Runaway pilgrims believed lying low and 'well settled'

A third of a group of Indian pilgrims who vanished in New Zealand on their way to see the Pope in Sydney last year are still at large, and believed to have become "well-settled overstayers".

New Zealand Sikh Society spokesman Daljit Singh, who was in contact with some of the missing men last year, says they have gone to ground in the Nelson and Bay of Plenty areas, have probably found work and have no intention of coming out from hiding.

"When they came here it was with the intention to stay in New Zealand forever, and that is what they will try to do," said Mr Singh.

The men were with a group of 40 pilgrims who said they had paid up to $17,000 each for visas that would allow them to stay in New Zealand forever.

They were issued one-month visitor visas. When these expired in August, some tried to apply for students' permits but were rejected by Immigration New Zealand.

"At the start, we worked closely with the immigration department to help track the men down, but we are volunteers and there is only so much we can do," Mr Singh said.

The Labour Department, which oversees Immigration NZ, says it does not know the whereabouts of 14 of the 33 Indians. A spokeswoman said it was working with the Indian High Commission to find them.

The other 19 have been expelled.

She said about two people a month travelled to New Zealand by air and arrived without travel documents.

"These people will have checked in for the flight using a passport which allows visa-free travel for New Zealand, but they do not have the passport when they arrive."