Chinese woman faces deportation after Belfast shopping trip

A young Chinese woman who has been living in Ireland for almost eight years, is facing deportation — all because of a shopping day-trip to Belfast.

Barrister Keith Spencer told the High Court yesterday that Qiaohua Zhang, of Belmayne Park South, Balgriffin, Co Dublin, had been studying in Dublin on a valid student visa for the past seven-and-a-half years.

He said her visa expired on Jan 23 last and, while she had been living in Ireland illegally since then, she had remained in contact with the Garda National Immigration Bureau while attempting to negotiate a visa extension.