Yes, Canadian citizenship can be revoked, but only on one ground under current law: that it was obtained by false representation, fraud, or by knowingly concealing material circumstances.
At Kingwell Immigration Law, we represent clients facing citizenship revocation proceedings before IRCC and the Federal Court of Canada.
Facing citizenship revocation? Contact our qualified immigration lawyer in Toronto for personalized legal guidance. We’re here to protect your rights and help you deal with the process.
No. A person born in Canada cannot have their citizenship revoked. Citizenship by birth is protected and cannot be taken away regardless of anything a person does after birth — including criminal convictions, national security concerns, or any other post-citizenship conduct. The only way a Canadian-born citizen can lose their citizenship is by voluntarily renouncing it.
This is an important distinction. Since Bill C-6 received Royal Assent on June 19, 2017, Canada does not revoke citizenship based on anything a person does after citizenship is granted, for anyone, including naturalized citizens. Post-citizenship conduct, no matter how serious, is addressed through the criminal justice system, not through revocation proceedings.
📌 Additional reading: benefits of Canadian citizenship
Under section 10 of the Citizenship Act, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship may revoke a person’s citizenship if satisfied on a balance of probabilities that the person obtained, retained, renounced, or resumed citizenship by false representation, fraud, or by knowingly concealing material circumstances.
That is the only ground for revocation under current Canadian law. There is no other.
In practice, revocation proceedings most commonly arise where a person concealed something on their PR or citizenship application that would have affected their eligibility.
It is important to be clear: it is the concealment that is the legal ground, not the underlying conduct itself. Post-citizenship behaviour, no matter how serious, cannot trigger revocation under the current law.
With that framing in mind, the following are examples of what people commonly conceal that can lead to revocation proceedings:
False identity or forged documents are used at any stage of the immigration and citizenship process.
Don’t risk your status. Our immigration lawyer in Brampton is ready to assist with your citizenship revocation case.
This is one of the most important distinctions in citizenship revocation law, and one that is frequently misunderstood.
Under section 10.2 of the Citizenship Act, a person is treated as having obtained citizenship by fraud if they first obtained permanent residence by false representation or concealment and then used that PR status to subsequently obtain citizenship.
The fraud does not have to have occurred at the citizenship stage — if the underlying PR grant was tainted, the citizenship built on top of it is equally at risk.
The consequence of revocation depends on where the fraud occurred:
Where the fraud occurred | Consequence of revocation |
Citizenship application only (PR was legitimate) | Person reverts to permanent resident status; right to remain in Canada is preserved |
Permanent residence application (and therefore citizenship) | Person loses both citizenship and PR status; may be subject to a removal order |
This distinction matters enormously. A person who misrepresented their days of physical presence to meet the citizenship threshold but whose PR was legitimate will revert to PR status after revocation. A person who built their entire immigration history on a false foundation faces the loss of all status in Canada.
We can assess your specific situation and advise on what the consequences of revocation would mean for your status in Canada.
Need legal support for Canadian citizenship issues? Trust our immigration lawyer in Mississauga to provide professional advice and representation. Schedule a consultation with us now.
Citizenship revocation involves a structured legal process with specific rights at each stage. Under current law, the process works as follows:
One practical note: once you receive a Notice of Intent to Revoke Citizenship, you cannot apply to renounce your citizenship until the process is concluded.
If you have received a Notice of Intent to Revoke Citizenship, book a consultation with our team before your response deadline passes.
If your citizenship is revoked, the following consequences apply:
The stakes of a revocation proceeding are high, and the process is legally complex. Our team can work with you from the notice stage through to the Federal Court if necessary, giving you the strongest possible defence at each step.
📌 Additional reading: Canada citizen vs permanent resident
Separate from revocation, a Canadian citizen may voluntarily renounce their citizenship under section 9 of the Citizenship Act. This is a personal choice — not a government-initiated action — and is most common where a person wishes to acquire or retain citizenship in another country that does not permit dual nationality.
Once renunciation is approved, the Canadian passport is immediately invalidated and must be returned. If you subsequently wish to become Canadian again, you must reapply through the standard citizenship process.
Additional reading: revoked vs cancelled Canadian passport
Also distinct from revocation, IRCC has the authority to recall and cancel a citizenship certificate where it was issued in administrative error. This is a rare scenario and applies where the certificate itself was incorrectly issued — not where the underlying citizenship was fraudulently obtained.
Anyone affected by an administrative recall has the right to seek legal advice on their options.
Additional reading: does losing Canadian citizenship certificate affect citizenship status
Receiving this notice means IRCC is formally considering revoking your citizenship. The steps you take in response will shape everything that follows.
Additional reading: Canadian passport revocation reasons
Citizenship revocation is one of the most serious matters in Canadian immigration law. The consequences — loss of status, potential removal, a 10-year bar on reapplying — are permanent and far-reaching. You need representation from lawyers who know this process and who have the Federal Court experience to defend you at every stage.
At Kingwell Immigration Law, Daniel Kingwell and our team have over 20 years of experience representing clients in Federal Court, before the Immigration Appeal Division, and in complex cases involving status and procedural fairness. Only lawyers — not immigration consultants — can represent you in Federal Court citizenship revocation proceedings.
Don’t wait — reach out to Kingwell Immigration Law and let us help you safeguard your future.
No. Since Bill C-6 came into force on June 19, 2017, Canada does not revoke citizenship based on post-citizenship conduct — including serious criminal offences such as terrorism, treason, or espionage. Those matters are handled through the criminal justice system. Revocation applies only where the citizenship itself was obtained by fraud, false representation, or concealment.
Revocation is government-initiated and happens when IRCC determines that citizenship was obtained fraudulently. Renunciation is citizen-initiated — you voluntarily choose to give up your citizenship, typically to acquire another. Both result in the loss of citizenship and the invalidation of your Canadian passport, but the legal processes and consequences are entirely different.
Not necessarily. If the fraud was limited to your citizenship application and your underlying PR was legitimate, you revert to permanent resident status and retain the right to remain in Canada. However, if the original PR was also obtained fraudulently, you could lose all status in Canada and face a removal order. The outcome depends entirely on where in your immigration history the misrepresentation occurred.
Yes. Under section 10.2 of the Citizenship Act, if you obtained permanent residence through fraud or misrepresentation and then used that status to obtain citizenship, you are treated as having obtained citizenship by fraud — even if the citizenship application itself was truthful. The fraud at the PR stage flows through to the citizenship grant.
These proceedings are lengthy. The Federal Court process alone — from Statement of Claim to judgment — typically takes years, and that is before any Governor in Council steps or subsequent judicial review. The process is designed to protect the rights of the person whose citizenship is at risk, which means there are multiple stages and multiple opportunities to respond. Throughout the entire process, you retain your citizenship and all associated rights until a final order is made.
