In New Zealand, Jaishankar raises visa delay issue: ‘I urge a fairer treatment’
New Zealand Visa Delay: S Jaishankar also urged New Zealand to be “fairer” and adopt a "more sympathetic treatment" towards those who visa has been impacted by the pandemic.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised concerns over visa delays with his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta amid hold-ups that have hampered study plans of several Indian students who are struggling to reach New Zealand.
S Jaishankar also urged New Zealand to be “fairer” and adopt a "more sympathetic treatment" towards those who visa has been impacted by the pandemic, during his visit to New Zealand.
"I also raised with the minister the concerns that some of our students have faced, students who had to leave New Zealand during the Covid period and who didn't have the opportunity to get their visas renewed," S Jaishankar said.
"I urged a fairer and more sympathetic treatment for them, also students who are waiting to come to New Zealand to pursue their studies and whether the visa process for them could be hastened," he further said during a joint press interaction with his New Zealand counterpart.
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As India is the second largest source of international students in New Zealand pursuing higher education in various disciplines, S Jaishankar said, “There are perhaps demands in New Zealand which could be met out of India, and we have a mobility understanding with many countries, so the possibility of those could serve as guidance for progress between us.”
In New Zealand, S Jaishankar will felicitate members of the Indian community for their contribution along with the country's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
