Kiwi's immigration fight to get son and partner to NZ

Stephen Razos and Krystel Galos with their son, Johnny Kieren Galos. Photo / Supplied

With Father's Day looming, one Kiwi dad is appealing for Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to have a heart.

For two years, Stephen Razos, 45, a business owner from Hastings, has been fighting to get a visa for his Filipina partner and son to visit.

Even though the couple have been together on and off for four years, the agency does not believe his relationship with 26-year-old Krystel Galos is genuine.

The couple met four years ago when Razos was on holiday in the Philippines, and have a son, Johnny Kieren, who is turning 2 in December.

"It is absurd for Immigration to say our relationship isn't real, the only reason we're apart is because of them," Razos said.

"All we want is to be reunited as a family and I really don't know what else I can do to convince them that we are the real deal."

Associate Minister of Immigration Scott Simpson said earlier this week that he was not prepared to intervene in this case.

Razos had previously managed to sponsor Galos, who was in New Zealand for about 16 months from May 2014, first on a visitor visa and then a work visa.

But when the couple broke up, Galos returned to the Philippines. However the pair resumed their relationship long-distance when Galos realised she was pregnant with Razos' child.

Galos had intended to come back to New Zealand to give birth, but was told before boarding her return flight that her work visa had been cancelled.

"This came as a great shock for the both of us and caused an enormous amount of stress," Razos said.

Razos admitted they did have a brief breakdown in their relationship, but said they had gotten back together at the time.

Steve Razos with his partner Krystel Galos and their baby son Johnny Kieran Galos, born in the Philippines. Photo / Supplied

After the baby was born in the Philippines, a DNA test was done and the results submitted to INZ as evidence to support their application.

"We had a comprehensive application, including character references, affidavits and most importantly DNA evidence providing I am Johnny's father," Razos said.

When it was again declined, Razos wrote to the Immigration Minister and lodged a complaint against INZ.

Since then, they had engaged a lawyer and made further submissions - all without success.

Razos, who has a 9-year-old son from a previous relationship, said it was also his dream for his two boys to meet.

"It's been very hard for me to explain to a 9-year-old why he cannot meet his baby brother," he said.

"My love for Krystel has never stopped, and I'm feeling the lowest after learning that INZ would not grant them visas, and they have no right of appeal."

Razos said he was now pinning his hopes on the agency having some compassion for their situation.

"We are not perfect and in hindsight we have made some minor mistakes, but we have been open and honest with our submissions," he said.

"Shouldn't every couple be given a second chance, especially when two parents choose to be together?"

Razos said moving to the Philippines was not an option because of his responsibility to his other son and in running his own business.

INZ area manager Marcelle Foley told the Herald on Sunday the visitor visa applications for Galos were declined "because of concerns that the relationship is not genuine and credible".

Foley said an immigration manager who reviewed the application and accompanying evidence found no evidence of any processing or service failures.

"INZ acknowledges that the visitor visa application took longer to process than normal, but Mr Razos and his lawyer were kept informed about the situation and advised that processing times can vary depending on the complexity of the application," Foley added.