and consult IRCC’s online resources where appropriate.

Before Contacting Our Office

Most immigration enquiries can be resolved directly through IRCC’s online services. We encourage applicants to review the information and resources on this page before submitting an immigration intake request.

✅ Who We Can Assist

  • Residents of Calgary Centre;
  • The resident, their spouse or common-law partner, child, mother, or father;
  • Applications that have exceeded IRCC’s published processing times; and
  • Exceptional or urgent circumstances that may warrant an enquiry with IRCC.

Documentation may be required to confirm residency, family relationship, and eligibility for assistance.

Eligibility for Assistance

Who can receive assistance from Greg McLean’s office?

As a Member of Parliament, Greg’s responsibility is to represent the constituents of Calgary Centre. If you live in another federal electoral district, we encourage you to contact your own Member of Parliament, who will be best positioned to assist you.

➡️ Find your Member of Parliament

Do I need to provide proof that I live in Calgary Centre?

Yes.

Before we can open a case, we require your complete residential address, including:

  • Complete Street address
  • Unit number (if applicable)
  • Postal code

We may also request proof of residency to confirm that you reside within Calgary Centre.

Please note that we are unable to proceed with a case if your address information is incomplete. If you move while your case is active, you must notify our office of your new residential address as soon as possible. A current residential address is required to verify eligibility for assistance and to ensure that correspondence can be delivered accurately by Canada Post.

Which family members can your office assist with?

For immigration casework, our office assists Calgary Centre residents with matters involving:

  • The resident;
  • Their spouse or common-law partner;
  • Their child; or
  • Their mother or father.

We generally do not assist with applications involving extended family members, including siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, or in-laws.

Documentation may be required to verify both the family relationship and the residency of the Calgary Centre constituent.

Can your office assist individuals who live outside Canada?

No.

Our office provides immigration casework assistance to residents of Calgary Centre. Individuals who reside outside Canada should contact IRCC directly using its online tools and enquiry forms.

If you are a resident of Calgary Centre seeking assistance for an immediate family member’s immigration application, documentation may be required to establish both your residency and your relationship to the applicant.

What Greg McLean’s Office Can and Cannot Do

What can Greg McLean’s office help with?

Our office may be able to assist with:

  • Immigration or citizenship applications that have exceeded IRCC’s published processing times;
  • Difficulties obtaining information about an existing application;
  • Communication issues involving IRCC;
  • Urgent humanitarian or exceptional circumstances;
  • Questions about available federal immigration and citizenship services; and
  • Clarifying information received from IRCC regarding an existing file.

What can’t an MP’s office do?

⚠️ What We Cannot Do

  • Approve or refuse immigration applications;
  • Influence, direct, or interfere with decisions made by immigration officers;
  • Guarantee faster processing;
  • Reverse refused applications;
  • Provide legal advice; or
  • Obtain special treatment for an application.

All immigration and citizenship decisions are made independently by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Processing Times and Delays

Will your office contact IRCC about my application?

In most cases, our office will only open an enquiry once your application has exceeded IRCC’s published processing time.

We encourage applicants to first:

  1. Check the current processing times;
  2. Review their online account or application tracker; and
  3. Contact IRCC directly through available online services.

Exceptions may be considered in urgent or exceptional circumstances, including:

  • Serious illness;
  • Humanitarian considerations;
  • Imminent loss of status;
  • Family emergencies; and
  • Other circumstances that may result in significant hardship if the matter is not addressed promptly.

Why can’t Greg’s office contact IRCC immediately after I submit my application?

IRCC provides applicants with online tools to track application status, submit updates, and communicate directly with the department.

In most cases, our office becomes involved only after published processing times have been exceeded or where exceptional circumstances exist. This allows resources to be focused on delayed or urgent cases that may require additional assistance.

How do I check the processing time for my application?

Current processing times are available directly from IRCC

➡️ Check Current Processing Times

Processing times vary depending on application type, location, and volume.

How do I check the status of my application?

Most applicants can check their application status online through their IRCC account or application tracker.

➡️ Check Your Application Status
➡️ IRCC Online Account

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a UCI?

A UCI (Unique Client Identifier) is a number assigned by IRCC to identify applicants. It can usually be found on correspondence received from IRCC.

Providing your UCI helps our office identify your file when communicating with IRCC.

What information will I need before contacting your office?

