Immigration NZ Deportation Figures Highlight New Zealand Visa Compliance

A recent RNZ report has highlighted new Immigration NZ deportation figures and a complex medical repatriation case involving a long-term overstayer. The report said 1400 deportations took place in the year to July, with about one third enforced and paid for by Immigration New Zealand.

The case attracting attention involved a Korean woman who had reportedly overstayed since 2012. She was told to leave New Zealand a year later but did not. According to RNZ, she came to the attention of authorities again in 2024 when police were trying to identify a woman in hospital who had suffered two strokes. Officials said she had undergone two brain operations and required ongoing rehabilitative care.

The RNZ report said the woman required two medical escorts as part of a medical transportation plan for deportation. Immigration Compliance met with the Korean Consulate and Auckland health management to discuss the situation. The Korean Consulate reportedly said the Korean government would not pay her repatriation costs because she was unregistered in Korea due to her long absence, although it agreed to issue an emergency travel document once flights were arranged. A quote for medical repatriation using the accredited New Zealand Air Ambulance Service was estimated at $85,000. The deportation was approved and took place in May last year.

What has changed

This report does not describe a new visa category or a change to New Zealand Visa instructions. Instead, it provides updated public reporting on deportation activity, overstayer numbers and the cost of some enforced removals.

RNZ reported that deportations are increasing, although they remain at less than half the number seen before the pandemic. The same report said 2024 figures showed just over half of deportees were overstayers, 30 percent were deported for other visa breaches, and the remainder, about one in six, had committed crimes.

RNZ also referred to new figures released earlier in the week showing an estimated 19,000 overstayers in New Zealand, including 6559 people who had arrived in the previous three years. These figures are important because they show Immigration NZ continues to monitor unlawful status, visa breaches and deportation liability, even where cases may involve sensitive personal circumstances.

For migrants, visitors, international students, workers and families, the practical message is that visa status and visa conditions matter. A visa expiry date is not a guide only. It is a legal limit on how long a person may remain in New Zealand unless they hold another valid visa or have made an application that gives them lawful status, where applicable.

What this means for migrants

Most migrants will never be involved in a deportation process. However, this report is a reminder that Immigration NZ can take compliance action where a person remains in New Zealand without a valid visa, breaches visa conditions, or becomes liable for deportation for other reasons.

Overstaying can make future immigration options more difficult. It can also create stress for families, employers and communities. In serious or long-running cases, resolving the situation may involve Immigration NZ, consulates, health providers, police, travel documentation and, in some cases, significant cost.

The medical circumstances in the RNZ case were unusual and complex. It would not be appropriate to assume that the same process, cost or result would apply to other people. Each immigration situation depends on the person’s visa history, current status, family circumstances, health, character matters, available evidence and the relevant immigration instructions at the time.

It is also important to distinguish between compassion and compliance. New Zealand’s immigration system can consider personal circumstances in some situations, but being unwell, under pressure or unsure what to do does not automatically resolve unlawful status. If someone has missed a visa deadline or cannot meet their visa conditions, early advice is usually safer than waiting until Immigration NZ or another agency becomes involved.

What to do next

If you are in New Zealand on a temporary visa, check your visa expiry date and conditions carefully. This includes work rights, study rights, location restrictions, employer conditions, partnership requirements, visitor visa limits and any other conditions listed on your eVisa or visa approval letter.

If your circumstances have changed, consider getting advice before making a decision. For example, a job change, relationship change, health issue, study change or travel plan may affect whether your current visa still suits your situation. If you are planning to Move to New Zealand, it is also worth understanding the conditions of your intended visa before you apply, not after you arrive.

If your visa has already expired, do not ignore the issue. The options may be more limited, and timing can be important. A licensed immigration adviser can help you understand the situation, the possible pathways, and the risks of each option. General information is useful, but it is not a substitute for advice based on your own facts.

For tailored support, you can get matched with a licensed immigration adviser who can review your circumstances and explain what steps may be available.

This article is general information only and is based on the RNZ report. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee any immigration outcome.

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