The application form

The first sections of the Disability Benefits (Pain and Suffering Compensation/Disability Pension) application form (A through D) are for your personal information (name, address, marital status, etc.). Section E is for your service information. Section F is where you tell us about your condition and its impact on your quality of life; it includes two main parts:

1. Health condition details – to identify your diagnosed chronic or permanent medical condition and to describe how your condition affects you (e.g., daily activities at home, recreation, your relationships, etc.).
2. Your applicant statement – an opportunity to explain how your condition is related to service. This is a key part of your application and will be important to determine your eligibility.

An effective applicant statement will answer these types of questions:

• How is this condition related to or aggravated by your service, or another service-related condition?;
• Did you seek medical attention?;
• Was your condition caused by a single event or by a repetitive injury?;
• Do you have a CF98 (Report on Injuries) or a witness statement related to the condition?;
• Were you on leave or on duty at the time of your injury?;
• Were you serving in a Special Duty Area or on Special Duty Operations?;
• Are there any other details you consider relevant to the illness or injury?

If your condition was caused by more than one event, your applicant statement should explain the series of events related to your service (or to a different service-related condition) that caused your permanent or chronic condition. If you are applying for more than one condition, please complete a separate “Section F – Tell us about your condition” for each condition.

The complete application package will also include:

Your health records

This can include your medical reports (e.g., diagnostic reports, discharge summaries, consultation reports, etc.). Usually, we will get these from your service health records. If the information is not in those records, we will contact you.

For Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans and serving members:

We will request a copy of your health records directly from the Department of National Defence (serving members or recently released) or from Library and Archives Canada (if you are no longer serving).

For Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP):

We will get a copy of your health records and service file directly from the RCMP. So we can do that, you need to include a complete Consent for VAC to Collect Personal Information from Third Parties form with your application. (See below for details).

If you also have medical documents from a non-CAF or non-RCMP health professional that would support the diagnosis of your condition, please include these with your application.

Medical questionnaires

If you are a serving CAF member, your service health records will usually have the information we require. If not, we will contact you.

If you are a Veteran or RCMP member (current or former), we will send the relevant medical questionnaire(s) directly to you for your current doctor or health care professional to complete and sign.

Your application package may also need to include:

Third-party consent form

To have VAC communicate directly with your doctor or health professional, you need to provide a signed Consent for VAC to Collect Personal Information from Third Parties form with your application.

Additional situations where this form is required include:

• If you are a current or former member of the RCMP, or
• If you are awaiting, receiving, or have ever received payment for this

condition from anyone other than VAC (e.g., Worker's Compensation Board, third party insurance, etc.)

Direct Deposit form

The Direct Deposit Request form allows us to send your financial benefits directly to your bank account if we confirm that you have a service-related disability. If you have already enrolled for Direct Deposit with VAC, you only need to complete and return this form again if you want to make changes to your banking information.

Proof of identity

If it is your first time applying for a VAC benefit, you will also need to provide your current and valid proof of identity. You can mail a copy or submit an electronic copy using My VAC Account. Current and valid proofs of identify include:

• Driver’s license (provincial);
• Provincial health care card (if it includes photo identification);
• Other provincial identification card;
• Other federal identification card;
• Certificate of Indian Status;
• Vital statistics documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate);
• Employee identification card (Federal, provincial or municipal);
• Canadian passport ; or
• Department of National Defence (DND) Casualty Notification.

You only need to re-submit your proof of identity if there has been a change (such as a name change, moved to another province, etc.).

How do I know I have a complete application?

A complete application for a disability benefit will have all the information we need to  make a decision regarding your diagnosed medical condition and its relation to your service. Read more about how we review a disability benefit application.

Apply online or by mail

Apply online using My VAC Account

Use the guided web form to apply for disability benefits in My VAC Account. The application is easy and fast. Your form saves automatically, so you can start your application and come back later to finish it. The questions are targeted to your condition, and the form automatically fills in some information for you when possible, and ensures you have completed all areas.

Apply by mail using a paper form

If you are mailing in your application, be sure to carefully review the checklist (Section I of the application package) and the “before you send your application” section to ensure you have included all the information we need.

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