Accepted Identification

Learn what the identification requirements are to take the CAEL Test

Accepted Identification

What kinds of photo identification are accepted for CAEL Tests?

Test Location	For IRCC Purposes (Student Direct Stream – online tests are not accepted)	All Other Purposes
Brazil (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document
Canada	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document Canadian Permanent Resident Card Canadian Refugee Protection Claimant Document US Passport Card CAEL Online Tests are not accepted for SDS.	Same IDs + Canadian provincial driver’s license Canadian provincial identification card (excluding health cards) Certificate of Indian Status
China	N/A	Passport Booklet* Refugee Travel Document China resident ID card (not accepted for CAEL Online in Hong Kong) *British National Overseas Passport is not accepted
Colombia (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document
India	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document CAEL Online Tests are not accepted for SDS.	Same IDs
India (CAEL Online)	N/A	Same IDs
Indonesia (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document
Japan (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document
Korea (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document
Mexico (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document
Philippines	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document CAEL Online Tests are not accepted for SDS.	Same IDs
Singapore (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document
UAE	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document Emirates ID CAEL Online Tests are not accepted for SDS.	Same IDs
USA	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document US Passport Card CAEL Online Tests are not accepted for SDS.	Same IDs + Canadian provincial driver’s license Canadian provincial identification card (excluding health cards)
Vietnam (CAEL Online)	N/A	Passport Booklet Refugee Travel Document

Unaccepted Identification
Any expired document Any photocopy of a document NEXUS Card Work Permit Record of Landing Interim Federal Health Certificate of Eligibility Passport card Canadian health card Social security card Social insurance card Employee identification card Student identification card Notary-prepared letter or document Credit card of any type Temporary identification Citizenship card

IMPORTANT: Test takers who do not provide their valid identification during check-in at the test sitting will be refused entry to the test and will not be eligible for a refund or transfer.

If you registered for the CAEL Test with a passport booklet, we recommend that you do not send it away for any reason (i.e., extensions or visa renewals) before your scheduled test date. If you are required to do so, please send away your passport booklet after you have taken the test or before you register for the test. If you do not provide your passport booklet or the identification document that you registered with at the test sitting, you will be refused entry to the test and no refunds or transfers will be given.

If you have any questions about acceptable identification, please contact us or email us at info@cael.ca.

Your Identification Document must remain the same

Your identification document must be the same one you used to register for the test. It must match the registration details you entered during registration, including full name and document number.

Your Identification Document must be original

Your identification document must be original. Photocopies or scans of identification are not acceptable.

Your Identification Document must be valid

Your identification document must be valid in order for it to be accepted. Invalid identification documents must be renewed before registering for a test.

Your Identification Document must be unexpired

Expired identification documents will not be accepted. If your identification document is set to expire before your test, you must renew it before registering.

Have More Questions About Test Day?

To review our most frequently asked questions about CAEL, our test day procedures, and more, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below. If you have further questions about the CAEL, please contact the CAEL Office for more information.

Read our FAQs

Additional Information about CAEL Policies

For more information about our cancellation and retake policies, and to view our available forms for special accommodations and more, click below.

Policies and Forms

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What I liked most about the CAEL was that you can do the test on the computer, it uses Canadian English, and the results are released quickly!

- Alinsson, CAEL - Test Taker

I appreciated the availability of test dates for CAEL, and found it convenient and inexpensive compared to other English proficiency tests.

- Aashima, CAEL - Test Taker

Accepted Identification