IMM 5401: The IRCC Fee Payment Form Explained

IMM 5401 was the paper fee payment receipt form you once used to pay IRCC application fees at a bank in Canada, and it stopped being valid on April 1, 2016. If a forum thread or an old application guide sent you looking for it, that is why you cannot find a current version: IRCC retired the form, and every immigration and citizenship fee is now paid online.

One reason this still matters: IRCC's own instructions tell officers to return an application package to the applicant with a letter of explanation if it includes an IMM 5401 receipt stamped by a bank after April 30, 2016. That is weeks of delay over a form that was discontinued years ago. You can confirm the change on IRCC's official instructions on eliminating the IMM 5401 form and see the current process on IRCC's Pay your fees page. For what each application actually costs today, our current IRCC fee list breaks it down by application type.

What was the IMM 5401 form?

IMM 5401, once called an HPM receipt, was a payment receipt form. You ordered it from IRCC, took it to a financial institution in Canada, paid your fee, and the bank date-stamped the form as proof of payment. You then included that stamped receipt with your paper application. The receipt carried a number that let IRCC match your payment to your file, which is what people are still searching for when they look up an "imm 5401 receipt number." That was the system before online payment became the default.

Why you can't use the IMM 5401 form anymore

As part of modernizing how it collects fees, IRCC eliminated the IMM 5401 payment receipt form as an accepted payment option as of April 1, 2016. Clients and representatives could no longer order new forms as of January 29, 2016, financial institutions stopped accepting them on April 1, 2016, and IRCC removed every reference to the form from its Pay your fees section, its application guides, and its kits. A form date-stamped by a bank before April 1, 2016 could still be submitted with an application afterward, but in practice that window closed long ago.

In practice, when someone asks us for an IMM 5401 receipt, they are usually working from an outdated guide or an old forum thread. The form is gone, and there is nothing to download or order in its place.

Did an old guide or forum thread send you looking for an IMM 5401 form? Mention where you saw it in the comments, keeping it general, so we can point out other outdated instructions still circulating.

Not sure which fee applies to your application or how to pay it correctly the first time? That is a 30-minute question for Ansari Immigration's licensed RCIC ($80).

How to pay your IRCC fees now

Today you pay online. On IRCC's Pay your fees pages you answer two questions, where you are paying from and what you are applying for, and the site gives you the exact fee and payment instructions. You pay by credit card, prepaid credit card, or debit through a participating Canadian bank, print the receipt, and include it with your application. Whether you are paying the fees for an Express Entry application or a broader permanent residence application, it runs through the same online system, and it takes a few minutes. If you want to avoid paying twice or overpaying, our guide on saving money on immigration fees is a useful next read.

There is one narrow exception, and it is not the IMM 5401. IRCC created a separate Fee Payment Form, All Application Fees (form FIN 0049), for the rare cases where someone genuinely cannot pay online: a disability that prevents it, or the online payment tool being unavailable for more than two consecutive business days. The Call Centre provides that form only in those two situations. Everyone else pays online.

Frequently asked questions about IMM 5401

What is IMM 5401?

IMM 5401 was IRCC's paper fee payment receipt form, used to pay application fees at a bank in Canada. IRCC discontinued it on April 1, 2016, and all citizenship and immigration fees are now paid online.

What is an IMM 5401 receipt number?

It was the reference tied to a stamped IMM 5401 receipt, used to match your payment to your application. Since the form was retired, IRCC's online payment now generates your receipt and reference number automatically.

How do I download the IMM 5401 form?

You cannot. IRCC stopped issuing and accepting the IMM 5401 in 2016 and removed it from its website. Use IRCC's online payment tool instead.

What does the IMM 5401 form look like?

It was a short, single-page bank payment receipt. Because it is discontinued, there is no current version to view, and an old copy you may still have is no longer valid.

Can I still pay IRCC fees at a bank?

No. Paying at a financial institution in Canada ended with the IMM 5401 form. All citizenship and immigration fees go through IRCC's online payment system.

Related Posts

• IRCC Fees 2026: Complete Canada Immigration Fee List by Application Type: what each application actually costs in current government fees.

• How to Save Money on Your Canadian Immigration Fees: practical ways to avoid overpaying or duplicating fees.

• IMM 5476: What It Is, Who Needs It, and How to Fill It Out: the use of a representative form many applicants complete alongside their application.

Why work with Ansari Immigration: the firm charges flat, transparent fees quoted upfront, with no surprise line items. Every file is handled personally by the firm's licensed RCIC regulated by CICC, start to finish, including all forms, fee payments, and IRCC follow-ups, with direct access to your consultant throughout. Practicing since 2019, the firm's RCIC also teaches immigration law at three colleges. If you are unsure which fees apply to your case or how to pay them correctly, book a 30-minute consultation ($80) with Ansari Immigration, and if any step here still left you unsure, ask in the comments, keep it general, and we read every one.

This article is for general information only. It is not legal advice. Program criteria, requirements, processing times, and selection approaches can change without notice. Always confirm details on official government websites or consult a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) for advice specific to your situation.