12 June 2023
A Mainland female was charged at the Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts with two counts of making false representation to an Immigration Department (ImmD) staff member, and was sentenced to four months' imprisonment on June 9.
The 48-year-old defendant arrived in Hong Kong as a visitor. During her stay, the defendant submitted applications for an extension of stay to the ImmD, and claimed her reason for the extension was for visiting her husband in Hong Kong. The ImmD later found out that the defendant's husband had passed away in Hong Kong prior to the defendant's arrival, and thus began an investigation into the defendant.
After investigation, the defendant was charged with the offence of making false representation to an Immigration staff member for the reason of extension. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to four months' imprisonment by the Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts on June 9.
"Under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who makes false representation to an Immigration officer commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, subject to the maximum penalty of a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years," an ImmD spokesman said.