Navigate Noonsite

  • Home
  • Member Benefits
    • Discounts
    • Login
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • About Noonsite
    • About Us
    • Contacts
    • Newsletter
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Newsletter
  • Latest News and Reports
    • Latest News
    • Latest Reports
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Cruising Resources
    • Books
    • Charts
    • Circumnavigation
    • Courtesy Flags
    • Communications
    • Covid 19
    • Cruising Information
    • Cruising with Children
    • Cruising with Pets
    • Cruisers Websites
    • Documents Required
    • Equipment
    • Environment
    • European Union
    • Global Yachting Services
    • Insights
    • Insurance
    • Off the Beaten Path
    • Piracy and Security
    • Portrait of a Cruiser
    • Rallies
    • Routing
    • Safety and Medical
    • Weather
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Countries by Region
  • Countries and Ports
  • Find a Business
  • Find News
  • Find a Report
  • Find a Comment
Loginor Register

The Ultimate Cruisers Planning Tool

Register for free Login 27113 Members
How to add an anchorage?
NEW Premium Features: Find out more COVID-19: Open/Closed Countries

NZ: Whangārei-based yachties facing cyclones make plea to Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi

Previous Page

News Intro

Yachties stranded in NZ with visas expiring in April 2021 are pleading with NZ Immigration to have their visas extended. This report from NZ Herald Northern Advocate Newspaper.

Last Update - February 17, 2021

News Item Content



Official New Zealand Immigration Logo
Official Logo © Immigration NZ

The NZ Herald reports that cruisers based in Whangārei are pleading with the Government to let them stay in New Zealand until 2022, despite their visas expiring in April this year.

Although the South Pacific cyclone season officially ends at the end of April, there is no guarantee of safe conditions until June. Many foreign cruising boats that sailed to New Zealand in late 2019 ended up getting stuck in the country when borders started closing at the start of 2020. Even if it were safe to leave NZ in April, the only country in the Pacific accepting international yachts is Fiji.

No onward cruising from Fiji is currently possible, so rather than being stuck there for the next cyclone season cruisers currently in NZ believe the safest option is to stay in New Zealand until June 2022, after the next cyclone season, when other Pacific countries may have their borders open.

The uncertainty is causing significant anxiety among the international yachting community in Whangārei.

Some have even received letters from New Zealand Visa Application Centre in Beijing, telling them they must leave the country by February 25. Many cruisers are waiting for an answer from Immigration in Beijing, but these are slow to come due to the Chinese New Year public holidays. Those that have an application in the system and don’t hear anything by 25 February should automatically be issued with an interim visa to maintain lawful status. It is however a worrying time for many.

The NZ Government have made multiple visa extensions and introduced a two-month Covid-related visa, allowing yachties to stay in a relatively Covid-safe country. Using their time in NZ to benefit their host country many cruisers have become involved in local volunteering groups, such as Red Cross, SPCA, and Whangārei Native Bird Recovery Centre. A group of cruisers banded together to raise more than $4000 through events and a cookbook to provide marine apprenticeships to local high school students.

A Facebook page has been set up for sailors with COVID Immigation issues in NZ. https://www.facebook.com/groups/412018810007402

New Zealand Biosecurity on Noonsite

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Noonsite has not independently verified this information.

Places

New Zealand, North Island (New Zealand), Whangarei,

Update History

Date Last Edited

Last Edited By

Sue Richards

User Comments

You must register first or be logged-in to leave a comment.
  • Sue Richards
    February 19, 2021 at 3:28 PM

    18 February, 2021 - Press Release by NZ Government
    Government eases visa restrictions for visitors in New Zealand

    •Two month automatic visitor visa extension for most visitor visa holders
    •Temporary waiver of time spent in New Zealand rule for visitor stays

    Visitor visa holders will be able to stay in New Zealand a little longer as the Government eases restrictions for those still here, the Minister of Immigration has announced.

    “The Government recognises that some visitor visa holders are keen to stay in New Zealand longer while the COVID-19 pandemic is still attacking communities in their home countries,” Kris Faafoi said.

    “We have also listened to New Zealand’s business sector, including tourism ventures, which say foreign visitors who are still here can help our local economies.

    “So, where people are here on visitor visas which expire on or before 31 March 2021, the Government will allow their visitor visas to be automatically extend by two months. During that two month extension, which will be applied from the date of expiry on their current visa, they will need to apply for a new visa to stay longer,” Kris Faafoi said.

    More details at https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/covid-19/in-new-zealand/visa-information/visa-extensions-and-visa-conditions

    Login first to comment

How to use:

To add an anchorage click on the map to place the red marker. Then, click on the red marker to open the add anchorage window.

Terms of Use

Cookie Policy

Privacy Policy

Countries

Subprocessors

© Copyright World Cruising Club

Click to access the login or register cheese
Supports:
  • For billing support please email [email protected]
  • For technical support please email [email protected]
  • For support using your membership please email [email protected]
  • For advertising inquiries please email [email protected]
  • For all other inquiries or to contact the editor please email [email protected]

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.