A 20-year-old student from mainland China was sentenced to two months in prison at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong on 20 October 2026 for using a certificate from an overseas college that investigators found did not exist, according to Hong Kong Commercial Daily and Bastille Post. He had pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining services by deception. He was not named in the reports.

Same fake document, two uses

The man submitted the overseas college certificate to a local post-secondary institution to gain a place on a higher diploma programme. After he was admitted, he declared the same qualification in his entry permit application to the Immigration Department, stating that he had completed a three-year diploma at the college.

Under caution, he told investigators that an intermediary had arranged for him to complete a two-month distance course at what was described as the college's mainland branch, after which he received the certificate. Follow-up enquiries established that the overseas college did not exist. The Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Police had opened a joint investigation into suspected fake qualifications in November 2024.

Official warning

In its statement on the case, the Immigration Department warned that making a false statement to immigration officers carries a maximum penalty of a HK$150,000 fine and 14 years' imprisonment, with the same penalties for anyone who helps. Obtaining services by deception under the Theft Ordinance carries up to 10 years. The department said study or residence permission obtained by illegal means will be cancelled and the holder may face prosecution and removal.

A pattern seen elsewhere

The case reflects a pattern found in student-visa fraud in several countries, including those popular with Indian students: a short course or paid intermediary produces a credential from an institution that is unaccredited or does not exist, and that document is then reused for admission and immigration. Students should be wary of any offer of a full diploma after a few weeks of study.

Admissions officers can check that an awarding institution appears on the education ministry or accreditation register of the country concerned, confirm the award directly with that institution, and compare course length and dates with the student's travel and residence history.

Sources

This News Desk report summarises information published by the sources above, written in our own words. Persons named in criminal matters are accused, not convicted, unless a court has ruled otherwise. To report an error, use our contact page.

Hong Kongstudent visafake certificateimmigrationnon-existent college

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