61-year-old woman was magically transformed into a 41-year-old woman, and went abroad to work 3 times under someone else's name.

The tragedy of labor export

The house of Mrs. Tran Thi Binh in My Thuong hamlet, Hung Loc commune, Vinh city is currently filled with incense smoke. On the altar, after nearly a year of "wandering" in a foreign land, her name has returned to her birth name and is no longer Vuong Thi Hoai Thu as in the records.

Looking at his mother's portrait, Mr. Dinh Van Chinh - her son said: In the photo, my mother looks quite young, but in real life she looks haggard, tired and weak. I don't understand why, for someone like my mother, they still make documents for children at the age of 20 and then send them to Saudi Arabia to work as an export laborer!

Mr. Chinh also said that Mrs. Tran Thi Binh passed away 1 year ago - that is, on April 3, 2017. However, in reality, it was not until March 14, 2018 that her body was transferred to her family and buried.

Three passports of Ms. Tran Thi Binh. Photo: My Ha

Before that, due to family circumstances (his parents were separated, Chinh moved in with his father in Ha Tinh), he did not know the information when his mother went to work abroad (July 2016). Also during this time, his father was diagnosed with a serious illness and passed away. His son was seriously ill, so for several months, the mother and son did not maintain contact. He only knew that his mother was being treated in Hanoi through a phone call before Tet.

The abnormality was only discovered by him when he accidentally reviewed his mother's file and discovered a passport with the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu but with a photo of Mrs. Tran Thi Binh attached. Along with that was a piece of paper with the name of Gia Vy Human Resources Joint Stock Company (address at No. 01, BT2, Van Phu Urban Area, Phu La Ward, Ha Dong District, Hanoi City).

Passports bearing the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu but with a photo of Tran Thi Binh. Photo: My Ha

Having a bad feeling, he called the company directly and learned that a company employee in Saudi Arabia had just passed away named Vuong Thi Hoai Thu (permanent residence in Nghi Xuan commune, Nghi Loc district) and that her address could not be verified and her family could not be contacted.

Afterwards, Mr. Chinh went directly to the company, identified the image of the woman named Vuong Thi Hoai Thu and confirmed that she was his mother.

After this incident, the company also went to the People's Committee of Hung Loc commune and promised the family that they would bring Mrs. Tran Thi Binh's body back to Vietnam. However, because the person whose name is on the passport and the person in real life have two different identities, it took nearly a year for Mrs. Binh's body to be returned to her family.

Also during this time, Mrs. Tran Thi Binh's son sent a petition to the authorities, requesting clarification of the matter for many reasons such as: Who was the person who created the fake documents to send Mrs. Binh to work abroad?

Besides, why was Ms. Binh, who was entitled to social benefits due to her inability to work because she was granted a certificate of disability (severe level, type of mental disability) and received disability benefits (from September 1, 2013 to May 2017), still able to "trick" the authorities to successfully exit the country?

3 times making passport under other people's name

In fact, it was not the trip to Saudi Arabia in July 2016 that Ms. Tran Thi Binh took the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu. Before that, Ms. Binh had also gone to work in Malaysia (May 2013) and Saudi Arabia (August 2015 through Nam Viet Company).

Currently, Ms. Binh has three passports: the first, passport number B7158530, issued on September 5, 2012; the second, passport number B8653414, issued on January 2, 2014; the third, passport number B8653414, issued on April 25, 2014, and all three times are under the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu.

Mrs. Tran Thi Binh's son presents the incident. Photo: My Ha

Regarding this incident, in a written response to the authorities, Lieutenant Colonel To Huu Tri - Deputy Head of the Immigration Management Department, Nghe An Police affirmed: Ms. Tran Thi Binh directly went to the office to present her ID card with information of Vuong Thi Hoai Thu (born November 29, 1977) in Nghi Xuan commune, Nghi Loc district and signed the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu, pasted Tran Thi Binh's photo on the declaration and was issued 3 passports.

Lieutenant Colonel Tri affirmed that the acceptance of the passport application under the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu was in accordance with the procedure.Because the passport application form does not require a stamp on the photo, the receiving officer will base it on the ID photo and the person who directly submits the application and receives it.

Disability certificate of Ms. Tran Thi Binh while in Vietnam. Photo: My Ha

Currently, Ms. Tran Thi Binh has passed away, so it is very difficult to confirm the subjects involved in helping Ms. Binh in the process of making an ID card under the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu with a photo of Tran Thi Binh, who completed the procedures for Ms. Binh!

However, due to the complexity of this issue, the Department of Overseas Labor Management, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has requested units to work with the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Hanoi to clarify the health confirmation issue and recommend handling of related individuals and groups.

In addition, the Department also requested the authorities of Nghe An to clarify the issuance of identity cards and passports to worker Tran Thi Binh with the name Vuong Thi Hoai Thu.

In addition, the Department will also coordinate with the Ministry's inspectorate to research and review the process of selecting, training, and sending workers abroad of Gia Vy Company and have a handling plan if there is sufficient basis according to regulations.

Public opinion is asking, from this incident, is there a network of fake documents for labor export workers and how many victims will continue to fall into this awkward situation?

Regarding this incident, Mr. Tran Phi Hung - Head of the Department of Employment - Labor Safety, Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs said: Gia Vy Human Resources Joint Stock Company currently does not have an office in Nghe An. The Department also recommends that people should carefully research information before going to work abroad and should only go through units and businesses that have been introduced to localities by the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs.