A Kiwi is "devastated" her husband, who is from Australia but can reside in New Zealand under the trans-Tasman travel arrangement, has been denied re-entry to Aotearoa just months before she's due to have their baby.
Amy Burrows and her husband Juan moved back to New Zealand permanently in February so he could join the NZ Police force. But due to COVID-19, his training was pushed back and the pair "struggled" since they were both out of work.
After they found out Amy was pregnant with their first child, Juan took a job offer overseas to help them financially.
As advised by Immigration NZ, Juan applied for a 'Request for Travel to New Zealand' but was denied only hours later on Monday without an explanation, Amy says.
"Devastated tonight to find out that Juan has been denied access to re-enter New Zealand," she wrote in a Facebook post.
Their baby is due on January 6 but could arrive any time from mid-December, which is the next time Juan is due back in New Zealand.
"We had booked in our pregnancy/parenting classes, our first ultrasound and a mini trip away before bubs arrives. Now he'll miss out on all of that due to Australians falling through a loophole in the system."
Amy says his application to return to New Zealand has been declined four times.
"The generic emails from Immigration advising Juan's unsuccessful application leave us feeling upset and helpless and wondering when he will be home and if he will be able to attend the birth of our first born," she told Newshub.
"We understand the protocols set in place to protect all New Zealanders and appreciate our Government’s leadership through these tough times. However after seeing multiple people exempt from the USA for filming purposes and the America's Cup and still declining Australian spouses from coming home to New Zealand, [it] breaches humanitarian consideration."
Amy discovered she wasn't the only person going through a similar thing; another woman, Lauren Bell, has started a petition to grant Australian partners of New Zealand citizens a border exemption.
Bell says if people can verify their relationship with a marriage certificate or they have proof of a long-term relationship, they should be granted an exemption to the COVID-19 border restrictions.
"I believe New Zealanders with Australian partners are unfairly affected by the COVID-19 immigration laws as [Immigration New Zealand] will grant a travel exception to partners that currently hold a partnership visa," she says on Parliament's petitions website.
"Australian partners fall outside this category because pre-COVID-19 they could enter New Zealand and live with their partners without a partnership visa and have never needed a partnership visa before now."
Immigration New Zealand has been contacted for comment.
