IRCC Form IMM 5646: Fillable PDF
Custodian Declaration (Minor Studying in Canada)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Declare a custodian for a minor child studying in Canada without a parent or legal guardian.
Reviewed July 2026
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How it works
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Download the form. Save the official PDF to your device.
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Open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader and fill in each field. Browsers show a placeholder page for this form type.
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Save and submit the completed form following the official instructions.
Form IMM 5646, Custodian Declaration, is the document that appoints a responsible adult in Canada to care for a minor child who will study in Canada without a parent or legal guardian. It is a standard requirement for many minor study permit applications, giving IRCC assurance that someone in Canada will provide care and support in place of the parents.
IMM 5646 is provided as a dynamic PDF that opens reliably only in Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer. Download the official file from this page, save it, and open the saved copy in Acrobat Reader; a browser tab may show only a placeholder page. Confirm on canada.ca that you have the current version, since IRCC replaces form versions periodically.
What is Form IMM 5646 used for
When a minor comes to Canada to study without a parent or legal guardian, IRCC generally expects a custodian: an adult in Canada who takes responsibility for the child's care, supervision, and support. The custodian declaration formalizes that arrangement in two parts, one signed by the custodian in Canada and one signed by the child's parents or legal guardians in the home country.
Whether a custodian is mandatory depends on the child's age relative to the age of majority in the destination province or territory, and officers can require one for older minors case by case. The study permit instructions explain how the requirement applies.
Who completes IMM 5646
The form is completed by two sets of people in two places, and both parts must be properly executed.
- The custodian in Canada, an adult who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living within reasonable distance of the child's school and residence, completes and signs the custodianship declaration.
- The child's parents or legal guardians in the country of origin complete and sign the parental declaration appointing that custodian.
- Each signed part is generally notarized where it is signed, so plan for appointments in both countries.
How to complete the custodian declaration
Open the saved PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader and complete the details for the child, the custodian, and the parents or guardians. Then arrange the signings: the custodian signs their part before a notary in Canada, and the parents or guardians sign their part before a notary or equivalent official at home.
- Use the child's name exactly as it appears in their passport and study permit application.
- Provide the custodian's full contact details and address in Canada, close enough to the school to make real supervision plausible.
- Have both pages notarized after signing, then include both in the study permit application package.
- Keep the custodian's details consistent with the addresses given elsewhere in the application.
Choosing a custodian
A custodian takes on genuine responsibility: arranging care and accommodation, acting in emergencies, and standing in for the parents with the school and authorities. Choose someone the family trusts who actually lives near where the child will study, such as a relative, a family friend, or a custodian arranged through the school's homestay program.
Schools and provinces may add their own guardianship expectations on top of the IRCC requirement. Check with the designated learning institution, and consider advice from an RCIC or immigration lawyer if the custody arrangements are complicated, for example where the parents are separated.
Frequently asked questions
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Generally when studying in Canada without a parent or legal guardian and below the age of majority in the destination province or territory. Officers can also require a custodian for older minors where they judge it necessary, so check the current study permit guidance.
A responsible adult, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, living reasonably close to the child's school and residence, who agrees to provide care and support. Relatives, close family friends, and school-arranged custodians are all common choices.
The custodian's declaration is signed and notarized in Canada, and the parents' or guardians' declaration is signed and notarized in the home country. Plan for both, since an unexecuted page makes the declaration incomplete.
No. The declaration creates a care and support arrangement for immigration purposes; it does not transfer legal guardianship. Families who want formal guardianship arrangements should get legal advice in the relevant province.
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