Ketan Barhate and his wife Kalindi on the day of their wedding in India. “Now they can finally turn their minds to their new life together in New Zealand with this period behind them.” Luscombe said the pair awaited Indian travel restrictions being lifted and MIQ spots becoming available, so they could take the next step of their journey home. “These are small obstacles compared to what they have already overcome. The new adventure begins.” Luscombe said the couple’s case had been “an unnecessarily difficult journey” getting to the place they should have been in a year ago. .” “That journey could have been very different had INZ handled their applications with greater professionalism, empathy and common sense.”
The pair applied for a partnership visa once married, but it was declined, as they had not been together long enough – which the couple accepted. Chaudhari was instead offered a general visitor’s visa by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on March 5, but not a Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa (CAMV visa). Lawyer Mark Luscombe, who began assisting the couple last August, said they were given 24 hours to accept the visitor’s visa, which they did. On March 19, 2020, she was halted at Mumbai airport as New Zealand closed its borders due to Covid-19.
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Ketan Barhate, pictured with his parents, Mahananda Barhate and Ghanashyam Barhate, has had to return to India to live with his wife Kalindi, after Immigration New Zealand did not grant them a partnership visa as they had not been living together long enough.