E2.26 Sporting contacts with Fiji

1. Visa or immigration officers must not issue or grant temporary visas, including transit visas, or grant temporary permits to sportspeople representing Fiji or Fijian national and/or Fijian club teams at all levels who are applying to enter New Zealand temporarily for the purpose of such representation, or to transit New Zealand on their way to or from a third country where they are travelling for the purpose of sporting contacts.
2. Notwithstanding (a) above, Fiji sportspeople representing Fiji or Fijian national and/or Fijian club teams participating in regional or international sporting tournaments hosted by New Zealand may be issued temporary visas and granted temporary permits if:
   1. participation in the international sporting tournament requires travel to New Zealand, and
   2. the New Zealand host sporting body does not have control over the selection of participants.
3. Notwithstanding (a) above, Fijian sportspeople who are coming to New Zealand as individuals and do not represent Fiji or a Fijian national or club team, may be issued a visa and granted a permit if that person is a professional sportsperson working as an individual.
4. For the purpose of this policy sportspeople includes players (either competing or training), sports administrators, coaches and other personnel associated with nationally representative and non-representative sports teams.

Effective 14/12/2006