#Human Rights
Target:
Local Minister of Parliament
Region:
New Zealand

New Zealand and South Africa agreed to a visa waiver in 1996. In 2016 New Zealand removed the Visa waiver based on the fact that too many South Africans were denied entry into New Zealand. South Africa retaliated and did the same.
In 2016, 48 South Africans were denied entry. Malaysia had the 138 of their citizens denied entry yet still enjoy a visa waiver. In 2016, 237 visitors with visas were denied entry into New Zealand. This proves that a Visa does not stop travelers from being denied entry into a country.
There are many South Africans who live and work in New Zealand. It is important for our well-being that we are able to travel freely between our two countries without the hindrance of a Visa application to share both happy and sad moments. Many of us including me have missed our parents funeral in South Africa for no other reason other than not being able to get an emergency Visa as this does not exist for us. South Africans experience a similar fate where they are unable to visit sick parents or attend funerals of their loved ones in New Zealand. A son could not enter New Zealand to perform his mum's last rites because he had an expired Visa. This is most inhumane and I believe needs to be fixed.

We the undersigned, call on the New Zealand Government to re-instate the visa waiver to South Africans.

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The Re-instate Visa Waiver for SA petition to Local Minister of Parliament was written by Valay Raman and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.

Petition Tags

travel south africa waiver visa