DFA: Bringing fake items into US
could mean visa cancellation
By Veronica Uy
INQ7.net

THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs on Friday reiterated the warning issued by the Philippine embassy in Washington DC to all Filipino travelers to the United States against bringing into the country any pirated item.

Quoting the travel advisory from the US Commercial Service, the Philippine embassy said that anyone bringing into the US any pirated item or items "would face automatic deportation in violation of intellectual property rights, or arrest and criminal prosecution, in addition to civil fines and penalties."

The embassy further warned: "Please remember that even ONE pirated item could jeopardize your trip."

Based on the advisory, the embassy said that US Customs officials are not only after pirated video compact discs (VCDs) or digital video discs (DVDs), fake brand bags and cosmetics and pirated books are on the US customs officers' hot list.

The embassy thus repeats the warning from the US Commercial Service to all nursing graduates who plan to take the NCLEX and CGF exams in the US not to bring in pirated books because they would be automatically deported for violation of intellectual property rights.

This warning goes especially to anyone going from the Philippines and coming back to the US with "pasalubong
and padalas," the advisory added.