Birthday party visa decision reviewed
A Pakistani man denied the chance to attend a World War II veteran’s 100th birthday in New Zealand will attend after all.
Shams Tahir Khokhar applied for a visa to visit friends in New Plymouth and speak at WWII veteran Colin Cochran’s 100th birthday celebrations today but his initial attempt was denied.
Khokhar is a friend of Cochran’s daughter, Brenda Fernee and she has stayed with him several times.
Although he has never met her father, Khokhar paid for the printing of 100 copies of Cochran’s war memoirs as a gift and was bringing them with him to the party, which was going to double as a book launch, Fernee said.
After initially being denied on January 30, Khokhar has since been issued with a limited visa after his case was reviewed.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) visa services manager Michael Carley said in an emailed statement the original decision was correct based on the information provided at the time.
‘‘Initially INZ did not believe Mr Khokhar met the requirements of immigration instructions, based on the information he provided us, and therefore was not considered a bona fide visitor to New Zealand.
‘‘The decision to decline Mr Khokhar a visitor visa on 30 January was correct based on the information available at the time,’’ Carley said.
Carley said INZ obtained significant new information on Thursday and issued Khokhar with a limited visa.
‘‘This is not an overturning of the previous correct decision, rather the new information provides INZ the opportunity to offer a limited visa.
‘‘Khokhar has accepted the offer of a limited visa with the express purpose of attending the 100th birthday party.’’
Kohler is expected in Auckland early today and then in New Plymouth in time for the party.
Fernee said she was baffled by the initial decision as Khokhar had a five year visa to America with two years left and a Schengen visa for Europe.
‘‘They’re afraid he won’t go back. If he wanted to stay away he’d have stayed in America,’’ she said earlier in the week.
‘‘What’s he going to do here, hide in our basement for goodness’ sake?
‘‘It’s been very stressful.’’