New Zealand bars islanders from working visa scheme
ISLANDERS planning a backpacking trip of a lifetime to New Zealand may have to reconsider after it emerged that the country no longer accepts people from Guernsey on certain visa schemes.
Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man residents are no longer accepted onto the country's UK Working Holiday Visa Scheme, which allows travellers to work while they are away for up to 23 months to fund their trip.
New Zealand immigration authorities say they 'have recently changed the interpretation of our instructions' and consider that the islands are not part of the UK.
People have already been stung by the change – having paid £120 for visas only to be rejected due to the change in policy.
The money is not refundable unless in exceptional circumstances.
Dave Nurse, head of the Jersey's Customs and Immigration Service, said his team had contacted agents in the UK for clarification on the matter.
'We have received a small number of enquiries from Jersey residents on this matter and have contacted the New Zealand immigration authorities,' he said.
'They have advised us that the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa Scheme is only available to British citizens who are ordinarily resident in the UK and is therefore not available to British citizens who are resident in the Crown Dependencies or British Overseas Territories.
