Refugee Appeal Division (RAD)
A refused claim is not always the end of the road.
What the RAD does
The Refugee Appeal Division decides appeals of Refugee Protection Division decisions on questions of law, fact, or mixed law and fact. The appeal is usually decided on the written record without an oral hearing. The RAD can confirm the RPD decision, substitute its own decision, or send the claim back to the RPD to be heard again.
Deadlines and new evidence are strict
RAD timelines are short and firmly enforced, and there are tight rules about when new evidence can be admitted on appeal. The strength of an appeal lies in pinpointing the specific errors in the RPD reasons and arguing them precisely, not in re-arguing the whole claim.
How we help
We review the RPD decision and record, identify the appealable errors, prepare the appellant record and legal submissions, and where the rules allow, present admissible new evidence. If the RAD upholds the refusal, we advise on judicial review at the Federal Court.