An Indian-origin healthcare professional in New Zealand has been plunged into a devastating crisis after immigration authorities refused residency to his five-year-old autistic son, placing the child at risk of deportation. The family's dream of a new life has turned into a painful legal and emotional battle.
A Dream Move Turns into a Nightmare
Nithin Mankeel, an elder care nurse, moved to New Zealand from India in January 2024. His wife, Aparna Jayandhan Geetha, a senior healthcare assistant, and their young son, Aidhan, followed later that year. With Mankeel's occupation listed on Tier 1 of Immigration New Zealand's (INZ) Green List, the family applied for the straight-to-residence pathway, a fast-track option for critical workers.
However, their application hit a severe roadblock when INZ inquired about Aidhan's delayed speech. The authorities subsequently delivered a shocking ultimatum: all visas would be declined unless the parents withdrew Aidhan's name as a secondary applicant and applied for him separately under a different visa category.
Heartbreaking Separation and a Legal Limbo
Following this directive, Mankeel reluctantly separated his son's application. While his and his wife's residence visas were approved, their son's application was rejected. This decision legally bars the five-year-old from staying in the country and subjects him to potential deportation, tearing the family apart.
"I was really, really shocked," Mankeel confessed, describing the situation as "really heartbreaking." He expressed profound anxiety about the future, stating, "I don't know how, mentally, I can cope, if that's going to happen." The family now lives in constant fear, clinging to community support for strength. "We are living full of fear but I'm getting so much support from many, many different communities," he said.
Rigid Rules Versus Humanitarian Plea
INZ deputy chief operating officer Jeannie Melville explained the department's stance, citing strict immigration health requirements. She stated that applicants assessed as likely to impose significant costs on New Zealand's health and education services cannot be granted a waiver, "regardless of family circumstances or occupation."
Melville acknowledged the family's challenges but emphasized that the health criteria are very specific and can only be overridden through ministerial intervention. She clarified that while the parents' residence was granted due to the critical need for healthcare professionals, all secondary applicants must independently meet the health standards for their visa category.
For the Mankeel family, returning to India is not a simple solution. Nithin Mankeel surrendered his Indian medical registration to practice in New Zealand, leaving them with no professional foothold back home. "We left everything and came [here]," he lamented, highlighting their all-in commitment to their new life. The family now pins its hopes on a ministerial intervention, praying for a compassionate review of their case.
