Source: Radio New Zealand
Kiwi Everlee Wihongi has lived in the United States for more than 25 years and is now in an ICE detention centre in California, after a three week visit back to New Zealand. Supplied
A consultant who helps New Zealanders with US visa processes says New Zealanders with a US green card should be upfront about any previous convictions when entering the US.
On Wednesday, the Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said a New Zealander held in an ICE detention facility in the United States did not declare a prior conviction.
Everlee Wihongi has lived with her family in the States for decades and holds a green card, but was detained earlier this month when returning from a holiday in New Zealand.
She had an old conviction for possession of marijuana that had been dealt with more than 10 years ago.
Kevin Park, who runs Concord Visa’s New Zealand branch, said a green card is not a passport and does not mean guaranteed rights to re-enter the US each time.
Kevin Park runs Concord Visa’s New Zealand branch. Supplied
He said New Zealanders with a US green card who had with prior convictions should seek advice before they travel out, on what re-entering could look like.
Park said what New Zealanders may consider as small charges – such as possession of marijuna – could be taken seriously.
He said it was difficult to say what could happen to Wihongi without knowing all the facts, but he said any false declaration at the border would not have helped.
“The fact that there could be … a lie – a tick box that said no criminal convictions – that could be a worse outcome, and it could’ve been a different result if they declared early on this, and dealt with it head on, so I think it’s probably not going to be helping this case at all if indeed she wrote no,” he said.
He said previous convictions were also getting picked up earlier with anyone applying for the Approved Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).
Any declarations of previous convictions in the ESTA process could lead to a denial of entry, or a request for an interview, said Park.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
