Y4.50 People who must be refused entry permission: novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak (30/03/2020)

See also Immigration Act 2009 ss 22 and 107.

These instructions are valid until 11:59pm 31 March 2020.

1. Entry permission must be refused to any person, except a person listed in Y4.50(b), who is not otherwise dealt with under Y4.1 and who is:
   1. the holder of a temporary entry class visa (except as provided for by (c) below)
   2. a person described under Schedule 2 of the Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010 (visa-waiver travellers, including Australians)
   3. the holder of a residence class visa whose visa was granted offshore and who is arriving in New Zealand for the first time.
2. The following persons must be granted entry permission:
   1. Those New Zealand residence class visa holders listed in Y3.10(a)
   2. The partner, legal guardian or any dependent children who are travelling with a New Zealand Citizen or a New Zealand residence class visa holder listed at Y3.10(a)
   3. Australian citizens or a person who holds a current permanent residence visa (including a resident return visa) issued by the Government of Australia, where New Zealand is their primary place of established residence
   4. Diplomats accredited to New Zealand and currently resident in New Zealand.
3. A person may be granted entry permission if they are the holder of a temporary entry visa which either:
   1. was granted under the COVID-19 Support Restricted Temporary Entry Instructions; or
   2. has a condition that the holder carries out a critical purpose while they are in New Zealand.
4. A person subject to (a) above may still be granted entry permission by an immigration officer as an exception to instructions (see Y4.45), for reasons including but not limited to:
   1. Humanitarian reasons
   2. Essential health workers as confirmed by the Ministry of Health
   3. Other essential workers as defined by the New Zealand Government
   4. Citizens of Samoa and Tonga for essential travel to New Zealand
   5. People who hold a visitor, work or student visa and:
      • are ordinarily resident in New Zealand; and
      • are the partner or dependent child of a work or student visa holder who is in New Zealand.

Notes:
- For the avoidance of doubt
- New Zealand citizens are not subject to this instruction
- people subject to regulation 25 of the Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010 are deemed to be granted entry permission.
- ‘Commercial craft’ and ‘craft’ have the same meaning as section 4 of the Immigration Act 2009

Effective 30/03/2020