The Indian Weekender

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6 NEW ZEALAND Friday, October 02, 2020 The Indian Weekender Immigration NZ does not have data on the number of 'General Visitor Visas based on relationship' issued SANDEEP SINGH Immigration New Zealand does not have figures on the numbers of “General Visitor Visa based on relationship” - a type of visa that most of the Indian-New Zealanders rely upon for getting their newly married spouses to join them in the country. “We are unable to provide the number of applications under General Visitor Visa on the basis of Relationship as we are not easily able to identify visitor visa applications with a relationship component,” an official spokesperson of INZ told the Indian Weekender. The INZ was responding to the Indian Weekender’s request for the number of such visas issued from its Mumbai office (or onshore partnership hub office at hamilton) to understand the scope of the problem facing many Kiwi-Indian couples who have been locked out of the borders as they do not qualify for the exception announced by the Minister for Immigration earlier this month. Currently, New Zealand borders are closed except for citizens and residents and a very small category of visa holders that the government is approving at a snail’s speed, which includes critically skilled workers, those on partnership-based visas, and on humanitarian grounds. Earlier this month the Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi had announced in an exclusive Surinder and Divya at their marriage ceremony interview with the Indian Weekender on September 14 that INZ would now allow partners of Kiwi citizens and residents from non-visa waiver countries to get an exception to enter NZ borders, which are otherwise closed. Currently, New Zealand borders are closed except for citizens and residents and a very small category of visa holders that the government is approving at a snail’s speed, which includes critically skilled workers, those on partnershipbased visas, and on humanitarian grounds. The announcement had generated much hope and anticipation, which was quickly subdued as an internal letter issued by Immigration NZ to lawyers and licensed immigration advisers categorically stated that those on “general visitor visa based on relationship” will not be granted such exception. Following reporting of such letter that has been the source of major anxiety within Kiwi-Indian citizens and residents to bring their spouse back into the country, the Indian Weekender had sought more information around exact number of such visa-holders, who, if currently overseas, will fail to get relief and join their partners. Surinder Kumar - an NZ permanent resident - who married Divya Shree last year October, after having a long-distance relationship for years and first applied for the newly announced “Culturally Arranged Marriage visa category”, and subsequently issued a “general visitor visa based on relationship. By the time his wife had received that visa, New Zealand borders were closed and her request for exceptions to enter NZ had been twice declined. Since then Surinder had also travelled back to India to accompany his wife while travelling to NZ - a condition required by the government’s earlier announcement that only those partners who were accompanied by Kiwi citizens and residents would be given an exception to enter the country. However, unfortunately, Divya’s subsequent request for an exception to enter NZ was again declined despite being accompanied by her NZ based partner - something that the poor couple are struggling to comprehend. What is the difference between partnership visa & GVV based on relationship visa? Under immigration policy, there is a very strict (and probably antiquated) definition of partnership that requires couples to “live together” before INZ could consider them as a couple and issue a partnership-visa. The partnerships formed on the basis of traditional Indian marriages, where couples are not required to live together before the actual marriage, have always struggled to meet the strict definition of partnership visa for immigration purposes. Immigration NZ’s frontline case officers have devised a practical solution to this antiquated partnership visa policy where they after establishing the genuineness of relationship between the couple used to issue them a “General Visitor Visa based on relationship” as an exception to the policy and allow couples to join and start their lives in NZ. • Continued on Page 8 Priyanca Radhakrishnan THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL OFFER VALID : 01/10/2020~31/10/2020 Labour List MP based in Maungakiekie Maungakiekie Office 09 622 2660 priyanca.radhakrishnan@parliament.govt.nz Level 1 Crighton House, 100 Neilson St, Onehunga (entrance via Galway St) | | priyancanzlp Chocolate Mousse Log [ $32 NOW $28 ] Mango Fresh Cream Cake [ $60 NOW $54] Call Now 274 7744 Authorised by Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Parliament Buildings, Wellington www.gateauhouse.com Queen St / Botany / Mt Eden / Newmarket / Henderson / Glenfield / Albany
Support your local candidate Jacinda Ardern for Mt Albert Camilla Belich for Epsom Shirin Brown for Tāmaki Naisi Chen for Botany Lorayne Ferguson for Whangaparāoa Shanan Halbert for Northcote Nerissa Henry for Pakuranga Monina Hernandez for East Coast Bays Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki for Papakura Baljit Kaur for Port Waikato Neru Leavasa for Takanini Marja Lubeck for Kaipara ki Mahurangi Priyanca Radhakrishnan for Maungakiekie Deborah Russell for New Lynn Jenny Salesa for Panmure-Ōtāhuhu Carmel Sepuloni for Kelston Aupito William Sio for Māngere Phil Twyford for Te Atatū Romy Udanga for North Shore Vanushi Walters for Upper Harbour Helen White for Auckland Central Arena Williams for Manurewa Michael Wood for Mt Roskill Your vote matters. Choose two ticks for Labour to keep moving forward. Your party vote Choose Jacinda Ardern and Labour to lead the Government and keep things moving. Your electorate vote Choose your local Labour candidate for a strong local voice in Government. Vote early FROM 03 Oct Make a choice Authorised by Timothy Grigg, 160 Willis Street, Wellington BY ELECTION DAY 17 Oct
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