Julien Debord says cafe customers and people from around the region are showing their support for him and his family, to help them urge the Government to let them stay in NZ. Photo / Warren Buckland
Julien Debord says cafe customers and people from around the region are showing their support for him and his family, to help them urge the Government to let them stay in NZ. Photo / Warren Buckland
A Napier-based French couple has received the support of nearly 4000 people urging Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi to let them stay in New Zealand.
The Debords own Cafe Tennyson and Bistro, in Napier but face leaving Hawke's Bay because in late-2020 he applied for entrepreneur resident visas for his family,but in early March they received a pre-decision from INZ saying they hadn't met the requirements.
Julien was "overwhelmed" with the support he received and said his cafe had been "very, very busy" since his plea to the Government was publicised.
"We have received lots of support and I am very happy."
The supporters signed a petition started by cafe customer Kathryn McGarvey, and as of Monday noon the petition had received 3895 signatures in one day.
"Many of us are baffled by the Immigration Ministry's decision not to grant a visa, it seems to make no sense at all," she said.
"Julien and Sophie are kind, friendly and hard-working people and we only ask that they are given a fair go.
"Despite what their visas might say, they are great New Zealanders, and we want them to stay."
Monday was day dot for Debords to respond to concerns raised by Immigration NZ, and their intention was to send the petition to the Government, along with any supporting letters in the hope they change their minds.
Last week INZ general manager border and visa operations Nicola Hogg said if Debord was unable to meet the requirements for residence under the entrepreneur category he may want to consider submitting an application for a temporary work visa and test his eligibility for residence at a later date.
Cafe Tennyson and Bistro owners are hoping they would be allowed to stay in NZ. Photo / Warren Buckland
Julien and his family came to Hawke's Bay on an entrepreneur work visa, valid for three years, in August 2018.
The visa is for people who want to work in their own business in New Zealand.
As part of the visa conditions they bought a Napier business for $560,000 and put another $100,000 into it to refurbish it in 2019.
"I have the visa until July 2022, while I wait for residency," Julien told Hawke's Bay Today previously.
A detailed business plan was also provided by them to Immigration NZ which included visa criteria of an increase in sales by 20 per cent, and the hiring of three more permanent residents.
"But we could simply not operate as planned because of Covid. Immigration NZ was asking me to operate within the criteria, but I could not."
In late-2020 he applied for entrepreneur resident visas for his family. But in early March received a pre-decision from INZ saying they hadn't met the requirements.
"My employees have gotten residency before I have, I am very disappointed by the pre-decision.
He said he had two choices - either apply again for an entrepreneur work visa and start from scratch which meant he would have to come up with a new business plan, increase sales by 20 per cent and hire three people.
And the Government would then consider his application and then decide whether they have met the requirements.
Or he doesn't apply, sells up and goes back home to Lyon, France.
"I deserve to stay, we had plans to stay here and stay here for long. We have done everything we could."
His customers as well as cafe regular MP Stuart Nash read about his plight and stepped in to show their support.
In the petition McGarvey said the couple had not only contributed to the local economy by creating jobs and paying taxes, they also contributed to the vibrancy of the CBD and "developed Cafe Tennyson into one of the leading cafes in Napier".
"We are asking the Immigration Minister, Kris Faafoi, to use any tools at his disposal to allow for the Debord family's visa to be extended, and to update the criteria for the granting of the entrepreneur resident visa to take into account the unprecedented difficulties of operating a business under Covid conditions."
To sign the petition go to - https://www.change.org/p/let-commonsense-prevail-allow-french-cafe-owners-to-stay-in-nz.
