Colombo, Oct. 22 (Daily Mirror) - A Sri Lankan woman who has been stranded in the Cook Islands since 2023 after being unable to secure transit visas through Australia and New Zealand has said she is even willing to be detained if it helps convince authorities that she only wants to return home, Cook Islands News agency revealed.
The 49-year-old woman has been living in Rarotonga, the Cook Islands’ most populous island, and is now considered an overstayer under local immigration rules. However, Cook Islands Immigration cannot facilitate her departure unless Australia or New Zealand grants her permission to transit through their territory.
According to Cook Islands News, Immigration New Zealand has stated that it does not believe the woman intends to transit through New Zealand, while Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has declined to comment on her individual case.
The Australian department said all non-citizens seeking to enter or remain in Australia must meet the requirements of the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, including applicable identity, health, character and security checks.
The woman reportedly left Sri Lanka following the killing of her husband and subsequently worked in Hong Kong for almost a year. She was granted a New Zealand work visa in March 2023 and later applied for asylum while working there.
She claimed that, while her asylum application was being processed, a lawyer assisting her advised her to leave New Zealand and return later.
Email correspondence reviewed by Cook Islands News indicated that she had used Immigration and Secretarial Services to obtain a New Zealand work permit and subsequently apply for asylum. She claimed to have paid nearly US$20,000 for the company’s services.
The company’s director, Sylviane Gallant, reportedly told the woman in February 2024 that her case was in the hands of Immigration New Zealand and advised her to seek legal assistance. Gallant also indicated that a request for ministerial intervention was being prepared for consideration.
The correspondence further showed that the woman had sought assistance from former New Zealand Associate Minister of Immigration Chris Penk. His office referred the matter to the current Associate Minister, Cameron Brewer, as Penk no longer held ministerial portfolios.
Brewer’s office declined to comment on the specifics of the case, citing privacy and legal considerations.
The woman remains in the Cook Islands and depends on family support. Although she has no valid visa to remain there, her inability to secure transit permission has left her unable to depart.
She has also explored travelling through Tahiti, but said that option was denied. She has indicated that she would be willing to leave by ship, provided the necessary procedures are followed.
The woman’s case highlights the difficulties faced by a person caught between immigration requirements in multiple jurisdictions, with her return home dependent on securing a viable transit route.