Hello all i was granted citizenship last year . I came as a refugee several years ago and turned citizen although Since i came i never returned there . I have an emergency and need to return there without risking my citizenship. I’ve been reading through forum but cant really find an answer . Some say yes and others no It really freaks me out . I wish someone competent cojld answer me
Thanks in advance
Who says that a Canadian citizen who was formerly a refugee is putting their Canadian citizenship at risk by traveling to their home country?
Under current law (law which is very unlikely to be changed for the foreseeable future), the only way to lose Canadian citizenship is revocation for misrepresentation. So, as long you never made any misrepresentations in the process of obtaining status in Canada, your citizenship is not at risk.
That is, even though a Canadian citizen was formerly a refugee (before becoming a citizen), whose status as a PR would be at risk for termination if they traveled to the home country, once they are a Canadian citizen the fact they travel to the home country does not pose any risk to their citizenship status.
There may be all sorts of other risks, particularly if the conditions leading to flight from that country and obtaining refugee protections still exist.
There are many anecdotal reports (and complaints) from former refugees (now Canadian citizens) facing elevated scrutiny at the Port-of-Entry when they return to Canada after traveling abroad, especially those who have traveled to their home country. That can be about a wide range of things, ranging from verification of identity to security screening related to the particular country visited. Those who have legitimately obtained their citizenship and are not involved in any criminality or security threats have nothing to worry about . . . any returning citizen might be subject to such screening.
Elevated screening at the PoE when returning to Canada could also be related to screening for indications of fraud, for evidence the individual made misrepresentations in obtaining their Canadian status. An example sometimes seen (not so frequent as to say it is common, but perhaps it is fair to say this is not uncommon) is a former refugee whose flight from their home country was based on fears and dangers they faced because of their homosexuality in that country, but then after becoming a Canadian citizen they return to the home country to engage in heterosexual marriage, suggesting they may have misrepresented the facts about who they are and what reasons they had for seeking refugee status.
BUT just traveling to the home country, that alone will NOT risk the former refugee's status as a Canadian citizen.
