Document fraud includes both false and altered documents, such as:
• passports and travel documents
• visas
• diplomas, degrees and apprenticeship or trade papers
• birth, marriage, final divorce, annulment, separation or death certificates
• police certificates
• Lying on an application or in an interview with a CIC officer is also fraud and a crime.
The Government of Canada has officers in Canada and overseas who are highly trained to detect fraud. If you submit false documents or information, your application will be refused. You will also face serious consequences. Depending on the situation, these may include:
• no entry into Canada for at least two years
• a permanent record of fraud in CIC’s database
• having your permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship revoked
• being charged with a crime or
• removal from Canada
What CIC is doing to prevent immigration fraud
CIC is working with the CBSA and the RCMP to phase in biometrics, such as the use of fingerprints to confirm identity, in the near future.
Biometric verification will make it much more difficult for a person to hide their identity. Biometrics will help reduce identity fraud and increase the safety and security of Canadians. Find out more about biometrics