Manila, Philippines - Supposedly these would be the happiest moment for a circle of friends which turned to be nightmare. A netizen shared her and her friends traumatic experience after being detained and denied to enter Hongkong by Hongkong Immigration officers.
This would be a dream come true for Grace Anne Bartolome and her friends. They are all excited as the plane touches down Hongkong airport as it was everybody's first trip to Hongkong. But all of the sudden the excitement gradually fades when they were all held up by Immigration officers at the Hong Kong International Airport.
Anne and her friends were invited to the immigration office. From there, they were asked by so many questions and searched for several documents. A man who introduced himself as an Immigration Officer asked Ann and her friends to sign a piece of paper and told them that they need to go back to the Philippines.
After knowing it, the ladies started becoming emotional and refused to sign and pleaded. Ann started to asking the officer for the reason of being denied to enter Hong Kong. But their emotional appeal was not recognized and the ladies asked the officers if they can at least contact the person who was supposed to pick them up at the airport. Ann was chosen to leave the group to contact their aunt but she was again searched by another officer and had her phone confiscated.
When Ann was finally back with her friends, they were detained for 10 hours as they waited for their flight back to the Philippines.
After knowing it, the ladies started becoming emotional and refused to sign and pleaded. Ann started to asking the officer for the reason of being denied to enter Hong Kong. But their emotional appeal was not recognized and the ladies asked the officers if they can at least contact the person who was supposed to pick them up at the airport. Ann was chosen to leave the group to contact their aunt but she was again searched by another officer and had her phone confiscated.
When Ann was finally back with her friends, they were detained for 10 hours as they waited for their flight back to the Philippines.
"Halos 10hrs kaming nadetain, para kaming mga preso dun. Yung puyat, pagod at gutom. Halo halo na yung nararamdamn namin 😢 hanggang napagod na kami umiyak at nilibang ang sarili. Kinuha lahat ng gamit namin pati cp kaya pray na lng yung ginawa namin, Ann said"
As the post gone viral, many netizens shared also their personal experience in traveling abroad and how to deal with immigration protocols.
Under Hong Kong's Cap. 115 Immigration Ordinance updated 2018, an Immigration officer or immigration assistant may “subject to examine any person on his arrival or landing in or prior to departure from Hong Kong, or if he has reasonable cause.”
Even under our own Philippine Immigration Law or the Commonwealth Act 613, the immigration officers have the power to allow or deny entry to any foreign national entering our country. Sec. 6 states, “The examination of aliens concerning their right to enter or remain in the Philippines shall be performed by Immigrant Inspectors, with the advice of medical authorities in appropriate cases.”
Netizens weigh in on terms such as “profiling” and even the internal immigration protocol of 29-A code of “doubtful entry,” meaning without giving any reason for deportation.
According to others who have been through the same ordeal, Immigration Officers often seek “proof of strong ties to the Philippines,” meaning evidences that you will return to the country after your travel. Officers would sometimes look if you have a stable job, if you have financial capacity to travel, bank statement/credit card, roundtrip airline tickets even hotel vouchers. If a traveler who intends to tour with someone from Hong Kong, it would also be best if you prepare a sponsor letter stamped by the embassy.
Even under our own Philippine Immigration Law or the Commonwealth Act 613, the immigration officers have the power to allow or deny entry to any foreign national entering our country. Sec. 6 states, “The examination of aliens concerning their right to enter or remain in the Philippines shall be performed by Immigrant Inspectors, with the advice of medical authorities in appropriate cases.”
Netizens weigh in on terms such as “profiling” and even the internal immigration protocol of 29-A code of “doubtful entry,” meaning without giving any reason for deportation.
According to others who have been through the same ordeal, Immigration Officers often seek “proof of strong ties to the Philippines,” meaning evidences that you will return to the country after your travel. Officers would sometimes look if you have a stable job, if you have financial capacity to travel, bank statement/credit card, roundtrip airline tickets even hotel vouchers. If a traveler who intends to tour with someone from Hong Kong, it would also be best if you prepare a sponsor letter stamped by the embassy.
No comments:
Post a Comment