Toddler Zara gets to stay in NZ
Immigration apologises, drops fee, speeds up parents’ visa applications and approval, grateful mum says
Immigration New Zealand will not be deporting a 2-year-old New Zealand-born girl, and has apologised for a letter it sent asking her to leave the country. Zara Lambojo, born to Filipino parents who are here on temporary visas, was told she was unlawful in New Zealand and could face deportation if she didn’t leave immediately.
But on Wednesday the Herald published a story about the family’s plight and Immigration NZ (INZ) assistant general manager Peter Elms called Zara’s mother, Aileen Lambojo, 44, to apologise for the letter, which was addressed to the toddler.
“Peter assured me that Zara won’t be deported, and was apologetic of the letter and the stress it caused us,” Lambojo said. “He even promised to expedite the processing and assessment of our visa application, and said Zara will be issued with a dependent child visa once it is approved.”
The family were also told that they did not have to pay the application fees for Zara.
INZ confirmed that Elms had called Zara’s mother “to apologise for the tone and nature of the correspondence the family received about her visa status and to explain the immigration process generally”.
An INZ spokesman said: “Peter has confirmed that record of the telephone conversation is correct with the proviso that he was unable to give any guarantee about the outcome of Mrs Lambojo’s visa application.”
A devout Christian, Lambojo said she “cried tears of joy” after the phone call, and one of the first things she did was give thanks to God and
I am just so thankful that there is some stability now, and that our family won’t be broken up.
Aileen Lambojo, mother
called her pastor at Christ New Creation International to share the good news.
“I am just so thankful that there is some stability now, and that our family won’t be broken up,” she said.
Lambojo, a nursing support worker, first came to New Zealand on a student visa in 2014. She was joined by her machine operator husband, Arnold, 41, two years later after she got her work visa.
They have another daughter, Zia, 8, and a son, Aaron, 15, who came as their dependent children.
“We didn't think Zara needed a visa at birth to remain with us because she's born in New Zealand . . . she didn't have a passport and wasn't travelling anywhere.”
Both Lambojo and her husband, Arnold, were on interim visas when Zara was born, which meant she was deemed to have the same status as her parents.
They have current applications with INZ and are awaiting a decision.
A law change in 2006 meant babies born in New Zealand no longer had automatic rights to citizenship.
A request for a visa for Zara was lodged after her interim visa had expired, which made her unlawful in New Zealand.
Elms said the agency would be reviewing the standard letters about deportation liability for children under 18 as a matter of priority. He said it would also be ensuring communications were sent to parents and guardians.