Two immigrants who forged documents have been fined £500 and banned from the island for five years.

Chao Yang Wu, aged 57, and Rui Yang, aged 41, appeared before the Deputy High Bailiff on Tuesday, February 25.

They both entered guilty pleas to a charge of deception relating to the Immigration Act, and were assisted in court by a Mandarin interpreter.

Prosecuting advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge told the court that, on February 10, police were made aware that Wu and Yang had produced fraudulent documents to the Isle of Man Immigration Service.

Wu had failed to take a required English test, but had submitted a document saying that he had passed the test.

Yang had taken the test, and had not met the required level, but had modified her score on her document so that it showed a pass.

Ms Dodge said that, for a leave to remain Visa to be approved under immigration rules, applicants must meet an English language standard involving listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Immigration Services advised that Wu and Yang had both submitted fraudulent documents through the online verification site.

They were arrested and, during an interview, when asked why he had forged the document, Wu said: ‘For my work, for my life.’

He was asked if he wanted to avoid returning to China and answered: ‘Correct.’

When asked if he was in any danger if he returned, he refused to answer.

Yang was interviewed and said: ‘Yes, I changed the score in my exam, that’s why I’m here maybe.

‘I changed it cos I go to exam three times and I can’t get the score of four.

‘I work here. I changed it. I want to get my exam. I love the Isle of Man. I like it here very much. I like the weather. I want to stay here.’

She was asked how she found out how to do it and said she had used social media.

Yang said that she didn’t know that changing the document would be so serious.

Asked why she had not studied English more, she said: ‘I work eight hours a day, I was tired and didn’t have time.’

She was asked if other people falsified documents but replied: ‘I don’t know, no, I choose to say nothing.’

The court heard that two defendants, who have been living on Central Promenade in Douglas, have no previous convictions.

Ms Dodge said that both parties had been here since 2023, previously having Visas under the seasonal route, which did not require an English test.

Yang was represented by duty advocate Darren Taubitz, who said that his client had been invited to come to the island as a sous chef, working in a restaurant.

Mr Taubitz said that Yang had been sending money back home to her family, to pay for her child’s education, and had been working six days a week, six to eight hours each day.

The advocate said that his client had up to £500 in cash available to pay any fine.

He said: ‘This is a lady who feels terrible about what happened.

‘She came to the Isle of Man to provide a better life for her family. She loves the island.’

Mr Taubitz said that he was concerned about the mechanism for deporting Yang back to China, bearing in mind she only had £500 in cash.

Wu was represented by advocate Kaitlyn Shimmin, who said that she was also concerned about how deportation would take place, and that her client had also been here to work to provide for his family back in China.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood ordered both defendants to pay their £500 immediately or face up to 30 days in prison.

She told Wu and Yang: ‘You will both now appreciate how serious breaches of immigration law are taken.

‘The requirements to pass the standard of the English test are there for a reason.

‘Any attempt to fraudulently circumvent the requirements will be taken very seriously.’

Both defendants will have 28 days to appeal against the exclusion order and cannot be deported until that time has elapsed.