How to Complete IMM 5406 Additional Family Information

IMM 5406 is often confused with IMM 5645, but they serve different purposes. While IMM 5645 provides a broad list of your family members, IMM 5406 goes deeper and asks for additional details about each person, including their education history, dates of marriage or relationships, and more specific address information. IRCC uses this form to build a complete picture of your family connections for security and admissibility screening.

When Is IMM 5406 Required?

IMM 5406 is required for several types of immigration applications, including:

• Family class sponsorship applications (spouse, parent, grandparent, or dependent child sponsorship)
• Some permanent residence applications under economic programs
• Refugee and protected persons applications
• Certain temporary residence applications when specifically requested by IRCC

Check the document checklist for your specific application to see if IMM 5406 is required. If your application package includes IMM 5645, there is a good chance IMM 5406 is also needed.

Who Fills Out IMM 5406?

Both the principal applicant AND the accompanying spouse or common-law partner must each fill out their own separate copy of IMM 5406. This means if you are applying for permanent residence with your spouse, you will submit two copies of this form, each completed from the respective person's perspective.

The principal applicant's IMM 5406 lists their own family (parents, siblings, children). The spouse's IMM 5406 lists the spouse's own family (the spouse's parents, siblings, and children from previous relationships).

Detailed Section-by-Section Instructions

Section A: Your Personal Details

Enter your full name, date of birth, and UCI number at the top of the form. Make sure the name matches exactly what appears on your main application form (IMM 0008).

Section B: Your Spouse or Common-Law Partner

Provide the following for your current spouse or partner:

• Full legal name
• Date and place of birth
• Date and place of your marriage or start of common-law relationship
• Current address
• Present occupation and employer name

If you have been previously married or in a common-law relationship, list those relationships too, including when and how they ended (divorce, death, separation).

Section C: Your Parents

For each parent (mother and father), provide:

• Full name (including maiden name for your mother if applicable)
• Date of birth
• Place of birth (city and country)
• Current address (or "Deceased" with date of death)
• Marital status
• Current occupation

Section D: Your Brothers and Sisters

List each sibling with:

• Full name
• Date and place of birth
• Marital status and spouse's name (if applicable)
• Current address
• Occupation

Include half-siblings, step-siblings, and adopted siblings. If a sibling is deceased, include them with the notation "Deceased" and the date of death.

Section E: Your Children

List all your children with the same level of detail. For each child, also indicate:

• Whether they are accompanying you to Canada
• Whether they are a dependent (under 22, unmarried, and not in a common-law relationship, or over 22 and financially dependent due to a physical or mental condition)
• If they are not accompanying you, explain why (for example, "remaining with other parent in [country]")

Tips for Accuracy

1. Cross-reference with other forms: Before submitting, compare every name, date, and address on IMM 5406 with what you wrote on IMM 5645, IMM 5669, and IMM 0008. Any discrepancies will require an explanation and could slow down your application.
2. Use official document spellings: If your sibling's passport spells their name differently from common usage, use the passport spelling.
3. Provide complete addresses: Include house number, street name, city, province/state, postal/zip code, and country. Do not just write a city name.
4. Be truthful about lost contact: If you genuinely do not know a sibling's address, write "Unknown, last known address was [city, country]" and provide an explanation.

What Happens After You Submit

IRCC officers review IMM 5406 as part of the background check process. They may:

• Cross-reference family members with security databases
• Verify information through Canadian visa offices in your home country
• Request additional information if anything is unclear
• Compare your form with your spouse's form for consistency

If IRCC finds inconsistencies or missing information, they will typically send you a procedural fairness letter giving you a chance to explain. However, this adds weeks or months to your processing time, so it is best to get it right the first time.

Where to Get the Form

Download IMM 5406 from the IRCC forms and guides page. Fill it out digitally using Adobe Acrobat Reader (free), then print and sign it. Alternatively, print the blank form and fill it in with black ink.

For related guides, see our articles on IMM 5476 Use of a Representative, IMM 5562 Supplementary Information, and our newcomer resources page.

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