Revocation of citizenship for fraud (s.10/10.1)
Citizenship in Canada
- Eligibility
- Since C-6 (2017-10-11) the ONLY revocation ground is fraud / false representation / knowingly concealing material circumstances (s.10(1)). The Federal Court is the default decision-maker (declaration under s.10.1) unless the person requests a Ministerial decision (s.10(3.1)(b)). C-6 REPEALED C-24's terrorism/treason/espionage revocation for dual nationals. Hassouna 2017 FC 473 struck the prior administrative scheme for lack of a fair hearing.
- Renunciation
- Not required
Overview
CA-XCT-01 is the route for REVOCATION (compulsory loss) of Canadian citizenship for fraud. It is a loss mechanism, not an acquisition pathway: it describes how a person who is already a Canadian citizen may have that status taken away. Since Bill C-6 (S.C. 2017, c. 14) came fully into force on 11 October 2017, the ONLY in-force ground for revocation is fraud, false representation, or knowingly concealing material circumstances in obtaining, retaining, renouncing, or resuming citizenship (s.10(1)). The Federal Court is the default decision-maker: the Minister commences an action and the Court, if satisfied, grants a declaration of fraud that itself revokes citizenship (s.10.1). The person may instead request that the Minister decide (s.10(3.1)(b)). C-6 repealed the broader C-24 terrorism/treason/espionage revocation that had targeted dual nationals; that ground is no longer law. Revocation is exceptional and procedurally protected; it is conceptually the mirror image of an acquisition grant. As of 2026-06-01 the s.10/10.1 fraud-revocation scheme is the live, operative loss regime under the Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-29.
Fees & cost
There is no applicant fee to be subjected to revocation; it is a State-initiated proceeding, not a service the person purchases. The Minister bears the cost of commencing and prosecuting the s.10.1(1) Federal Court action; the person bears their own legal costs of defending (and may face or recover party-and-party costs per ordinary court rules). For context within the same Act, IRCC's published citizenship fees as of 2026-06-01 are: adult (18+) grant CAD 653.00 total (CAD 530 processing + CAD 123 Right of Citizenship Fee, the RCF having risen to CAD 123 effective 31 March 2026); minor (under 18) grant CAD 100.00; proof of citizenship certificate CAD 75.00; search of citizenship record CAD 75.00; standard s.9 renunciation CAD 100.00. These acquisition/loss-by-choice fees are provided only to situate revocation in the fee landscape; none of them is a 'revocation fee', because no such fee exists. Obtaining the citizenship/immigration file via a search of records (CAD 75.00) may be a practical out-of-pocket cost when responding to a revocation notice.
Legal basis
The governing statute is the Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-29 (administered federally by IRCC). The foundational rule is s.7: a person who is a citizen shall not cease to be a citizen except in accordance with Part II of the Act or regulations made under paragraph 27(1)(j.1). Within Part II, revocation is set by s.10 (Minister's power; grounds; notice; referral) and s.10.1 (Federal Court declaration of fraud). Section 10(1) supplies the single substantive ground. Sections 10.2-10.7 supply ancillary machinery (PR-fraud carry-through, inadmissibility stacking, single judgment, restricted appeals on a certified serious question). The current scheme is the product of An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (Bill C-6), S.C. 2017, c. 14, ss. 3-6, which repealed the C-24 (S.C. 2014, c. 22) national-security revocation provisions and restored a Federal-Court-default fraud-only process effective 2017-10-11. Bill C-3 (S.C. 2025, c. 5, in force 2025-12-15) did NOT alter the s.10/10.1 fraud-revocation core. Provenance noted in-statute includes 2014, c. 22, s. 8 and 2017, c. 14, ss. 3-6, with later technical touches (e.g., 2023, c. 19, s. 14).
Example scenarios
ineligible
Daniel obtained citizenship by false representation and knowingly concealing material circumstances (s.10(1)). The Federal Court declaration of fraud (s.10.1(3)) is the operative revocation. His dual citizenship is irrelevant to the ground and means he is not rendered stateless. This is the core fraud-revocation case.
discretionary
On the requested-decision path the Minister decides (s.10(5)). Whether a misrepresentation is material and knowing is a contested factual question; here the Minister was not satisfied to the balance-of-probabilities standard, so citizenship is retained. The outcome turns on the decision-maker's assessment, reviewable on reasonableness.
discretionary
The s.10.2 PR-fraud carry-through brings Marwan within s.10(1). Statelessness and best-interests are mandatory representation factors and may support special relief, but they do not bar the ground (Art. 8(2)(b), 1961 Convention). Whether special relief is granted is discretionary and fact-specific, so the outcome is not predetermined.
ineligible
There is no in-force ground to revoke for a terrorism conviction; that C-24 power was repealed by C-6 effective 2017-10-11. Elena's citizenship was not obtained by fraud, so s.10(1) does not apply. She is punished through the criminal law, not denationalisation. ('Ineligible' here means the State is ineligible to revoke.)
Informational summary compiled from primary legal sources — not legal advice. Citizenship law changes; verify with the competent authority before acting. Last verified 2026-06-01.
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