Ottawa, January 10, 2020—Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is putting in place special measures to help family members of the victims of the recent Ukrainian International Airlines tragedy in Iran. This includes Canadians, permanent residents and those holding temporary status in Canada.

Assistance will be provided to those who need to travel to Iran, who need travel documents on an urgent basis or those who may need to remain in Canada temporarily. Assistance will also be provided to family members who may need to travel to Canada for funerals or to handle personal affairs of victims, and need a visa on an urgent basis.

IRCC has set up dedicated phone lines and a dedicated email address to provide assistance to individuals in these circumstances. As of 9 a.m. EST on January 11, the number to call in Canada or the U.S. is 1-833-864-2831, and from anywhere else in the world, 1-438-843-2029. Individuals can e-mail IRCC at operationPS752@cic.gc.ca.

Hours of operation:

Weekends: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST

Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST