The Bureau of Immigration has downgraded Australian missionary Patricia Fox’s visa status from missionary visa to temporary visitor, which allowing her to stay for only 59 days in the country.
The BI board of commissioners headed by BI commissioner Jaime Morente denied the 72-year-old nun’s appeal for an extension of her missionary visa, insisting that she violated immigration law by joining political protests.
BI Spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said that Fox’s visa had to be downgraded after the bureau denied the extension of her missionary visa.
“Downgrading reverted her status to a temporary visitor, and she is given 59 days from the day her missionary visa expired, which was Sept. 5,” she said in a statement.
However, Fox is still appealing a BI-issued deportation order before the Department of Justice and the petition is currently pending before the office of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
“We have to wait for the decision of her appeal to the DOJ first,” Sandoval said.
The controversial nun has been working in the country as a missionary worker for almost 27 years and is accused of joining “political activities” prohibited among foreigners.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte had ordered Fox investigated for criticizing the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
But the Australian nun maintained that she did not violate any immigration law and denied joining any political rallies.