IMM 5713: How to Fill Out the Use of a Family Member Representative Form for Online Applications (2026)

IMM 5713 is the form a family uses to let one member submit and manage everyone's online application from a single online account. It is not IMM 5476, and it is not for paid help: it appoints an unpaid family member as your representative, nothing more.

Getting this one wrong is expensive in a specific way. IRCC's own instruction on the IMM 5713 form is blunt: once you give permission to a spouse, common-law partner, or parent, the only way to undo it is to cancel the whole application and start over, paying the government fees again. So the real question is not just how to fill out IMM 5713, but whether you should be signing it at all.

What IMM 5713 actually is (and what it is not)

IMM 5713 does one job: when a family applies online together, it gives one person's account written permission to carry the submission and receive IRCC's messages about the file. That is it. IRCC recognizes two kinds of representatives, paid ones who must be authorized, and unpaid ones like family members and friends who help for free. A family member acting under IMM 5713 is firmly in the unpaid group. If you are paying someone to represent you, they must be an authorized representative using a different form, not this one. IRCC's plain-language rules on who can act for you sit on the official Learn about representatives page.

Who needs to fill out IMM 5713

You need IMM 5713 when your family is submitting one online application together and one family member's account will file it for everyone. Think of a household checking out with a single shopping cart: everyone's items are in it, but one login completes the purchase and gets the updates. One form covers the whole family, not one per person.

Every family member aged 18 or older signs to appoint the representative. Children under 18 do not sign and do not give approval, though they are still listed. If your family is also completing a family information form, keep the names and dates of birth identical across both, because officers read them side by side.

How to fill out IMM 5713, section by section

The form is a single page in three parts. Complete them in order:

1. Section A, Family Member Representative: write the full name and date of birth of the one family member being appointed to act for everyone. Then list each family member by name, date of birth, and relationship to that representative (spouse, son, daughter, and so on).

2. Section B, Granting permission: every listed family member who is 18 or older signs and dates this section to appoint the representative named in Section A. This is the consent that makes the appointment real.

3. Section C, Declaration of the representative: the appointed family member signs and dates to declare that the information is truthful, complete, and correct.

One warning printed on the form is worth repeating: giving false or misleading information is a serious offence, and you remain responsible for all the information in your application, even when a family member submits it for you.

Unsure whether your family should file one application or separate ones? That question is worth settling before you sign anything, and a 30-minute check with Ansari Immigration's licensed RCIC ($80) does exactly that.

IMM 5713 vs IMM 5476: which representative form do you need

Here is the clean split. IMM 5476, the Use of a Representative form, is what you file to appoint a representative in general, paid or unpaid, to deal with IRCC on your behalf for an application. Anyone you pay must be an authorized representative, such as a lawyer or an RCIC, and they use IMM 5476. IMM 5713 is narrower and situation-specific: only for family members applying online together so one member's account can carry the shared submission.

In practice, the mix-up we see most is a family reaching for IMM 5713 when they have actually hired a consultant, which calls for IMM 5476, or filing IMM 5476 when all they wanted was to combine the family under one login, which is exactly what IMM 5713 does. Wrong form, delayed file. The deciding question is not who is paid, it is the scenario: are you appointing someone to represent you on an application, or are family members simply submitting one online application together through a single account?

Not sure whether your family should apply in one submission or separately? Describe the setup in the comments, without personal details, and we will point you to the right form.

Why IMM 5713 matters for your application

Because taking back permission from a spouse or parent means canceling and re-paying, IMM 5713 is not a box to tick without thinking. Appoint the family member who is organized, reachable, and confident logging in, because that account becomes the family's single line to IRCC, and one missed message affects everyone on the file. Families applying together for permanent residence or through family sponsorship feel this most.

One honest caveat: IMM 5713 dates from 2012 and uses older online-account language, while IRCC has since moved several application types onto newer portals. Before relying on it, confirm on the current IRCC application instructions for your program whether your online submission still requires IMM 5713.

Frequently asked questions about IMM 5713

How do I fill out IMM 5713?

Name the family member representative and their date of birth in Section A, list each family member and their relationship, have everyone 18 or older sign Section B, and have the representative sign the declaration in Section C. One form covers the whole family.

How do I sign IMM 5713?

Each family member who is 18 or older signs and dates Section B to appoint the representative. The representative also signs and dates Section C. Children under 18 do not sign.

Is IMM 5713 the same as IMM 5476?

No. IMM 5476, Use of a Representative, appoints a representative in general, paid or unpaid, to act for you on an application. IMM 5713 is only for family members submitting one online application together through a single account. Anyone you pay must be authorized and uses IMM 5476.

Do children need to sign IMM 5713?

No. Only family members aged 18 and older sign to grant permission. Dependent children under 18 do not have to provide approval, though they are still listed on the form.

Can I cancel a family member representative after signing IMM 5713?

For a spouse, common-law partner, or parent, IRCC says the only way to revoke permission is to cancel the application and resubmit. The fees already paid are not refunded and must be paid again, so choose carefully before signing.

Related Posts

• IMM 5476: What It Is, Who Needs It, and How to Fill It Out: The general Use of a Representative form, including when you need it for a paid, authorized representative.

• What Is an Authorized Representative for Immigration in Canada?: Who is allowed to charge a fee to represent you, and how to tell an authorized representative from an unpaid one.

• How to Verify an Immigration Consultant in Canada (and Avoid Ghost Consultants): How to check the public register before you let anyone act on your immigration file.

Doing it yourself: IMM 5713 is short and free, and for a straightforward joint family application you can complete and sign it without help. Where Ansari Immigration earns its fee: on the application the form is attached to, when the choice between filing together or separately, or between IMM 5713 and IMM 5476, actually changes your outcome. Ansari Immigration is led by a licensed RCIC (R709304), regulated by CICC, practicing since 2019 with 6,000+ cases, who teaches immigration law at three colleges. Flat, transparent fees quoted upfront, additional family members quoted separately. If your family's setup is not obvious, book a 30-minute consultation ($80), and if a step here still confuses you, ask in the comments, 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.