Messi halted at Beijing Airport for visa issues

Lionel Messi had his feet tied up for two hours at Beijing Airport due to visa issues while trying to enter China for a friendly match.

According to British media outlet 'The Sun' on Monday (local time), Lionel Messi, who landed at Beijing Airport on Saturday, presented his Spanish passport for immigration inspection but was denied entry, resulting in him being unable to leave the immigration area for two hours. Messi, who holds dual citizenship of Argentina and Spain, had a Spanish passport on that day. However, China and Spain have not signed a visa exemption agreement, so he should have obtained a visa in advance, which he was unaware of.

In a video posted on social media at the time, Messi, surrounded by several Chinese security personnel, appeared to be startled, with wide eyes. Foreign media reported that Messi, who had previously entered Taiwan with a Spanish passport, mistakenly believed that he could enter China with the same passport. When his entry to Beijing was denied, Messi reportedly made remarks like, "Isn't Taiwan also part of China?"

The ‘airport incident’ involving Messi, who came to China for the friendly match between Argentina and Australia on Thursday in Beijing, was resolved when the airport authorities issued a visa within two hours. Messi's visit to China is his first in six years since 2017. On the day Messi's Argentina squad arrived, thousands of football fans gathered at Beijing Airport.


chaewani@donga.com