Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is warning migrants about a rising trend where some people are being tricked into believing they have the correct documents to travel to New Zealand. This scam is being carried out by third-party agents who use fake information to get electronic travel documents for unsuspecting migrants.

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Since October 2019, it has been required for certain visitors to obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA). This requirement was introduced to strengthen border security and ensure that only those who are legally allowed to enter New Zealand can do so.

Many migrants coming to New Zealand are from South Asia, including countries like India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Officials working in INZ’s risk and verification office in Delhi, India, have noticed a troubling trend. Some dishonest agents are applying for NZeTA on behalf of migrants using fake information, such as phony visa or employment letters. This means the migrants believe they have the right to travel, only to find out later that their documents are not valid.

Michelle Frankham, a team manager at the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi, explained that many migrants are being scammed without even knowing it. “An unscrupulous person would apply on behalf of the applicant using fraudulent information and obtain an NZeTA. The unsuspecting migrant doesn’t know,” she said. These migrants might think they have a valid job offer and visa, but they are actually being misled.

Frankham emphasized that aspiring migrants do not need to rely on agents who charge high fees. She urged people to be aware of scams and understand that they do not have to pay large amounts of money to get a job or travel documents.

South Asia is an important and complex market for New Zealand, providing a large number of visitors and workers. For example, many Indian nurses and IT specialists have migrated to New Zealand. The INZ team in Delhi processes thousands of documents each year to verify the information submitted by migrants. Between February 2023 and April 2024, they completed over 10,000 verification requests.

Despite the increasing migration numbers, with over 45,000 migrants from India arriving in 2024 compared to just over 9,000 in 2019, only a small percentage of visa applications are declined. Recent data shows that only about 8.43% of visa applications from South Asia were rejected.

However, INZ has been criticized for the risks associated with its Accredited Employer Work Visa program, which has led to some cases of visa abuse. Although the system has been tightened, cases of exploitation continue to appear.

Frankham acknowledged that fraud does exist within the immigration system, but it affects only a small percentage of the overall applications. “The vast majority of applicants that we see are genuine,” she said. “It’s just a small percentage that seek to exploit the system.”

INZ urges migrants to be cautious, do their research, and avoid falling victim to scams when applying for travel documents or visas to New Zealand.