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How to arrange your Express Entry documents into PDFs for submission

Canada • Express Entry • immigration 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • Educational Documents

    One PDF combining degrees, Educational Credential Assessment(s) (ECA), and IELTS.

  • Marriage Certificate

    Original certificate, notarized English translation if in another language, and name-change document if applicable.

  • Medical Upfront

    Just the medical exam sheet issued by the panel physician (e.g., IOM).

  • Passports

    Current passport plus any expired passports that show prior visas.

  • Police Certificates

    One PDF per country you've lived in for the required period.

  • Proof of Funds

    Bank account maintenance certificate, average balance certificate, no-loan/debt certificate, and supporting documents (e.g., sale/purchase deeds) for large transactions or if funds aren't 6 months aged.

  • Work Experience

    Experience letters, offer letters, and pay slips for each qualifying job.

Step-by-Step

A member shared a practical answer to a common question in the group: how to organize documents into separate PDFs for an Express Entry (EE) submission, since each checklist item needs to be its own file.

The suggested structure, one PDF per bullet:
  1. Educational Documents (degrees earned before ITA, ECA(s), IELTS)

  2. Marriage Certificate (original + notarized translation + name-change doc if applicable)

  3. Medical Upfront (just the medical sheet from the panel physician)

  4. Passports (current + expired ones showing visa history)

  5. Police Certificate(s) — one file per country lived in

  6. Proof of Funds (account maintenance/balance/no-loan certificates, plus explanation for large transactions or funds under 6 months old)

  7. Work Experience (experience letters, offer letters, pay slips)


Additional guidance from replies:
  • If a Police Certificate or medical can't be obtained in time, upload proof of the pending appointment instead (e.g., an appointment confirmation), along with a Letter of Explanation (LOE) describing the delay and circumstances — don't leave the slot empty or miss the deadline waiting.

  • Members asked follow-up questions about whether an LOE should be a single combined document covering everything or a separate note per file, and about exact police-certificate formats and how many pay slips to include — these weren't answered in the thread, so no firm guidance exists on those specifics; check current IRCC document checklist guidance for those details.


Takeaway: organize each checklist category as its own PDF, and if a document isn't ready by submission time, substitute proof of a pending appointment plus an explanatory LOE rather than leaving it out.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Split documents into one PDF per checklist category rather than combining everything into one large file.
  • Tip: If a police certificate or medical isn't ready yet, submit proof of the pending appointment plus a Letter of Explanation rather than leaving the item blank.
  • Tip: For large or recent bank transactions, add supporting documents (e.g., sale/purchase deeds) alongside your proof-of-funds certificates.

Have a question about this? Join the discussion.

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