Auckland-born teen of Indian origin faces deportation from New Zealand

An 18-year-old youth, born to Indian parents in Auckland, New Zealand, who has never gone outside the country, is facing deportation to India after the government has rejected his appeal for residency in New Zealand.

Navjot Singh, born in Auckland in 2007, is considered an overstayer in the country under the current immigration laws, as he was born to Indian parents who were staying illegally in the country at the time of his birth.

According to a report in Radio New Zealand (RNZ), Singh’s father was deported from the country when he was just five days old, and his mother also lost her legal immigration status when he was five years old.

Permanent residency application rejected

The report further stated that Singh’s permanent residency application through ministerial intervention was rejected by Associate Immigration Minister Chris Penk, adding that Singh now has no legal options available. He now faces deportation to India, where he has never set foot before.

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The odds are stacked against Singh, who does not have any formal education, as he has never gone to school due to a lack of valid documents.

"I asked my mum why I wasn't at school, and then she had to tell me. Ever since, I've been living in fear. I couldn't even be honest with my friends,” he said as quoted by RNZ.

‘Scared of deportation to India’

Singh also said that he was scared of being deported to India, as he does not know anyone in the country and neither does he speak Hindi.

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"I don't think I'll survive in India. I don't speak Hindi. I've heard that people with higher qualifications can't find jobs there, so what would I do?” added Singh.

Singh’s imminent deportation is the outcome of a change in law due to which automatic birthright citizenship in New Zealand was abolished.

Change in New Zealand citizenship law

As per the current rules, children born in New Zealand after January 1, 2006, will not be granted citizenship unless at least one of his or her parents New Zealand citizen or permanent resident at the time of birth, according to India Today.

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Describing the New Zealand government’s decision to deport Singh as "inhumane", his immigration lawyer, Alastair McClymont, said that it fails to see the odds stacked against young people like Singh.

"It makes no sense to deport children who have grown up here to a foreign country," said McClymont as quoted by RNZ, urging the government to reform the immigration laws in line with countries like Australia and the UK, where children who have lived in the country for a decade are granted citizenship.