Tuesday Jun 09, 2009

Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman has criticised his department's initial decision to decline a heavily pregnant Lithuanian tourist's permit to stay in the country.

Jurga Skiauteris, 29, her husband Robertas, 34, and their six-year-old son, Leonardo, arrived in New Zealand in January on three-month visitor permits.

The family became overstayers when their permits expired on April 2.

Immigration New Zealand rejected two appeals for an extended permit, despite doctors advising that any travel could harm Mrs Skiauteris and her child.

Immigration NZ has since reviewed the decision and the woman has been offered a visitor's permit allowing her to remain in the country beyond the birth of her child.

"I believe that declining the permit was a poor decision by the department," Dr Coleman said.

"I am pleased that common sense has prevailed and that the woman has now been issued a permit allowing her to stay in New Zealand.'

Dr Coleman said a report by the Auditor-General had found an unacceptable variation in the quality of decision making between branches and that "substantial improvements" must be made.

The department had earlier ordered 29-year-old Jurga Skiauteris to leave the country - despite a doctor's warning that she must be near medical help at all times and that travel could harm her and her child.

Immigration NZ's chief executive Andrew Annakin said that Mrs Skiauteris was offered a limited purpose permit yesterday.

The permit would allow her to give birth in New Zealand because of risks to her health, Mr Annakin said.

Mrs Skiauteris' husband had also been offered the permit but numerous attempts to contact the family had not been successful, Mr Annakin said.

As a general rule visitors and overstayers were not allowed to stay in New Zealand to give birth, but it (the Labour Department) accepted in rare circumstances humanitarian interests would necessitate a departure from policy, Mr Annakin said.

This was such a case, he said.

It was expected that the family would depart New Zealand as soon as practicable after the birth, he said.

Supporting Mrs Skiauteris's application to stay, North Shore Hospital antenatal consultant doctor Alex Ivancevic wrote: "Her pregnancy is a high risk ... She is strongly advised bed rest and avoidance of any activity that might potentially provoke pre-term labour."

Mrs Skiauteris was six weeks pregnant when she arrived in January with her husband Robertas, 34, and their 6-year-old son, Leonardo. She has been mostly bed-ridden since complications were found in her pregnancy during a routine check in early March.

"The unexpected change in health conditions means any travel would put my partner and baby in danger," he said in one appeal.

(Source Lincoln Tan and NZPA)