2014-Jan 10: Saudi Chaperones

Visa Pak 143: Information for Immigration Officers on how to deal with applications for Saudi Chaperones accompanying Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) female students.

Visa Paks

10 January 2014

Saudi Chaperones

The purpose of this item is to establish consistent processing standards for visa applications from accompanying chaperones for the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) female students.

The accompanying family members system within the SACM scholarship programme is important from the social perspectives of Saudi society, which is keen to keep the Saudi family together during the scholarship period and provide an opportunity for the student’s family to benefit from the experience of studying abroad.

The accompanying family members, who are registered with SACM, will be fully sponsored with regards to medical insurance, study and all other necessary expenditure. In such cases of a chaperone for a female student, this is a culturally sensitive matter which INZ should show discretion towards.

To assist INZ processing staff and maintain consistency across visa applications submitted for Saudi chaperones, PNAO’s current practice is to issue an exception to instructions to those applying for a visitor visa to accompany a female Saudi Scholarship student as her chaperone to New Zealand.

The exception refers to immigration instructions V2.5.1 for length of permitted stay, allowing the chaperone to remain in New Zealand on a visitor visa for as long as the chaperoned student visa holder is permitted. PNAO may also issue an exception to instructions around V2.1.1 definition of ‘lawful purpose’ for visitors.

As the chaperones’ funds will also be covered by the financial guarantee issued to the student by the SACM, INZ could accept this as evidence of funds. Saudi Arabian students will usually receive a financial guarantee from the SACM for an average of $3500-$5000 per month of stay, which is considered sufficient to cover both the student and the chaperone. This would not be an exception to instructions as V2.20 leaves the decision of acceptable funds at the discretion of the immigration officer.

Please ensure all staff processing this type of temporary entry visa application considers implementing similar practices.