Financial Times' Victor Mallet allowed back into HK ... but only for seven days
Mallet returned from Bangkok on Sunday night and was understood to have been questioned at immigration
Victor Mallet returned to Hong Kong on Sunday night. British journalist Victor Mallet who had his work visa renewal denied by the Hong Kong government was allowed to enter the city for only seven days only when he returned on Sunday night, even though tourists can visit for up to six months.
Victor Mallet, Asia news editor for the Financial Times and first vice president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club Hong Kong, was questioned by immigration officers on his return to the city, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told the Post, before being admitted for a week.
Lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, a former security minister, said allowing Mallet to only enter the city for seven days was “reasonable”.
“Clearly, he is not welcomed to stay,” she said. “I think it is reasonable for immigration to allow him to stay for several days for him to wrap up his business in Hong Kong, and then leave.”
But, Lawmaker Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, leader of the Civic Party, called it an exceptional arrangement.
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“Is this any way to demonstrate the tolerance of Hong Kong as an international city?” he said.
On Monday, Mallet’s employers in London said they were still seeking clarification from the Hong Kong government as to why his visa renewal had been rejected.
“The Financial Times’ Asia news editor Victor Mallet was permitted entry into Hong Kong on a seven-day visitor visa as he returned from an international trip on October 7. This follows the rejection to renew his routine work visa,” the paper said in a statement.
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“Immigration officials did not provide an explanation for the shortened visitor visa and we continue to seek clarification from the authorities about the rejection of his work visa renewal.”
Mallet, who was away from Hong Kong last week and returned from Bangkok on Sunday night, was questioned at immigration and entered the city as a tourist, because his work visa was no longer valid.
British tourists are allowed to visit Hong Kong for up to six months without a visa.