Yesterday, two mainland women and one Hong Kong man were each charged with conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to obtain services by deception at Sha Tin Magistates’ Court.
In the first case, a 34-year-old pregnant woman married a 53-year-old Hong Kong resident in June 2015, and was subsequently able to make a booking to deliver her child at a local hospital. The following month, she attempted to enter Hong Kong in order to give birth, but was denied entry by the immigration department as it had doubts about the legitimacy of her relationship with the Hong Kong resident.
Unable to have her child in Hong Kong, she gave birth in mainland China, and tried to enter Hong Kong again in December 2015. She was then arrested, and admitted under caution that she had contracted a bogus marriage in order to be able to make the hospital booking. The Hong Kong man was then arrested.
They both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 14 months in prison each.
In the second case, a 19-year-old pregnant woman from mainland China married a 23-year-old Hong Kong resident in August 2015. The woman was thus able to make a booking to deliver her child at a local hospital, and tried to enter Hong Kong in November, when she was also denied entry because of immigration department’ scepticism about her marriage.
After giving birth in the mainland, she tried to enter Hong Kong last month and was arrested. Again, she admitted her marriage was a sham and that she had only done it to be able to give birth in Hong Kong. The man was then arrested.
She was sentenced to 14 months in prison while the man’s case has been adjourned to next month for sentencing.
“The immigration department is concerned about the situation of non-local pregnant women seeking to give birth in Hong Kong by illegal means,” said a government spokesperson.
“While great efforts are made to intercept non-local pregnant women without a confinement booking [to give birth at local hospital] at the control points, vigorous enforcement actions have also been taken to combat related immigration offences committed by non-local pregnant women and their abettors.”
