Expert: Roberto Gomes - 5/7/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello Roberto, sorry for this long story of mine, i can't find a right volunteer to answer,perhaps you could
It sounds to crazy and odd but here is what happened in Athens airport Greece when a friend of mine from Lao PDR tried to come and visit me here for holidays on Sat/2nd/09
We arranged schengen visa and sent invitation letter, all done properly and legally through the German embassy in Lao PDR  which can service Greece and Europe  !!!
My friend was supposed to arrive in my place on Saturday the 2nd of May but never reached here because in Athens airport stoped him at the passport control and banished him back to Lao!!!
I was calling the arrivals there to find out, so rude of them, didn't even ask for a name!! They were talking about an asian who came through Bangkok as he was a criminal!!! They told me he is banished back, so i asked for the reason... they said not allowed to tell you sir ask your friend and he knows so well what he did! I told that i have invited my friend here so i have to know as i am responsible for him!! Still never said a good reason   , just told me they gave banish ISO . Mind you he was already on plain back with his own tickets after changing the date of departure while I was talking on phone with them and never told me anything about it  !!
According to my friend they humiliated him , calling him Vietnamese who is trying to pass with a fake passport, he doesn't have enough money to come to Greece and finally cut his passport with a knife and locked him for 8 hours in a dark room with others with no food or drink at all !!!
Tried to explain them he has a residence to stay here, gave them my phone nr to call me , NOTHING happened like that of course. It was all final, BANISHED!
They had no right to do that and all this humiliation since everything was done legally!!


ANSWER: Dear Steve,

It is up to the Immigration officials to determine if a particular person shall be admitted. Although you provided everything in advance, somehow your friend fitted a particular profile and was deported.

I am sorry to tell you that this occurs everyday all around the world.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your reply dear Roberto,
But he was only coming here for 23 days holiday!!!
How can they have the right to do that even to holiday makers all over the world??? Last year i visited his country, arranged my visa at arrival all was perfect and done politely!!!! How much money can you carry in your pocket when traveling? they told him 350$ is not enough!! By the way how can you destroy someones passport just because they are ignorant or suspicious that it's fake?? Technology helps so much nowadays to check quick and safe!!
And another thing how can they keep a tourist locked for 8 hours with no food and water? Even prisoners are eating and drinking in jail!!!! A tourist is not even prisoner!!

Answer
Dear Steve,

It is not up to me and this is not the adequated forum to discuss Immigrations regulations and procedures.

I can tell how you are feeling, but $ 15 a day in any country is less than the normal requirements set by authorities.

Best Regards,
R.Gomes