Two sisters travelling from Taiwan were refused permission to land in Hong Kong on Saturday for “altering” their passports with stickers, according to a government press release.
After arriving in Hong Kong from Kaohsiung on Saturday afternoon, the immigration officer processing the sisters’ arrival clearance noticed the “Republic of Taiwan” stickers, which were pasted over the standard “Republic of China” print on Taiwan-issued passports, Ming Pao reports.
The pair were refused permission to land in Hong Kong on the suspicion of having “altered their travel documents without lawful authority”, and, following further investigation, were deported to Taiwan.
According to a spokesperson for the Immigration Department, any person who has altered their travel document without lawful authority, or who possesses and uses such a document may be in violation of the Immigration Ordinance, under which they could be liable to prosecution, a maximum penalty of HKD150,000, and up to 14 years’ imprisonment upon conviction.
Taichung-based designer Denis Chan created the “Republic of Taiwan” stickers last year, which not only replace the “Republic of China” print, but also the national emblem. Chan designed various stickers to cover the emblem, including a Formosan bear, pro-independence politician Cheng Nan-jung, and Taiwan’s highest mountain, Yushan.
The stickers’ popularity also spawned a series of Hong Kong passport stickers by local designer San Gaai Si, which featured icons like the Bank of China, Lion Rock, and an umbrella to signify the Occupy Movement.
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