The change was announced in October, six months after Visagie bought the $5000 return tickets for her parents to arrive on December 16.
Visagie, an administration manager in Cambridge, said the family applied for grandparent visas on October 26, as soon as they acquired the necessary documentation. It included medical certificates, chest X-rays, national identity documents, financial documents, evidence of family relationship, declaration forms, temporary entry sponsorship, and proof of travel.
Her parents sent their passports via a visa application processing service called VFS Global, to the United Kingdom for processing. What they didn't know was soon after an email requesting an additional medical check was sent to Visagie's parents, but it never got through.
Visagie claims she was told by Immigration New Zealand customer representatives the email was sent to an incorrect address, but she has discovered it was also sent to the medical practice where her father's original check was carried out.
Short-stay visitors to NZ who require visas to enter the country don't usually need medical checks however under the grandparent visa it is required because the visa allows holders to stay for up to 18 months over a three year period.
When the passports did not arrive back in South Africa with the visas on the expected date last week, Visagie rang Immigration New Zealand on Friday to check on the progress.
She says she was told the email had been sent to an incorrect address so she supplied the correct address.
When the new email still failed to arrive she rang again on Saturday and claims she was told this time it had been sent to another incorrect address.
But by then, she claims the Immigration New Zealand consultant told her, it was now too late to progress the visas and return the passports to her parents before their travel date.
Visagie said she was told even if the applications were expedited the passports wouldn't get back to South Africa in time.
"I miss my parents and they tell me all they want is to see that little boy again," Visagie said.
"It is another lonely Christmas that gets me. Me having to tell my son today, sorry, another Christmas just with us, no family around."
Visagie said her parents, aged in their early 60s, had work commitments and could not travel later.
She said the money could be replaced, but the "pure love and so much joy" they would have had from the visit could not.
It was not yet clear if the international agent VFS Global had received the email requesting the additional check but Visagie said it was disappointing the medical practice had not passed on the information.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) area manager Darren Calder said it was up to individuals to meet the appropriate immigration instructions.
"But INZ is able to expedite applications if we have made an error, and we can work with the individuals concerned. We urge them to contact INZ on Monday."
The Herald requested a privacy waiver from Visagie's parents so INZ could discuss their specific case.
Immigration New Zealand general manager Peter Elms said when the visa waiver for South Africa was revoked on October 4 it was the result of an increase in the number of South African nationals who had been refused entry at the New Zealand border in comparison to other visa waiver countries.
He recommended applications for visitor visas be made six weeks in advance of intended travel dates.
