Immigration laws being tightened by Hong Kong
Posted: May 25th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Asia | No Comments »
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has tightened its immigration laws to prevent illegal immigrants. The provisions have been made under the Immigration (Amendment) Ordinance which came into effect from November 14, 2009.This ordinance aims to plug the loopholes in the earlier law which makes it difficult to deport an illegal immigrant if he had taken up a job.
As of now around 6,400 people are illegally staying in Hong Kong with three-fourth being from South Asian countries. Hong Kong offers visa free entry to Indians to stay up to 14 days but since 2004, 1600 Indians have stayed back after making asylum claims under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Convention, 1951, the UN Convention Against Torture, 1975, and other legal proceedings.
Corrado Chow, Assistant director of the Immigration Department, Hong Kong government stated:
We treasure the friendship between India and Hong Kong and the historical relationship between the two countries going back to the British empire, but we want all foreigners to respect our visa regime
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