A 32-year-old woman holding a two-way exit permit was bound over for two years for HK$2,000 on Monday after using forged academic documents to apply for an entry permit under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) in 2023.
The defendant, Li Fei, appeared at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts this morning. She faced one count of making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining an entry permit.
Both the prosecution and the defense agreed to resolve the case by having Li bound over.
The court heard that Li was suspected of using a fake overseas degree when applying for residency through the TTPS. Immigration records showed that an online application was submitted in her name on October 8, 2023.
In the application, Li claimed to have obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Monash University in Australia in July 2014. She also submitted documents including proof of enrollment, an Australian student visa, and related entry and exit records.
The Immigration Department initially accepted the information as genuine and approved her entry permit on November 2, 2023. Li entered Hong Kong on December 22 with the permit, which allowed her to stay until December 22, 2025.
However, the Australian Consulate General later confirmed discrepancies in her visa records, which were found to belong to another individual. On May 23, 2025, Li’s case was flagged by immigration officers while processing her entry permit.
In response to media inquiries, the Department of Justice declined to comment on individual cases. It stated that for every case, the decision on whether to prosecute must be based on an objective and professional analysis of the available evidence and applicable laws, in accordance with the Prosecution Code. The Code stipulates that prosecutors are responsible for the continuous review of all ongoing prosecutions.
DoJ further added that when deciding whether to consent to a bind-over order, prosecutors will strictly adhere to the Code and act in the public interest, based on the specific facts of the case, the evidence, and the relevant laws.
In addition, the Immigration Department emphasizes that if anyone obtains a visa, entry permit, or extension of stay by illegal means, the Department will declare the visa, entry permit, or extension of stay invalid in accordance with the law and repatriate the person to their place of origin.
In May this year, a 28-year-old mainland woman was sentenced to 240 days in prison after faking a Columbia University degree to enroll at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and forging her graduation results.
(Updated at 10.05pm)
