C3.25 Refugee status officer may sign certificate as evidence in proceedings

Immigration Act 1987 s 143(1A) and (5)

1. In any proceedings relating to any matter under Part VIA of the Immigration Act 1987, whether before the RSAA or any court, a refugee status officer may sign a certificate containing any statement in relation to any person to the effect that:
   1. the person has or has not, at any material time, claimed to be a refugee in New Zealand (or elsewhere); or
   2. the person has or has not, at any material time, been recognised as a refugee in New Zealand (or elsewhere); or
   3. the person, while in New Zealand, produced or surrendered to a refugee status officer any passport, certificate of identity, or any other document that was forged or obtained fraudulently; or
   4. the person has, or has not, lodged an appeal to the RSAA, or a matter is or is not before a refugee status officer under section 129L, or before the RSAA under section 129R, of the Immigration Act 1987.
2. A certificate signed by a refugee status officer under section 143(1A) of the Immigration Act 1987 must be treated as proof of the truth of the statement in the absence of proof to the contrary established on the balance of probabilities.
3. Every refugee status officer signing such a certificate is, in the absence of proof to the contrary, presumed to be duly authorised to sign it.

Effective 01/10/1999