Comilang, Milagros Tecson and Another v. Director of Immigration

Read the full judgment text of FAMV 39/2018 on BabelCite. This FAMV judgment was delivered on 7 November 2018 before Mr Justice Ribeiro PJ, Mr Justice Fok PJ and Mr Justice Stock NPJ.

Immigration – right of abode – fundamental rights – parent-child family – Director of Immigration – leave to appeal – great general or public importance – Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance (Cap 383) s.11 – Basic Law – foreign national parent – HKSAR permanent resident minor child – obligation to consider applicable fundamental rights – exemption under s.11 – leave to appeal granted on two questions of great general or public importance – appeal set for hearing on 28 February 2019

Legal issues: Obligation to consider fundamental rights in immigration decisions affecting parent-child family · Exemption under section 11 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance

Outcome: Leave to appeal granted on Questions 1 and 2; leave to appeal refused on Questions 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Cited by 1 case

Case No.FAMV 39/2018[2018] HKCFA 53
Court
FAMV
Date07 Nov 2018
JudgeMr Justice Ribeiro PJ, Mr Justice Fok PJ and Mr Justice Stock NPJ
Case Document
100%Judiciary

FAMV Nos.39 and 40 of 2018

[2018] HKCFA 53

FAMV No. 39 of 2018

IN THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEEDINGS NO. 39 OF 2018 (CIVIL)

(ON APPLICATION FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL FROM

CACV NO. 59 OF 2016)

_______________________

BETWEEN

  COMILANG, MILAGROS TECSON 1st Applicant
  AHMED, ZAHRAH NOOR, a minor,
by her next friend and mother
COMILANG, MILAGROS TECSON
2nd Applicant
  and
  DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION Respondent

_______________________

FAMV No. 40 of 2018

IN THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEEDINGS NO. 40 OF 2018 (CIVIL)

(ON APPLICATION FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL FROM

CACV NO. 60 OF 2016)

_______________________

BETWEEN

  LUIS, DESIREE RANTE 1st Applicant
  LUIS, DAVID JOHN RANTE, a minor, by his next friend and mother,
LUIS, DESIREE RANTE
2nd Applicant
LUIS, CARL BENZ RANTE, a minor,
by his next friend and mother,
LUIS, DESIREE RANTE

3rd Applicant
  LUIS, MARK JOELRY RANTE, a minor,
by his next friend and mother,
LUIS, DESIREE RANTE
4th Applicant
and
  DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION Respondent
_______________________

Appeal Committee: Mr Justice Ribeiro PJ, Mr Justice Fok PJ and Mr Justice Stock NPJ

Date of Hearing and Determination: 7 November 2018

_______________________

DETERMINATION

_______________________

Mr Justice Ribeiro PJ:

1.We are satisfied that the following questions are of great general or public importance which ought to be submitted to the Court for decision, and grant leave to appeal confined thereto, namely:

When a parent applicant, who is a foreign national with no right of abode in Hong Kong, makes an application for permission to remain in Hong Kong to take care of his/her minor child, who is a HKSAR permanent resident having the right of abode in Hong Kong, whether the Director of Immigration in considering the application is obliged, as a matter of law, to take into account the parent-and-child family’s enjoyment of applicable fundamental rights while living in Hong Kong.  (Question 1)

Whether section 11 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance (Cap 383) exempts the immigration authorities from having to take into account rights protected under the Basic Law of a child member of the family, when decisions are made by immigration authorities under immigration legislation in respect of the non-Hong Kong resident family member impacting on the integrity of the family and the enjoyment of family life in Hong Kong. (Question 2)

2.We consider Questions 3 and 4 referred to in Form B merely to raise aspects of Question 1 and thus not independently to merit the grant of leave.

3.Similarly, we consider that Question 5 raises questions associated with Question 2 and so does not merit independent treatment.

4.We do not consider Question 6 a fruitful question since extensions of time necessarily raise fact specific discretionary issues including any legal aid delays.  In any event, in the present case, the substantive arguments have been fully dealt with, so that the question is academic.

5.The appeal will be heard on 28 February 2019.

(R A V Ribeiro)
Permanent Judge
(Joseph Fok)
Permanent Judge
(Frank Stock)
Non-Permanent Judge

Ms Gladys Li SC and Mr P.Y. Lo, instructed by Daly & Associates, assigned by the Director of Legal Aid, for the 1st and 2nd Applicants in FAMV 39/2018 and the 1st to 4th Applicants in FAMV 40/2018

Mr Abraham Chan SC and Mr Jonathan Chang, instructed by the Department of Justice, for the Respondent in FAMV 39 & 40/2018