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Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

s. 104 Notice of ineligible claim

  • PART 2: Refugee Protection
  • DIVISION 2: Convention Refugees and Persons in Need of Protection
  • Refugee Protection

Last verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca

The law says

IRPA s. 104
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(1)An officer may, with respect to a claim that is before the Refugee Protection Division or, in the case of paragraph (a.1) or (d), that is before or has been determined by the Refugee Protection Division or the Refugee Appeal Division, give notice that an officer has determined that

  • (a)the claim is ineligible under paragraphs 101(1)(a) to (e), other than paragraph 101(1)(c.1);
  • (a.1)the claim is ineligible under paragraph 101(1)(c.1);
  • (b)the claim is ineligible under paragraph 101(1)(f);
  • (c)the claim was referred as a result of the direct or indirect misrepresentation or withholding of material facts relating to a relevant matter and was not otherwise eligible to be referred to the Refugee Protection Division; or
  • (d)the claim is not the first claim that was received by an officer in respect of the claimant.

Termination and nullification

(2)A notice given under the following provisions has the following effects:

  • (a)if given under paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c), it terminates pending proceedings in the Refugee Protection Division respecting the claim;
  • (a.1)if given under paragraph (1)(a.1), it terminates pending proceedings in the Refugee Protection Division or, in the case of an appeal made by the claimant, the Refugee Appeal Division, respecting the claim; and
  • (b)if given under paragraph (1)(d), it terminates proceedings in and nullifies any decision of the Refugee Protection Division or the Refugee Appeal Division respecting a claim other than the first claim.

Justice Laws is the authoritative version. If this copy and it ever differ, Justice Laws wins.

Sections numbered under s. 104

Each of these is its own section of the Act, numbered after section 104.

IRPA s. 104.1

Presence in Canada

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What that means

Your refugee claim needs you here. If you are not physically in Canada, the Refugee Protection Division cannot start or continue your claim, and the Refugee Appeal Division cannot start or continue your appeal. That rule does not apply to an appeal by the Minister. Going back by choice has a harsher result. If you voluntarily returned to the country you claimed protection from before a decision came out, the claim or appeal is treated as abandoned.

The law says

(1)For the purposes of subsection 107(1), if a person making a claim for refugee protection is not physically present in Canada, the Refugee Protection Division

  • (a)in the case where the person has voluntarily returned to the country in respect of which they claimed refugee protection and the Refugee Protection Division has not yet made a decision in respect of the claim, must determine that the claim has been abandoned; and
  • (b)in any other case, must not commence, or must suspend, consideration of the claim.

Refugee Appeal Division

(2)If a person who is the subject of an appeal is not physically present in Canada, the Refugee Appeal Division

  • (a)in the case where the person has made the appeal and has voluntarily returned to the country in respect of which they claimed refugee protection and the Refugee Appeal Division has not yet made a decision in respect of the appeal, must determine that the appeal has been abandoned; and
  • (b)in any other case, must not commence, or must suspend, consideration of the appeal, other than an appeal by the Minister.