NZ sends back 150 city students

Agents in Hyderabad, Punjab give fake papers

Around 150 students from Hyderabad have been served deportation letters by the immigration department of New Zealand for producing fake documents while applying for student visas.

While the students are blaming their agents in Hyderabad and Punjab for the fake financial documents, the New Zealand government has categorically stated that the students can’t be exonerated.

Students, supported by Migrant Workers Association, staged a protest in Auckland on September 26 demanding justice. They claimed that they had spent around $20,000 to $25,000 dollars for admission, agents’ commission and fees.

One of the students, Hafiz Syed, told the media, “I came for studying Computers. It has been a nightmare for me and I am under terrible pressure. I am the only highly educated one in the family and with great difficulty my family spent the money on my education. I made a mistake trusting the agent blindly. We thought the agent would do things properly. We are victimised by the game played by the agent.”

WHILE THE students are blaming their agents in Hyderabad and Punjab, the New Zealand government has categorically stated that the students can’t be exonerated. STUDENTS CLAIM that they had spent around $20,000 to $25,000 for admission, agents’ commission and fees.

Around 150 students from Hyderabad have been served deportation letters by the New Zealand immigration department for producing fake documents. One of the students Hafiz Syed said he had met a lawyer and had submitted a response to Immigration NZ. However, it was not accepted.

Radio NZ quoted tertiary education minister Steven Joyce: “Ultimately the students are responsible for what is submitted. It’s not just visas. Some of them engaged in crimes in NZ.”

Student Chinta Sunil said, “I arrived in NZ in November to study Business and was unaware that my visa papers were not legal. I paid $17,000 in fees and have spent around $20,000 after arriving here.”