Despite Pink Season 2014 being in full swing, Hong Kong is increasingly at risk of becoming a no-go zone for gay foreign talent, according to a same-sex couple whose marriage has not been recognised by Hong Kong Immigration authorities.
Cotter Christian and his partner Josh Erdman, both from the United States, told SCMP this week that they are considering leaving Hong Kong after their experiences of immigration laws and visas.
Christian received a work visa as a professor of interior design, while Erdman, who ran a business making personalised cakes in the Unites States, was not so lucky.
With the government refusing to accept same-sex marriage certificates issued in other countries, a dependent visa is out of question. Despite a year of marriage and a whole 11 years together, the couple is forced to part every three months as Erdman leaves the city in a bid to renew his tourist visa.
“You never know what might happen. It’s very stressful not knowing if you can get back in every three months. And it has put a strain on our relationship,” Erdman told the newspaper.
With costs of living and rents on the rise, the couple is considering leaving Hong Kong as they fall short of a much-needed second income.
Christian insists that, “It’ll be hard [for Hong Kong] to retain talent, let alone attract talent – not all talent are straight. We are at a point that if nothing changes, we’d need to leave.”
The couple has warned others who may potentially be in the same situation to give the matter serious consideration.
Noo! The brighter the rainbow the better, if you ask us.
Photo: Ludovic Bertron via Wikimedia
