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Wednesday, December 01, 1999

11 Chinese travellers with Dominica passports barred

Marina Jimenez
National Post, with files from The Associated Press

Eleven Chinese nationals carrying "economic" passports from the Republic of Dominica, a tiny Caribbean island, have been refused entry to Canada, after officials became suspicious that they were not genuine visitors.

The incident underscores fears that Dominica's economic citizenship program -- where so-called passports to paradise are available for $50,000 (US) in as little as three weeks -- will attract smugglers and criminals to Canada.

"The passports are an open invitation to people who are seeking to enter Canada by fraudulent means," said an immigration source, noting that Canada does not require visas for visitors from Dominica.

The eleven men and women, who were all from Fujian province in China and range in age from 17 to mid-40s, each paid only $20,000 per passport; they were apparently given a group discount from the Dominican government.

After just one month on the Caribbean island, they flew to Toronto on a BWIA International Airways flight via Trinidad, arriving at Pearson airport on Nov. 18. They had little luggage or winter clothing and told immigration officers they were here for a one-week tour of Niagara Falls. Officials, however, became suspicious they were not bona-fide Dominica businessmen, since they did not speak English, and only carried about $1,000 each.

"After one month in Dominica, they came here with little money in their pockets. The motivation was very suspect," said Anna Pape, a spokeswoman with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. "We felt they were not genuine visitors and would be unlikely to leave."

The 11 were detained and the matter went before an immigration adjudicator on Nov. 22. However, the group decided to leave Canada voluntarily, rather than go through an inquiry. They were put on a plane back to Dominica last Sunday.

Critics say the country's "economic citizenship" program, which is advertised on the Internet, and other similar Caribbean citizenship programs are being exploited by international criminals and human smugglers.

In a report in March, the U.S. State Department said Dominica had sold citizenships to 300 Russians who are suspected of being involved in money laundering.

 
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