Sister Patricia Fox fails to renew missionary visa

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration has denied Sister Patricia Fox’s appeal for the BI to reconsider its decision not to renew her missionary visa, an official said yesterday.

Spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval confirmed that on Oct. 4, the bureau’s Board of Commissioners denied with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by the 72-year-old Australian nun to extend her missionary visa.

The board “saw that there is no valid reason to reverse the Sept. 13 denial order. She presented no new arguments in her motion for reconsideration,” Sandoval said in a statement.

Fox now has to apply for a temporary visitor’s visa, which would be valid only for 59 days “from the date of expiry of her visa,” Sandoval said.

The nun’s missionary visa expired on Sept. 5, which means the visitor’s visa would be valid until Nov. 3.

The BI warned Fox that non-compliance with the order may result in another deportation case against her. 

As for Fox’s petition for review of her deportation case that she filed months ago, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said it “will be decided in due time.”

The BI said since it is still waiting for the Department of Justice to act on her deportation case, it might grant Fox the temporary visitor’s visa upon downgrading, without prejudice to the resolution of her appeal before the DOJ on her deportation.

Fox’s camp said that as of yesterday morning they have not received an official copy of the BI’s order denying their motion for reconsideration on her missionary visa.

They said they are set to file a petition for review before the DOJ on Oct 15.

“Sister Pat hopes that the DOJ will settle the substantive issues raised in our petition for review particularly on the right of foreigners to their exercise of freedom of expression and assembly, universally recognized by both domestic and international laws, which the BI refused to squarely address,” they said.

Fox has been working as a missionary in the country for the last 27 years.

In July, the BI ordered Fox’s deportation following remarks by President Duterte branding her an undesirable alien for joining political rallies.