Are you open to the idea of changing one's identity just to gain entry
By manong05
@manong05 (5027)
Philippines
October 28, 2009 4:32am CST
to a new country. A friend of mine went to a new country in North America as a tourist and find a job there. He overstayed his visa, was caught and got deported back home. He was desperate to go back but was blacklisted by the country's immigraion office. He consulted a travel agent who advised him to change his identity, a new name and everything about him. He did just that and now he is back to that country. Before he left, I asked him what kind of life will that be? He said just like how it was, what's in a name?
Maybe it's not a big deal for others but personally I will find it difficult to do that. I am afraid that sooner of later I will get caught.
Any personal opinion?
5 responses
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
28 Oct 09
It is not a good thing to overstay a tourist visa or to get a job without work visa. I know that countries like Australia and the USA like to look for people that are working illegally and they deport any people that overstay their tourist visa. I always leave a country before my visa would get out of date. I wouldn't need to change my name to get back into a country. I went to the USA left it in the middle of the night and then I went on to Fiji. Your friend would get into trouble if the country he is in find out what he is doing. I wouldn't ever do that because it would be against the law.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
28 Oct 09
Yes, it is indeed against the law. Falsification of public documents is a serious offense. The reason why he resorted to changing his name was because his name was already blacklisted and forever banned from entering the same country. Like you, I would never do that as well.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
28 Oct 09
I know that a lady in Australia overstayed her visa and the immigration service came looking for her. She had been staying at a youth hostel and then she went off to a national park. They came of the city to the national park to get her. I don't think they would ever let her in again. Getting a passport in my home country is now more challenging. They have now brought in personal interviews. One of my friends had to go to one of those interviews.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
29 Oct 09
From what I heard, people who are caught are detained for a period of time before getting deported. And detention centers are not exactly a good place to be and usually they are full of many other nationalities who have the same or similar problems. And also, once deported they are not allowed to carry anything except the clothes they are wearing.
@Capsicum (1444)
• United States
28 Oct 09
Sad he feels this way and is not proud of his own country.Odds are he will not get caught till he himself forgets who he was. But this will be his judgment call ,they will not take lightly and he may pay severe penalties. People never cease to amaze me!Will you miss this man who you call a friend but yet is going to live a fugitive a friend after he is shipped back ?
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
28 Oct 09
If he has come to America then he better pray he doesn't get found out..
Our government is not overly friendly to people getting caught doing that.
If they kicked you out, they expect you to stay out. They might not be so nice next time. I am not saying this to be mean. I am saying I myself would be afraid of my government. I hear many stories.
@moneymakingtoday (4061)
• Philippines
28 Oct 09
There is no other peaceful life than a life lived in truth. I always believe that the truth will one day come out. I don't think I would ever attempt to do what your friend did. That would only place the future of my family and my own in danger. If I were him, I would no longer go back to that country but instead try another country where I can find work. I am sure there are other personal options which I can consider in my own country, too.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
28 Oct 09
Precisely, what life can be more miserable than living like a fugitive and worse under an assumed identity. It's only a matter of time that justice will catch up with him. You are right there my friend, he still has many options left other than forcing himself to go back either by hook or by crook. He was irrationally obsessed and that's exactly the right word to describe it.
