Under the law, IRCC, CBSA, and CSIS must release the GCMS notes within 30 days. The 30 days are the calendar days. The 30-days time frame is calculated from the next day when a complete request is filed.
Section 7 of the Access to Information Act states
Where access to a record is requested under this Part, the head of the government institution to which the request is made shall, subject to sections 8 and 9, within 30 days after the request is received,
How are the 30 days for GCMS notes calculated?
The 30 days referred to in the law are calendar days. The calculation of the 30-day time frame starts from the first day after a complete request is filed with the government agency. If the request is filed on a weekend or a statutory holiday, the 30-day time frame will start from the following business day.
Similarly, if the 30-day deadline falls on a weekend or on a statutory holiday, the deadline will be the following business day.
EXAMPLE: A request is filed on April 6, 2024. Since April 6, 2024, is a weekend, the 30-day time frame will commence on Monday, April 8, 2024. The 30-day time frame expires on May 8, 2024. May 8, 2024, is the deadline on or before which IRCC, CBSA, or CSIS are obligated to release the requested GCMS notes.
After your request is successfully filed, your order status on the online GET GCMS account will reflect the filing date. We request that you wait at least 35 days before inquiring about your request.
Extensions
On a case-by-case basis, IRCC, CBSA and CSIS may seek extensions. Under the law, an agency can seek an extension pursuant to section 9(1) for one of the following reasons:
- The request is for a large number of records or requires a search through a large number of records and meeting the original time limit, under either of these circumstances, would interfere unreasonably with the institution’s operations;
- Consultation is necessary, and it cannot be completed within the 30-day statutory deadline;
- Notice to Third-Party
When an extension is sought, the law requires that it should be done within the 30-day statutory time frame and the requestor should be informed of the extension in writing. It is also permissible for an agency to seek more than one extension, as long as all extensions are taken within the initial 30-day time frame.
While it cannot be predicted if a request will be subject to an extension, if it is, GET GCMS will promptly inform you.
TRACKING THE APPLICATION – The online IRCC portal does not accurately inform as to which stage the application is at, and therefore the only way to track your application is through GCMS notes / CBSA notes / CSIS notes. You can order your GCMS / CBSA / CSIS notes online.
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