The Bureau of Immigration intercepted a married couple at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for attempting to leave the country with a fraudulent Netherlands visa.
According to Mary Jane Hizon, head of the BI's Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement (I-PROBES), the couple, aged 26 and 28, attempted to fly to Amsterdam under the guise of being tourists.
Immigration officers became suspicious of the couple's Netherlands visa, and a subsequent examination by the Bureau of Immigration’s forensic documents laboratory confirmed that the visa was fake.
The couple later confessed to paying P268,000 for their travel arrangements, which included the counterfeit visa.
Furthermore, the couple was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further inquiry.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized that the bureau's officers are highly trained to identify counterfeit travel documents, reaffirming the agency's commitment to safeguarding the country's borders from fraudsters and syndicates targeting Filipinos.
"We warn the public against unscrupulous groups offering fake visas. These schemes not only waste hard-earned money but also put travelers at risk of legal consequences," Viado stated.
The BI Chief underscored the agency's ongoing efforts to combat immigration fraud, warning that offenders using counterfeit documents will face strict legal repercussions.
