Brother unable to walk sister down the aisle after visa rejected

Cindy Wang and Ryan Boyd are upset Cindy's brother has been declined a visa and won't be able to walk Cindy down the aisle. Photo / Jason Oxenham

A nurse whose father died last year says she's heartbroken her brother has been denied a visa and won't be able to walk her down the aisle at her wedding this summer.

Cindy Wang and Ryan Boyd of Birkdale on Auckland's North Shore planned to get married on January 16.

Ms Wang, a permanent resident who arrived from China five years ago, said Immigration New Zealand granted a visa to her mother, but her brother, Yang, 28, was told he wouldn't be allowed to come.

Immigration New Zealand said it was not convinced Yang was a "bona fide" applicant.

Cindy, an aged-care nurse, said since her dad died, her brother was the only person she wanted to walk her down the aisle.

She was at a loss about what to do for her wedding.

In a decision written on December 2, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) told Yang it was not satisfied he "genuinely" wanted to visit New Zealand for the wedding.

Mr Wang, a tailor from Wuhan in central China, was told INZ was worried about his income status and the stability of his employment.

Cindy said her brother's income record varied because his profession had seasonal highs and troughs, and he spent some of last year away from work caring for his ailing father.

He'd asked for a 30-day visa, she said.

Ms Wang said she'd promised to cover her brother's expenses throughout his stay in New Zealand.

Cindy said since her dad passed away her brother was the only person she wanted to walk her down the aisle. Photo / Jason Oxenham

"That was not good enough for Immigration. They doubt his true purpose of visiting."

Ms Wang said her brother applied for a visa in August and again in November.

She said an adviser in China was hired to help with the application.

Mr Boyd said he was devastated his future brother-in-law wouldn't be allowed into New Zealand for the wedding.

"Watching Cindy jump through hoop after hoop only to be denied has been heartbreaking," he said.

"I wish there was some way I could make them see how much this means to us. It's such a simple request. Why it's so hard is beyond us."

Licensed immigration adviser Wiebe Herder of Woburn International said immigration authorities typically required details about weddings in advance, including proof a venue had been booked, or a guest list.

"It doesn't have to be too difficult but it does have to make sense."

Mr Herder said authorities commonly asked for proof an applicant was working, or had annual leave available. Letters from employers could suffice.

Mr Herder believed people from all countries outside the 58-nation visa waiver programme were treated consistently.

He said people could also apply for visas of a shorter duration than 30 days.

New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment chairwoman June Ranson said INZ would have checked Mr Wang's background, and not been convinced he had enough incentive to go home.

She said people should not assume approval for one relative's visa would guarantee another's.

However, Ms Ranson said it wasn't unusual for people outside visa-waiver countries to get visas solely for "special occasions".

In its letter to Mr Wang, INZ said it considered imposing a bond but decided this would not mitigate its concerns.

"We have also considered whether there are any special circumstances which would warrant an exception but we can find no reason to grant a visa as an exception."

INZ wasn't convinced Mr Wang had strong enough family ties in China to draw him back.

An INZ spokeswoman confirmed the visa was declined on grounds Mr Wang was not considered a "bona fide" applicant.

"Reasons included the fact that INZ was not satisfied with the evidence submitted of Mr Wang's employment in China, bringing into question a lack of incentive to return to China."

The agency confirmed it had no such concerns with evidence Yang's mother submitted and this was why she was issued a visa.

"It must be stressed that INZ had no concerns with the sponsor of Mr Wang's application."

Ms Wang said she and Mr Boyd started talking to a lawyer about the situation last week, but had stopped, since the family were running out of time and money.