Taiwan deports Sri Lankan man to S'pore, he used fake Canadian passport while transiting in Taiwan

A Sri Lankan man on a transit flight from Singapore to Toronto, Canada, was caught using a fraudulent Canadian passport while transiting through Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport in mid-August 2026.

According to a press release by Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior National Immigration Agency, EVA Air ground staff noticed discrepancies in the man's passport and other points of suspicion.

The ground staff reported the man to immigration officers, who discovered that the man's passport was fake through professional document authentication and identity verification.

The man was eventually deported to Singapore in accordance with international practice, according to Taiwan's CNA.

In response to Mothership's queries, Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirmed on Aug. 21 that a Sri Lankan national was deported from Taiwan to Singapore.

ICA added that the man presented his Sri Lankan passport when clearing Singapore immigration.

Questioned by Taiwanese authorities

Taiwanese authorities prevented the man from boarding the plane, but he allegedly feigned ignorance and questioned officers, saying: "Is there something wrong with my documents?"

When questioned, the man allegedly tried to conceal his use of a forged passport and denied that the documents were fake.

The immigration officer examined the passport's security features and compared them with the man's identification information.

Moreover, the man was reportedly unaware of Canada's capital, his own address, and was unable to sing the Canadian national anthem.

Confessed to being a Sri Lankan citizen

Eventually, the man broke down and confessed to being a Sri Lankan citizen.

He retrieved his Sri Lankan passport and admitted to paying US$10,000 (S$12,762) to a smuggling ring to purchase a forged Canadian passport.

According to the press release, the ring also arranged his travel itinerary and flight.

The ring arranged international transit so that he could conceal his true identity and enter Canada illegally for work.

Upon being exposed, the man pleaded with the immigration officer to allow him to board the plane.

He claimed that the funds for his passage to Canada were borrowed from relatives and friends.

He added that he urgently needed to find work to repay the loans.

However, the man was deported to his previous stop, Singapore, following international laws.

Man presented Sri Lankan passport in Singapore

ICA said the Sri Lankan national arrived in Singapore on Aug. 11, 2026 and departed on Aug. 13, 2026.

"On both occasions, he presented his Sri Lankan passport for immigration clearance. He did not present the forged Canadian passport for immigration clearance."

ICA added that following his deportation from Taiwan to Singapore on Aug. 14, "he was deported to Colombo, Sri Lanka on the same day and has been barred from re-entering Singapore".