No warm welcome for some travellers

More than 1000 travellers have been refused visitor visas at the border in the past year.

Topping the list were Malaysians, refused more often than citizens of the 50-country visa waiver programme, largely because they weren’t considered genuine visitors.

Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) figures show refusal numbers have almost doubled from 646 in 2012/2013 to 1049 in 2016/2017.

Of the 4877 foreign nationals unable to enter New Zealand under the visa waiver programme since 2011, 517 were Malaysian passport holders.

Malaysians were refused over 100 times more than any other nationality. Hong Kong was the second-highest with 412 refusals, followed by Australia with 336, Great Britain with 334 and Taiwan with 333.

Immigration NZ’sYear at the Border report shows one Malaysian national was refused entry because he did not meet New Zealand’s health requirements.

The passenger had previously been declined a work visa as the partner of a student because he suffered from communicable diseases and had failed to declare these matters on previous visa applications.

Wellington immigration lawyer, John Petris, said he suspected some may have been turned away because they didn’t educate themselves about the rules.

‘‘There will also be genuine people who get caught up in this,’’ Petris said.

However, he authorities were on visitors.

‘‘I think that, if you did some research into Australia and America, you’d find a similar pattern. I don’t think New Zealand is tougher or easier.

Most citizens of visa waiver countries don’t have to apply for a visa before visiting here for three months or less.

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