Split a PDF or pull out pages for IRCC
Type the pages you want, such as 1-3, 5, and download them as one PDF or one PDF per range. Useful when one scan holds documents that belong in different upload fields.
or drop it here. Up to 100 MB and 300 pages.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and you don't need an account.
When do you need to split a PDF for IRCC?
A single scanning session often produces one long PDF holding your passport pages, a birth certificate and a few bank letters. IRCC accepts one file per upload field, and your document checklist usually gives each document its own field. So each document has to come out as its own file before you upload it.
Splitting also helps with size. The limit is 4 MB per file in most IRCC accounts and 5 MB in the IRCC Portal. A long scan can go over that even when the part a field needs would fit easily. Pulling out just those pages often brings the file under the limit with no loss of quality.
How do I write page ranges?
Type pages and ranges separated by commas. 1-3, 5, 8-10 means pages 1 to 3, page 5 and pages 8 to 10. Then pick how you want them back.
One file per range gives you a separate PDF for each range, three in this example. Use it when one scan holds several documents. One file puts all the pages you listed into a single PDF, in the order you typed them. Use it to remove pages: list only the ones you want to keep.
Page numbers count from the first page of the PDF, which isn't always the number printed on the page. If a scan starts with a cover sheet, everything shifts by one. Check the page count the tool shows after you add the file.
Which pages can you leave out?
Blank pages, the backs of single-sided documents and duplicate scans add size without adding anything an officer needs. Leave them out of your ranges.
Don't drop the back of a two-sided document, though. For a passport or status in Canada document, IRCC's sponsorship upload guidance asks for both sides in one file when you have to submit both. For other cards and certificates with writing on the back, keeping both pages in the same range is our advice, not an IRCC rule.
Does splitting change the pages?
No. Pages are copied exactly as they are, so text stays sharp and selectable and scans keep their resolution. The original PDF isn't changed either. Each part is a new file you download, and you can split the same original again with different ranges.
This also means splitting doesn't shrink the pages you keep. A part made of a few high-resolution scanned pages can still be large.
What if a part is still too big?
Run it through Compress PDF. IRCC's advice for large PDFs is to reduce image resolution to between 96 and 150 DPI, and the compressor stays inside that range. It turns pages into images to get there, so text in the compressed copy can't be selected. Some application types allow as little as 2 MB per file, and the compressor has a preset for that.
What if I need to join parts from different scans?
Use Merge PDF. A common pattern is to split two long scans into their documents, then merge the pages that belong to the same field into one file. A combined file weighs as much as all its parts, so check it against the limit again before you upload.
Frequently asked questions
Start by removing pages you don't need: type only the pages to keep and choose One file. If the result is still over the limit, compress it. IRCC also suggests saving PDFs with a lowest-file-size option or at a lower image resolution.
Write one range per document, such as 1-2, 3, 4-6, and choose One file per range. You get a separate PDF for each range. Upload each one to its own field.
Not automatically. Any part over 4 MB is flagged in the result with a link to the compressor. The IRCC Portal allows 5 MB, and some application types allow as little as 2 MB, so compare each part with the limit your application states.
The tool opens PDFs of up to 300 pages and 100 MB. For a bigger file, split it in a desktop PDF editor first.
No. Your browser reads the PDF from your device and writes the new parts back to it. Celpip Plus never receives the file.
Not affiliated with IRCC or the Government of Canada. IRCC can change its rules, so check the instructions for your application before you upload.