It is literally illegal and it is in the law. You don't have to count on lawyer websites. See for yourself:
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c. 27) Paragraph (1):
The term reavailing is explained as the following in IRB's legal resources page. If you read the whole section, you can find dozens of cases that IRB itself chose to explain. If you don't want to read the whole section, in conclusion, "Canadian jurisprudence has also emphasized in some cases that travel with a passport from the person’s country of nationality implies that the person has availed himself or herself of the “diplomatic protection” of that country." I highlighted "in some cases" because it really depends on your situation. If you read the section I mentioned above, you already know the answer, but, in conclusion, it may not mean reavailing if one of these cases is applicable to you(I took this part from a lawyer website, but it is just a condensed form of what you will find in IRB's page):
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c. 27) Paragraph (1):
Article A is the law that forbids using your passport in international travel.108 (1) A claim for refugee protection shall be rejected, and a person is not a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection, in any of the following circumstances:
(a) the person has voluntarily reavailed themself of the protection of their country of nationality;(b) the person has voluntarily reacquired their nationality;(c) the person has acquired a new nationality and enjoys the protection of the country of that new nationality;(d) the person has voluntarily become re-established in the country that the person left or remained outside of and in respect of which the person claimed refugee protection in Canada; or(e) the reasons for which the person sought refugee protection have ceased to exist.
The term reavailing is explained as the following in IRB's legal resources page. If you read the whole section, you can find dozens of cases that IRB itself chose to explain. If you don't want to read the whole section, in conclusion, "Canadian jurisprudence has also emphasized in some cases that travel with a passport from the person’s country of nationality implies that the person has availed himself or herself of the “diplomatic protection” of that country." I highlighted "in some cases" because it really depends on your situation. If you read the section I mentioned above, you already know the answer, but, in conclusion, it may not mean reavailing if one of these cases is applicable to you(I took this part from a lawyer website, but it is just a condensed form of what you will find in IRB's page):
AFAIK, you will face issues in citizenship application and not right after return from your country. You can challenge these laws in a court, but why, while you can just get travel document instead of jeopardizing your refugee status?
- Voluntariness:
- Were you a minor when you applied for a passport?
- Were you required to get a passport by the Canadian government?
- Were you the one who applied for a passport, or did someone else do it without your instruction?
- Intent:
- Were you aware of the meaning of a passport or a return trip under international law?
- Were your properly advised about cessation by your former counsel?
- Did you obtain refugee protection before 2012, when cessation was extended to affect Permanent Resident?
- If you made a return trip, did you make efforts to protect yourself without relying on the government?
- Success:
- Did you actually receive a usable passport?
- If you made a return trip, were there any threats or risks you faced from your persecutors as a result?
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