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He came to New Zealand in 1986, dreaming of becoming a Kiwi - but it has taken almost 22 nightmare years and a letter to the Ombudsman to make that dream come true.
Abdul Jalil Patel, 58, originally from India, says he still feels like he is dreaming after his immigration consultant phoned last Thursday with the news that the Associate Immigration Minister had agreed to make an exception to policy to grant him and his wife New Zealand residency.
"I can't believe I will be seeing my wife again," said Mr Patel, of central Auckland.
"When I told her the news, she sent me a text photo of herself to make sure I haven't forgotten how she looks like."
After his first immigration consultant misplaced his passport and failed to submit his residency application before going missing, Mr Patel found himself in a position where he couldn't leave New Zealand - and brought the matter to the attention of the Office of the Ombudsmen.
However, a letter to the minister from his new immigration consultant, Tika Ram, drew this response from the associate minister, Shane Jones:
"Although it is not my normal practice to intervene in the established immigration process, I am prepared to do so in this instance ... I am authorising Immigration New Zealand to grant Mr Patel and his wife residence as an exception to policy."
Mr Patel, who was fasting as part of his Muslim observation of Ramadan, said: "It is truly a miracle. It is like a dream come true, and it must have been done with the help of God."
A string of immigration blunders over the years has kept him here either as an overstayer or on a work permit.
Mr Patel worked - sometimes illegally - in the hospitality industry, sometimes as a bartender and chef.
"I didn't know I was breaking the law, but I had to earn some money to survive. Most of the last 20 years have really been a nightmare, and it has been very painful. I have cried so many times and shed so much tears."
In 2004, he gave up hope of ever seeing his wife and started a new relationship, but his new partner ran away with his savings.
In the months following, his father, grandmother and an aunt who raised him as a child passed away but his immigration status meant he could not return for their funerals.
"One of most painful experiences of life is when you cannot be there when your loved one dies," he said.
Mr Ram says arrangements are being made for Mr Patel to be reunited with his wife, Amina, in New Zealand.
"However, I will be asking the minister to consider granting residency to their three sons as well, so that they can be together as one happy family," said Mr Ram.
With the election less than eight weeks away, getting New Zealand residency also couldn't have come at a better time for Mr Patel. He says he has been an ardent follower of politics here, and cannot wait for his chance to vote.
