What is an IDN (Internationalized Domain Name)?
An IDN (short for Internationalized Domain Name) is a domain address containing special non-ASCII language characters. For
.CA domains, IDNs permit web addresses featuring French accents (such as é, è, ê, ç, or ë).Why Does My Accented Domain Say "Make An Offer" or "Reserved"?
When searching for an accented
.CA domain in the Internic search engine, seeing "Make An Offer" or "Reserved" is expected behavior.The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) handles all
.CA IDNs as Reserved Variant Bundles. If a non-accented base domain exists, CIRA freezes all accented variations so nobody else can claim them.- Exclusive Bundle Rights: The accented domain is permanently locked to the holder of the base domain.
- Registrar Requirement: Only the registrar currently hosting your base non-accented domain can perform the manual CIRA activation. You cannot register a reserved IDN variant through third-party retail checkouts.
CIRA IDN Bundle Requirements
- Prerequisite Base Domain: You must hold the non-accented domain (e.g.,
myboutique.ca) in your Internic account to register the accented IDN variant (e.g.,myboutiquë.ca).
- Contact Matching: The registrant entity, physical address, and CIRA handle must match the base domain exactly.
- Separate Annual Renewal: Each variant is linked for ownership rights but carries its own annual registration charge.
How to Request Your IDN Registration
Step 1: Obtain the Punycode Translation
Domain root servers convert accented text into an encoded format called Punycode (which always starts with
xn--).- Go to an online conversion tool such as Punycoder.com.
- Type your preferred accented domain (e.g.,
myboutiquë.ca) into the Text box. - Copy the resulting Punycode output (e.g.,
xn--myboutiqu-41a.ca).
Step 2: Send Your Order to Internic Support
Email service@internic.ca from your account's primary email address with the following details:
- Base Non-Accented Domain: [e.g.,
myboutique.ca] - Accented Domain Requested (IDN): [e.g.,
myboutiquë.ca] - Punycode String: [e.g.,
xn--myboutiqu-41a.ca] - Registration Term: [e.g., 1 to 10 years]
- Payment Authorization: "I authorize Internic to charge the default credit card on my account for the registration fees."
Fulfillment & Confirmation SLA
- Agent Review: Support validates account ownership of the base domain and confirms the Punycode translation.
- Management Processing: The ticket is escalated to a Support Supervisor or Manager to execute the CIRA bundle registration and process payment.
- Completion: Your agent or supervisor will send a final confirmation email once active, and the domain will display in your Internic dashboard.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why can't I just add the accented .CA domain to my online shopping cart?
A: Because CIRA holds all IDN variants in a "Reserved" state, automated retail shopping carts cannot claim them directly. They must be manually provisioned and linked to your existing base domain handle by our management team.
Q: Can a third party buy my accented .CA domain?
A: No. As long as you own the base non-accented
.CA domain, CIRA automatically blocks all other parties from registering any accented variants of your domain.Q: What happens if I let my main non-accented domain expire?
A: If you allow your base non-accented domain to lapse and drop back into the public pool, all reserved IDN variants associated with that bundle are released simultaneously.
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