Indian deportation family get reprieve

The Chumber family are due to find out soon whether they'll be deported to India. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The Hastings family facing deportation to an Indian slum has been granted an 11th-hour reprieve by the Government.

Indian-born parents Balvir Kumar and Meena Kumari are illegal overstayers with two New Zealand-born children _ Kameni, 7, and Keshav, 6.

Their third child, Navisha Chumber, 3, is stateless.

The parents were facing deportation to a Punjab slum or leaving their children in New Zealand as orphans, but on Friday received a letter from the Associate Minister for Immigration, Kate Wilkinson, granting them a one-day visitor's visa.

"I am very disappointed at Mr and Mrs Kumar's apparent disregard for New Zealand's immigration law,'' Mrs Wilkinson said.

"Nevertheless, I am willing to grant the family one final reprieve.

"I am instructing Immigration New Zealand to cancel the deportation orders of Mr Kumar, Mrs Kumari and their daughter, Navisha.''

The letter was in response to a plea from Tukituki MP Craig Foss, who contacted Ms Wilkinson recently asking her to intervene and make a quick decision on the family's situation.

The family's immigration adviser and former Immigration Minister, Tuariki Delamere, said although the one-day visa meant the parents returned to overstayer status during the weekend, they now have 42-days to lodge an appeal with the Immigration and Protection Tribunal.

"I think it was a good decision by the minister and it is the proper decision that allows the circumstances of the family to be considered by the correct, independent body,'' he said.

"For Balvir and Meena, it is a good decision and a good outcome.''

Family spokesman Kamal Sunter said the family appreciated the minister's reprieve, but their fight was far from over.

"We are really grateful for the decision the minister made,'' he said. "The children are happy and the parents are feeling a bit more comfortable but now we have to act quickly on the appeal.''

Mr Kumar said it would be a long 42 days as the family worked with Mr Delamere on their appeal.

"We are feeling a bit better at the moment but we still have to wait it out,'' he said.

Mr Delamere said the appeal would be based on humanitarian grounds and lodged next week.