Bid for solution regarding Indian partnership visas

WELLINGTON: Immigration Minister Iain LeesGalloway has directed his officials to come up with a solution so Indians are not unfairly excluded from receiving partnership visas.

In recent months, Immigration NZ has adopted a tougher stance on the partnership visa category, insisting couples spend time living together in order to be eligible.

That makes it much more difficult for those in culturally arranged marriages to bring their spouses to New Zealand.

Mr LeesGalloway said the department had been ‘‘lawfully correct’’ to shift its approach to more strictly align with Government policy.

But he said the change had clearly left many people, particularly KiwiIndians, worse off and prompted concern from community leaders and MPs.

Mr LeesGalloway said he had contacted Immigration New Zealand and asked it to consider other options ‘‘as soon as possible’’.

‘‘I’ve asked them to look at what is possible and to come back with options on how we can ensure that people who are in genuine, culturally arranged marriages have the opportunity to bring their partner to New Zealand.

‘‘We value the KiwiIndian community. They make an enormous contribution to our society, to our communities and to our economy. And I am hopeful that Immigration New Zealand will be able to find a solution.’’

Before its shift in approach, Immigration NZ granted general visitor visas to couples in arranged marriages to allow them to live together in New Zealand before applying under the partnership category.

But Mr LeesGalloway said he doubted officials would simply revert to that position as they felt that would contravene Government policy.

Asked whether the Government could just change its policy, Mr LeesGalloway said that would take ‘‘quite some time’’. — RNZ