To help us review your enquiry efficiently, please be prepared to provide:

  • Full name;
  • Date of birth;
  • Complete Calgary Centre residential address;
  • Telephone number and email address;
  • Application number;
  • UCI;
  • Type of application;
  • Date submitted;
  • Copies of relevant IRCC correspondence; and
  • A brief summary of your concern.

Providing complete information helps us determine whether we may be able to assist.

Will your office need my consent before contacting IRCC?

Yes.

Federal privacy laws require our office to obtain your written consent before we can request information from IRCC about your case.

If your enquiry is eligible for assistance, we will provide a consent and authorization form that must be completed before our office can communicate with IRCC on your behalf.

Can more than one MP’s office assist with the same immigration file?

No.

To avoid duplication and confusion, immigration enquiries should be handled through a single Member of Parliament’s office at a time. As Members of Parliament are elected to represent their own constituents, individuals are encouraged to seek assistance from their local MP.

If Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) advises our office that an active enquiry regarding the same file is already being handled by another MP or Senator’s office, we may close our file and ask that future enquiries be directed through that office.

Using multiple parliamentary offices simultaneously can create duplication, result in conflicting communications, and may complicate efforts to obtain timely information about an application.

My application is past the normal processing time and IRCC says “Security screening is in progress.” Why is there a delay?

Security screening is a separate stage of application processing that may be required for some applicants. This stage is conducted by third-party government partners on behalf of IRCC, and there is no published processing timeframe for its completion.

As long as security screening remains in progress, IRCC may be unable to finalize a decision on the application. Unfortunately, neither IRCC nor our office can expedite this process, and our office is generally unable to obtain updates regarding the status of security screening.

If your application remains well beyond normal processing times, our office may be able to request a general status update from IRCC; however, information relating to the security screening process itself is typically not provided.

How do I update my address or submit new information to IRCC?

Changes to your address, personal information, or application details should generally be submitted directly to IRCC.

➡️ Update your address with IRCC

How do I submit additional documents to IRCC?

Additional documents should normally be submitted through:

  • Your IRCC online account; or
  • The IRCC Web Form.

If IRCC has provided a deadline, ensure documents are submitted before that date.

Can your office help if my application was refused?

Our office cannot overturn or reverse an immigration decision.

However, we may be able to help you understand:

  • The information provided by IRCC;
  • Available review or appeal processes; and
  • Where to obtain further information.

If legal advice is required, we recommend consulting a qualified immigration lawyer or licensed immigration consultant.

What if my situation is urgent?

Please contact our office as soon as possible if your situation involves:

  • Serious illness;
  • Death of an immediate family member;
  • Urgent humanitarian circumstances;
  • Imminent loss of immigration status; or
  • Other exceptional situations that may result in significant hardship if not addressed promptly.

Supporting documentation may be requested.

Request Immigration Casework Assistance

📧 Ready to Submit an Immigration Intake Request?

Before submitting your request, please ensure that:

  • You meet the eligibility criteria outlined above;
  • You have your application number and UCI available, if applicable;
  • You have reviewed your application status and current IRCC processing times; and
  • You are prepared to provide supporting documentation if requested.

If your matter meets the eligibility requirements, you may proceed with the Immigration Casework Intake Request below.

If you are a resident of Calgary Centre and believe your immigration or citizenship matter meets the eligibility criteria outlined above, you may begin the intake process by completing our Immigration Casework Intake Template.

The template will open in your default email application and provide a standardized format for submitting the information our office requires to assess your request.

Please note that submitting an intake request does not automatically open a case file. Once we have reviewed the information provided, we will determine whether our office is able to assist and will advise you of any next steps, including the completion of an authorization form if required.

Submitting an intake request does not automatically open a case file or confirm eligibility for assistance.

Submit an Immigration Casework Intake Form

While we cannot influence or determine the outcome of an immigration or citizenship application, we will do our best to assist eligible constituents in obtaining information and resolving issues with federal departments and agencies.

Helpful IRCC Resources

IRCC Help Centre
Find answers to common immigration and citizenship questions.
➡️ Visit the IRCC Help Centre

Application Status
Check the status of your application online.
➡️ Check Your Application Status

Processing Times
View current IRCC processing estimates.
➡️ Check Current Processing Times

IRCC Web Form
Submit updates or enquiries directly to IRCC.
➡️ Submit an IRCC Web Form