Refused Entry to Any Country - Failed to Declare

[Rocki]

Hi all,

So I am worried over a declaration of the refused entry on my previous couple visa.

I have been staying in NZ since 2017 on Work Visa. In 2019, I wanted to transit Australia to come back to NZ and applied for a transit visa. They send me a letter to send biometrics for further processing. I only had couple of days to provide the biometrics but I couldnt get a time slot to provide biometrics hence I cancelled my ticket through Australia and flew directly to NZ. I forgot to cancel the transit visa application and Australian immigration sent me a refused visa letter couple of weeks later. I was initially thinking they have just cancelled my application as I dint provide the biometrics.

Then in 2019 and 2020 I applied for 2 work visas in NZ and forgot to declare in the section 'Have you ever been refused a visa except NZ' & I selected 'NO' both times. Now I am planning to apply for One Off Residency Visa in March. I just realized about this and now I am thinking to declare this in the One Off Resident Application. I know I should have declared earlier but I just thought my application cancelled till now when I reopened the letter and realized they eventually refused due to failure of biometrics

Will this affect my application now with Residency Application ? How can try my best not to affect my application.

I am too stressed over this

[heart_prince34]

You should’ve declared it in your previous visa applications. I’d suggest you to take legal advise on this.

Also, if you declare it now, Include a detailed explanation letter along with your application.

[JandM]

I agree that a detailed explanation, like you have just given, will be needed, and also, copies of the paperwork. You'll be showing that you did not intend to hide anything from INZ, and this was a matter of misreading/misremembering the letter from Australian Immigration. Another important point is that the visa was only refused at the time because of incomplete evidence, not because of any blameworthy action on your part.

[Rocki]

Thanks for your reply JandM.

I will declare it and also write a Cover Letter with a detailed explanation along with the refusal letter regarding failure to provide biometrics. Should I also be preparing a Character Waiver to submit along with the Cover Letter. Also will this issue hamper with my resident application badly as I dint declare initially which they might I provided false or misleading information, or withheld important information ?

I am not sure if I have seen anyone has been in such a scenario on this forum hence asking!

[JandM]

There have been other people before you who have accidentally not declared something. When they provided a full account and a grovelling apology, it ended up being all right, without any further formalities.