Woman used false passport in asylum bid

A Nigerian asylum seeker believed she would be giving herself an advantage in the Irish naturalisation process by presenting a false Zimbabwean passport to gardaí.

As the woman pleaded guilty to the offence, her solicitor, Graham Hyde, told Cork District Court it was a common misconception by some in the immigration process that they would give themselves some advantage, in the waiting time, if they used a passport other than their own.

“In my experience, it is a common occurrence; they feel that by presenting a false document they will get through the system more advantageously,” he said.