The Block builder Martin Laidlaw to stay in NZ

The Block's popular builder Martin Laidlaw has been granted a new visa and will no longer have to leave the country.

The Block's star builder Martin Laidlaw is set to stay in the country after Immigration New Zealand accepted his visa request today.

It was confirmed this afternoon that the Scottish-born handyman and his partner have had their visas extended for 12 months, and plan to apply for New Zealand residency as soon as possible.

As The Herald reported on Tuesday, Laidlaw had been barred from the show's Sandringham building site for the final week of filming after getting word his application for a visa had been denied.

Immigration NZ said their decision followed a request by Laidlaw for a second chance, under the Immigration Act.

"Section 61 provides senior immigration officers with the power to grant a visa of any type to a person unlawfully in New Zealand and otherwise liable for deportation," a spokesman said.

"INZ has now been provided with extra information which was not submitted at the time of the original application, which shows the employer has now made efforts to advertise for New Zealanders for the role and that there are none available."

The handsome builder became a popular face on the show last year after contestants Maree and James hired him to work on their renovation.

This year, he returned, working alongside Auckland couple Jamie and Hayden.

It was a huge shock hearing they may have to lose the builder who had become "like family" to the pair throughout a new Villa Wars series.

"Having Marty back makes the impossible seem plausible, Marty is as much a part of team orange as Jamie or I, and to end the block without him would be like playing the the world cup final without Richie McCaw," Hayden said.

"Jamie and I are relieved that both Marty and his partner are able to move forward with their plans."

Qualified Building Solutions (QBS), who have employed Laidlaw for two years, launched a petition on Facebook to stop him from being deported.

Fans rallied around him with a petition to keep him in the country gathering 4,321 signatures.

- nzherald.co.nz