Ugandan newlyweds detained at Bangkok due to lack of Australian visa
February 18 2010 by Liam Clifford
A couple from Uganda who were on their way from Australia to Bangkok for their honeymoon have been detained at the Thai airport due to Thai and Australian visa issues.
The couple flew from Uganda to Bangkok on a
single-entry visa to start their honeymoon. However, they then decided to visit
relatives who were living in Australia and flew out to Melbourne.
After
their visit, they boarded a Jetstar flight back to Bangkok, but were refused
entry to the country as they had already used their single-entry visa. At this
point, the usual approach would be to return the couple to the country they came
from – in this case Australia. However, they lacked an Australian visa for
re-entry to the country, which meant they had to be detained in the no-man's
land of Bangkok airport.
The honeymooners, Musinguzi Moses Bwango and
Geraldine Mutarutwa Alison Kaberuka, have been left in limbo at Bangkok airport
for three days this week, instead of soaking up the sunshine at a Thai resort.
The airline, Jetstar, says it will cover the cost of the couple’s detention as
their Australian immigration officials at Melbourne airport should have picked
up the couple’s lack of the correct visa before they boarded the plane.
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