A baffling story has emerged concerning a 63-year-old Ghanaian woman who has been residing in Taiwan for the past 33 years without proper immigration documents.
According to a report by taipeitimes.com, the woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, initially arrived in Taiwan in June 1989 following a transit from Hong Kong.
She left in March 1990. However, the authorities are currently perplexed about when and how she re-entered the country, allowing her to remain in Taiwan without valid immigration documents for such an extended period.
“Police quoted the Ghanaian national as saying, through an interpreter, that she lives alone in a rented residence and works as a cleaner for a living.
“Further investigation is needed to determine why there are no immigration records for her re-entry into Taiwan and how she was able to reside in Taiwan illegally for so long without being discovered, police said,” the report indicated.
The 63-year-old woman came to the attention of the authorities when she was observed “acting suspiciously” by officers who approached her on October 14, 2023.
This incident took place in New Taipei City’s Lujhou District and led patrol officers to keep a close watch on her.
The report added that “when they spotted the woman, who tried to hide as they got closer to her,” they asked for an identity, which she failed to produce.
She also could not produce a valid resident permit or a passport, the police added.
Meanwhile, the police are investigating her on suspicion of contravening Taiwan’s immigration law, the report said.