Photo / Supplied RNZBy Gill Bonnett of RNZA Syrian-born family is considering leaving New Zealand as none of their relatives are allowed to visit them here. And a 7-year-old Auckland girl has written to immigration officials begging them to let her grandfather visit from Syria. About one in every 10 visitor visas and multiple entry visas for parents and grandparents are rejected, but some nationalities face a harder battle to see family than others. Figures show 85 per cent of Russian applicants will get a visitor visa - for Syrians, that falls to 35 per cent. It converted thousands of applications to general visitor visas, which have different criteria.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 10, 2023 21:15 UTC