Who this page is for
More and more people use ChatGPT and other AI tools to prepare their immigration applications: to choose a program, fill in forms, and write letters of explanation, study plans, personal statements and submissions. AI can be a useful starting point. But it does not know your full history, it can be confidently wrong, and it does not sign your application. You do.
This page is for you if:
- You have prepared an application with AI and want a lawyer to check it before you submit
- You started with AI and now want us to take over the application
- Your AI-prepared application was refused, and you want to know why and what to do next
- You received a procedural fairness letter or an interview request about something in your application
- You have noticed a mistake in an application you already submitted
This is general information only, not legal advice. Every case is different. Please get independent legal advice about your own situation before deciding what to do.
Where AI-prepared applications go wrong
In the applications we review, the same problems come up again and again:
- Wrong or outdated rules. Programs, forms, fees, eligibility criteria and document requirements change often. AI tools can describe rules that no longer apply, or that never applied.
- Invented law and policy. AI can produce legal sections, policy references and case citations that look real but do not exist, or do not say what it claims. An officer who checks will notice.
- Generic letters. Study plans, letters of explanation and personal statements written by AI often read alike. Officers see a great many of them, and a letter that could have been written by anyone does little to show your own reasons and circumstances.
- Facts you did not provide. When information is missing, AI tends to fill the gap with something that sounds plausible. If that ends up in your application, it is now a statement you made.
- Inconsistencies. A polished letter that does not match your forms, your documents or your earlier applications raises credibility concerns.
- Missing evidence. An application can read well and still lack the documents that prove what it says.
- The wrong pathway. AI may point you to a program you do not qualify for, or miss a better option or a risk in your history, such as an earlier refusal, an overstay or a criminal charge.
You are responsible for what you submit
When you sign an immigration application, you declare that the information in it is true, complete and correct. That is so whoever, or whatever, wrote it.
Misrepresentation does not depend on intent. A false or incomplete statement about a material fact can lead to a finding of misrepresentation and a five-year bar from Canada, even if the error came from an AI tool and you did not notice it.
Using AI is not prohibited. The question is whether every statement, date and document in your application is accurate, consistent with your history, and supported by evidence. That is what a lawyer’s review checks. Lawyer to verify before publishing.
Refugee claims and other testimony-based cases
Where your own testimony is central, such as a refugee claim, an H&C application or a sponsorship interview, the written account must be your own. If a narrative polished by AI differs from what you say at your hearing or interview, the differences can be used to question your credibility. See refugee claims.
Your personal information
Be careful about entering passport numbers, identity documents, medical information or other sensitive details into public AI tools. Check how the tool stores and uses what you type.
The process at a glance
Your draft forms, letters and documents, and anything you have already submitted or received.
We check the program, the eligibility, the forms, the letters and the evidence, and compare them with your earlier applications and documents.
We tell you what to correct, add or remove, and why.
The pathway is wrong, the risks are significant, or the application needs to be rebuilt.
With our corrections, as a review-only service.
We prepare and submit the application as your representative.
If you have not submitted yet
A review before you file is the simplest way to avoid a refusal. We look at:
- Whether you are applying under the right program, and whether you meet its requirements today
- Whether the forms are complete, current and consistent with each other
- Whether your letters and statements are accurate, specific to you, and in your own voice
- Whether the evidence actually proves what the application says
- Your earlier applications, refusals and immigration history, and anything that must be disclosed
- Any risks AI may have missed, such as inadmissibility, earlier misrepresentation or status issues
Depending on what you need, we can review your application and give you written corrections, or take over the application and represent you.
If you already submitted, or were refused
You found a mistake after submitting
Do not ignore it, and do not send a new letter that creates a fresh inconsistency. We advise on how to correct the record, and how to explain the error. Lawyer to verify before publishing.
You received a procedural fairness letter
An officer has a concern and is giving you a chance to respond, often within a short deadline. The response needs to deal with the concern directly, with evidence. See misrepresentation.
Your application was refused
We review the refusal and your application to find out what went wrong, and advise on the options: a new, stronger application, a request for reconsideration, or judicial review in the Federal Court. The Federal Court deadline is 15 days for applications arising from inside Canada, and 60 days for applications arising from outside Canada. See temporary resident refusals and permanent residence refusals.
How we help
We regularly represent clients in applications first prepared with AI. We see what goes wrong when applications are refused, so we know what to look for before you file. Our team knows what these matters require and has the experience to prepare them carefully.
- Reviewing AI-prepared forms, letters and submissions for accuracy and consistency
- Checking eligibility and the choice of program against the current rules
- Rewriting letters and study plans so they are specific to you and supported by evidence
- Identifying missing documents and disclosure issues
- Taking over the application as your representative, where that is the better course
- Responding to procedural fairness letters and interview requests
- Advising on refusals, reconsideration and judicial review
There is nothing wrong with having started on your own. We tell you candidly what works in your draft and what does not, and make sure what you submit is accurate and complete.
What to bring
- Your draft forms, letters and supporting documents
- The AI conversation or prompts you used, if you have them, so we can see what information the tool was given
- Copies of anything you have already submitted, with the date
- Any letters from IRCC, CBSA or the IRB, including refusals and procedural fairness letters
- Your passport and current status documents
- Copies of earlier applications and refusals, in Canada or elsewhere
Questions
Is it allowed to use AI to prepare my immigration application?
Yes. Nothing prevents you from using AI tools. But you are responsible for everything in the application you sign, including any errors the tool made.
Can you just review my application instead of doing the whole thing?
Often, yes. We can review your draft and give you corrections, or take over the application if that is the better course.
AI told me I am eligible. Can I rely on that?
Not on its own. AI tools can apply outdated or incorrect rules, and they do not know your full history. Eligibility should be checked against the current requirements and your documents.
Will an officer know my letter was written by AI?
Officers do not need to know how a letter was written to be unpersuaded by it. Generic letters that could apply to anyone, or that do not match your documents, tend to carry little weight.
My application was refused. Was it because I used AI?
Not necessarily. The refusal letter and the officer’s notes explain the reasons. We review them with your application to find out what went wrong and what to do next.
I used AI and now I think something in my application is wrong. What should I do?
Get advice quickly. Correcting an error yourself can create a new inconsistency, so it is worth getting the approach right.
How much will this cost?
You can get an approximate fee through our online consultation portal before your appointment.
Related
Misrepresentation
Accused of a false or missing detail on an application? Respond carefully.
Judicial Review of Temporary Resident Refusals
Challenging a refused visitor visa, study permit or work permit in Federal Court.
Permanent Residency
Spousal sponsorship, humanitarian and compassionate, Express Entry and provincial nominees.