Waiting in Invercargill for husband and father Vernon Walmsley to return from Brazil are Mary Walmsley and children Lucas, 6, and Carol, 4. A man separated from his Invercargill-based family by 12,000km of Pacific Ocean during the Covid-19 pandemic has been granted a visa to return home. His wife, Mary Walmsley, said he was flying to Auckland on May 1. Many other people had been split from their families due to the Covid-19 border restrictions. An Immigration New Zealand spokesperson confirmed last week the New Zealand border was closed to all but New Zealand citizens and residents, but with limited exceptions.

Source: Stuff April 27, 2020 00:33 UTC