Foreigners allowed to leave Brunei

Foreigners allowed to leave Brunei

BRUNEI: A group of 13 foreigners who were hired to investigate business affairs of Brunei's royal family -- and were later ordered by the government not to leave the country -- have been allowed to depart, Australia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

Brunei officials had told the 13 foreigners -- three Australians, four Britons, five New Zealanders and a Malaysian -- that they were being investigated for visa irregularities and could not leave, diplomats in Brunei said on Monday.

"Immigration authorities in Brunei have confirmed that members of the group are now free to depart Brunei," and Brunei officials would investigate "why this issue with the visas arose in the first place," foreign ministry spokeswoman Lyndall Sachs said.

A Brunei Immigration Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there had been "some confusion" about whether the group had the required passes to work in Brunei. --AP