A woman has lived in Australia for more than 40 years, but her passport and citizen status have suddenly been cancelled and turned into a stateless person because.
Vitoula Bird (source: daily Mail)
As Vitoula Bird's uncle died, she was supposed to board a flight to Papua New Guinea's (Papua New Guinea) this week but was stopped by staff at Keynesian Airport.
"they told me that my passport was cancelled and confiscated and I couldn't leave the country," Bird said in an interview with Sky News. She also said government cancelled her passport and Australian citizen status only because government found out she was born before Papua New Guinea became autonomous.
It is reported that Papua New Guinea broke from the rule of Australia's government in 1975, strictly speaking, Papua New Guinea born before the acquiescence of Australia's citizen status, but since then was born in Papua New Guinea citizen.
Many people who have passports or are able to obtain citizen status through their partners have lost their citizen status in Australia. Bird said she received a letter last week saying her passport would be cancelled, but she did not expect it to be cancelled so soon.
"it was really shocking," she said. "even though I was ready, and my brothers and sisters were going through the same thing. But before I got this letter, I made a trip plan because my uncle was hospitalized with a stroke. "
Vitoula Bird (source: daily Mail)
Bird said she decided to board the plane home to accompany her family, but the letter became a "stumbling block" and her uncle died.
"in fact, I am very angry, because it is not my responsibility. It is the responsibility of Australia's government and Papua New Guinea's government that they did not inform citizen, who was born in Papua New Guinea, in time, so we will never know. "
Bird also said her special category passport had been cancelled in 1994, but that she had left the country several times without being stopped. "I really don't understand. It doesn't mean anything to me."
Although Bird will no longer be stopped by airport staff, she feels she does not have a "home". "Papua New Guinea government does not allow me to naturalize without travel documents and special circumstances. Obviously, my visa has expired. And I can't go back to Australia without a passport, so I'm now a stateless person with no security. "
Vitoula Bird (left) (photo source: daily Mail)
Although Bird is still eligible for Australian citizen status, it will pay the price. "I will have a brand new Australian citizen status, but all my previous records will be cleared, including child rearing, work experience, tax records and voting records."
"it was a joke, an insult, like a slap on my face."
Bird believes she should not pay for her new citizen status in Australia or Papua New Guinea, but in any case her past will be written off.
"Papua New Guinea government told me that I am not Papua New Guinea citizen, so if I want to apply for Papua New Guinea citizen status, I have to pay the price." "unless I re-apply for citizen status, I am stateless," she said.