Changes To Thai And Czech Visa Requirements
Thai and Czech Republic visitors to New Zealand will require visitor visas from 1 January 2001, Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel announced today.
Lianne Dalziel said the Government is suspending its visa waiver agreements with the Czech Republic and Thailand as a result of the number of visitors claiming refugee status when in New Zealand, being refused entry at the border, or working illegally in New Zealand.
Currently, people from Thailand and the Czech Republic can travel to New Zealand visa-free, and genuine visitors are granted three-month visitor permits on arrival at the border.
"The changes will mean that Thai and Czech Republic nationals will need to obtain Visitor Visas before they depart their countries for New Zealand.
"New Zealand and the Czech Republic have had a reciprocal visa waiver arrangement since October 1996 to facilitate travel, trade, tourism and education links. The same visa waiver status with Thailand was introduced in November 1987.
"The visa waiver programme was designed to facilitate travel for genuine visitors to New Zealand, but the scheme is being abused by some Thai and Czech nationals seeking to either work illegally in New Zealand or to lodge unfounded refugee claims.
"Our immigration policy encourages migrants with skills to be part of New Zealand life, and also protects refugees who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country. But we must move to put a stop to people seeking to prop up illegal work practices and those who are diverting valuable time and resource from genuine refugee claims.
"The recent rise in the number of refugee claims by Thai and Czech nationals is perhaps explained by the ability of refugee claimants to obtain work permits and access to the benefit system.
"At the same time we want to assure bona fide visitors that they are welcome and still encouraged to visit New Zealand.
"We have opened a NZ Immigration Service office in Bangkok to facilitate Visitor Visa applications. Czech visa applications will initially be processed by the NZIS in London while options for an office closer to the Czech Republic are urgently considered," Lianne Dalziel said.
The Thai and Czech Republic Governments have been consulted about the suspension of the visa waivers. Thai and Central European travel agencies and airlines have been advised of the changes and they have been asked to advise intending travellers of New Zealand's visa requirements.
People who have already purchased tickets for travel to New Zealand prior to today's announcement should immediately contact their nearest NZIS office, NZ High Commission, Embassy or Consulate.
(Note: Fact sheet attached.)
8 December 2000
Changes to Thai and Czech Republic visa requirements
Immigration Facts:
Thailand
In
1999/2000 there were 22,771 Thai visitors to New Zealand
(1.6 percent of visitors to New Zealand)
In
1999/2000, Thai nationals represented 73 percent (905) of
the 1239 people refused entry into New Zealand
On average, 30 Thai nationals a month, make refugee
claims
Current trends forecast about 500 refugee
claims by Thai nationals in 2000/2001.
There
were only 24 claims for refugee status from Thai nationals
in 1997/1998
Of the 188 decisions on Thai
refugee claims made in the year to date, only one was
approved.
Czech Republic
In 1999/2000 there
were 1630 Czech visitors to New Zealand (0.1 percent of
visitors to New Zealand)
In 1999/2000, a total
129 (7.9 percent) of these visitors claimed refugee
status
In 1999/2000 Czech nationals comprised
9.3 percent of refugee status claims and were the third
largest group of nationalities claiming refugee
status
Of the 34 Czech refugee claims finalised
between 1 July 1998 and 20 November 2000, none were
approved
Between 1 July 2000 and 10 November
2000, there were 509 Czech visitors
In that
period 67 (13.2 percent) claimed refugee status
Czech nationals are the second largest group of refugee
status claimants in 2000/2001
Current trends
predict at least 195 claims will be made in
2000/2001
No refugee status claims were lodged
by Czech nationals between 1991/1992 and
1996/1997
Two refugee status claims were made in
1997/1998