BI denies Sister Fox’s plea for visa extension

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has rejected the appeal of Australian nun Sister Patricia Fox to extend her missionary visa, which expired on Sept. 5.

In a statement yesterday, BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said the BI board of commissioners denied the application for extension of missionary visa filed by Fox through the Superior of the Religieuse De Notre Dame De Sion Inc. 

In a two-page order approved on Sept. 13, the BI said it could not grant Fox’s request as it would be inconsistent with the findings cited in her deportation order.

“The BI has ruled that Fox violated the conditions of her stay in the country and is considered undesirable, hence a deportation order was issued against her,” Sandoval explained.

The bureau also cited its Memorandum of Agreement with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, which provides that foreign missionaries will be given visas and allowed to stay in the country for only 10 years.

According to the BI, Fox has been in the Philippines for 27 years. 

The BI said Fox may still stay in the country by applying for a temporary tourist visa while waiting for the decision of the Department of Justice on her deportation appeal.

 “She is required to apply for the downgrading of her visa within 15 days from receipt of the denial order. Downgrading will revert her status to a temporary visitor’s visa, with a 59-day validity from the date of the expiry of her missionary visa,” Sandoval said.