Identity fraud will lead to revocation of citizenship

An Indian man was stripped off his Australian citizenship after discovery of identity fraud committed by him in the past. The identity fraud was committed on various occasions.

The first instance of fraud was in 2003 for obtaining an Indian passport. It was this passport that was used for travelling to Australia. A partner visa was obtained subsequently. The Indian national, identified as Singh, later used the same fake passport for getting his Australian citizenship approved in 2007. 

The Department of Home Affairs revoked Singh’s Australian citizenship in June 2019, after forensic analysis detected the fraud.

Singh later lost his bid for the reversal of the decision of revocation of his Australian citizenship. Refusing to reverse the cancellation of Singh’s Australian citizenship, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruled that it would be “contrary to public interest” if Singh was allowed to continue holding the citizenship of Australia. 

Singh, now 38-year old, had come to Australia in 1997 on an Australian student visa. Marrying an Australian-born woman at the age of 19 years, Singh applied for a spouse visa based on his relationship status in Australia.

Following a separation, Singh and his wife divorced in 2002. 

Planning to marry for a second time, Singh travelled to India in 2002 and married an Australian citizen of Indian descent. 

Singh claimed that as his divorce certificate had been issued after departing Australia, he was unsure whether the divorce had been finalized. 

After marrying for a second time, Singh got a new passport under a different name.

Subsequently, Singh travelled to Australia on a spouse visa. Later, Singh got Australia PR in 2005, becoming a citizen of Australia in 2007. 

Singh filed for divorce in 2012. He later married for a third time. 

The identity fraud committed by Singh was discovered when he applied for sponsoring his father’s visa. As Singh continued to sign all applications in his previous name, a forensic analysis detected the identity fraud.

Singh was charged on multiple counts under Australia’s Migration and Citizenship Act. According to the Magistrate handing down the sentence, identity fraud was committed by Singh on 4 separate occasions – for obtaining a spouse visa, a partner visa, applying for Australian citizenship and then for sponsoring his father’s visa.

While admitting that he had committed identity fraud, Singh put it down to “bad advice” by a migration agent. 

Upholding the decision of revocation of citizenship, it was found that initial fraud cannot be “whitewashed by subsequent good behaviour and passage of time”.

Always get immigration advice only from certified immigration agents. Be cautious of too-good-to-be-true deals that are just that. Not true, that is. 

If you are looking to Migrate, Study, Invest, Visit, or Work Overseas, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No. 1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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