An Auckland Fijian-Indian woman, who is a New Zealand citizen, is appealing for her husband’s return from Fiji as she prepares for surgery at the end of October. Despite her efforts, she says her husband has been unable to come back
Ms A (name withheld) and Mr B (name withheld), who met in New Zealand, have been married for seven years.
Mr B, now a Fiji citizen and formerly an Indian national, had lived in New Zealand since 2011. He now resides in Fiji after voluntarily departing in 2018 following an assault charge and threat of deportation in 2015.
“I’m facing financial hardship due to the cost of visa applications and managing alone,” Ms A told The Indian Weekender.
Ms A married Mr B in 2019 in Fiji, and since then the couple have maintained a long-distance marriage.
“I visit him in Fiji three times a year,” Ms A shared.
With other options exhausted, she says reuniting with her husband in Fiji might be her only hope now.
To prepare for her October surgery and support her husband’s return, Ms A has sought multiple immigration pathways.
“I have applied for two Ministerial Interventions and two Limited Purpose Visas for him to be with me in New Zealand, especially to attend his unresolved case,” she said.
Immigration adviser Alastair McClymont from Mcclymont and Associates, who is handling the case, explained that Mr B has been unable to return to New Zealand to defend charges.
In this case, the police have refused to request a court appearance by video conference for Mr B.
“To defend the charges, he must appear in person,” McClymont said. “But INZ refused to grant him a Limited Purpose Visa to travel here to do so.”
Ms A said both Ministerial Interventions have also been declined.
While reasons for refusal were not given, the applications were based on the couple’s long-standing partnership and later on, the second application was updated to cite humanitarian grounds following Ms A’s health issues.
“I have been diagnosed with severe stage 3 endometriosis and fibroid growth, which affects fertility,” Ms A said. “The request was to support me during surgery and allow him to address his unresolved case.”
McClymont noted that while police can request court appearances by video link, they have refused in this case.
“Thus making it impossible for him to defend himself in court and clear the charges, something which would then pave his way to being able to apply for a visa to rejoin his partner here in New Zealand,” he said.
Ms A stressed that her husband has otherwise led a “stable and law-abiding life,” and that Immigration New Zealand has recognised their relationship as genuine and committed.
“Our partnership has been recognised as genuine and stable, despite the legal and immigration challenges,” she said.
For now, her future feels uncertain. Though she has family in New Zealand, she does not live with them.
“The absence of my husband has placed additional emotional and practical strain on me,” she said.
“Managing finances has been extremely challenging. I have had to cover living costs, medical expenses, and legal and immigration fees alone.”
The separation has also taken an emotional toll, she said.
“Every day apart is a reminder of the limits of the immigration system, even for couples whose love and commitment are genuine. I hope sharing our story highlights the human cost of these policies and the need for compassionate consideration in exceptional cases,” Ms A shared.