C3.20 Claims for refugee or protection status on arrival in New Zealand

1. New Zealand has a general obligation to admit people who make a claim for refugee or protection status on arrival in New Zealand.
2. Officers should give due consideration to such people because they may be tired, disoriented, distressed, and incapable of communicating in English, either orally or in writing.
3. Immigration officers must not take any action to deport the claimant.
4. Immigration officers should determine the immigration status of persons claiming refugee or protection status at the border in accordance with the Operational Instruction at A16.2.
5. If a visa is not granted, or entry permission is denied, the claimant must be treated as a person to whom section 115 of the Immigration Act 2009 applies, except that they may not be deported from New Zealand until their refugee or protection status has been finally determined.

Effective 29/11/2010