The Hong Kong Immigration Department revealed yesterday that a growing number of mainland tourists have been travelling to Hong Kong without permits by exploiting the transit loophole; pretending to be travellers in transit.
Transit visitors don’t require permits or visas as they are only stopping-over in Hong Kong and continuing on onward travel to an overseas destination before going back home. However, immigration officers have discovered that mainland tourists have been buying onward travel tickets to another destination and not using it or cancelling it right after they enter Hong Kong, avoiding the need to get a permit to Hong Kong.
23 arrests have been made so far, with four charged with making a false representation to an immigration officer, and three have been sentenced to two months’ jail.
According to the laws of Hong Kong, those who make false representations to an immigration officer may face a maximum penalty of HK$150,000 and 14 years in jail, reports the SCMP.
