A family has lost a last-ditch appeal against deportation, despite their fear of Covid-19 and an associated black fungus epidemic in their home country of India.

However, due to the pandemic's effect on international flights, they have been given an extra eight months to get their affairs in order before they must leave New Zealand.

The family’s plight was laid out in a recently released decision from the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, which was anonymised to avoid their identification.

According to the decision, the father, who is now 32, has been in New Zealand since 2012. He first came here on a student visa and has held a series of work visas since.

He married his now-35-year-old wife in 2013 in India, and she and their son, who is now 8, joined him in New Zealand the following year.

The pair have since had a daughter, now 3.

The father works in information technology, but was caught delivering cash in transit on “multiple occasions”, in breach of the terms of his visa, the decision said.

That led to his visa being cancelled and the family becoming liable for deportation.

According to the decision, the family said they would face “great difficulty” relocating to India as their children had spent their whole lives in New Zealand.

Covid-19 in India had also caused a black fungus epidemic, they said.

“Previously considered very rare, cases have dramatically increased during the pandemic, usually striking patients after recovery from Covid-19.

READ MORE

• Michael Baker wants to delay reopening New Zealand's border in bid to keep Omicron out
• Anti-5G bracelets and necklaces sold in Europe turn out to be radioactive
• Health providers urged to warn of rare Covid vaccine side effects
• Could Omicron team up with Delta to make a super-variant? What scientists think

“More than 45,000 cases had been recorded over the last two months, of which 4200 people had died.”

According to international reports, the fungus, mucormycosis,​ is a rare infection caused by mould found in soil, plants, and decaying fruits and vegetables.

Doctors believe the use of steroids, which are used to treat badly ill Covid-19 patients, lower their immunity against the fungus.

The father was unaware he was breaching the conditions of his visa, and had only delivered the cash because his employer asked him to, he said.

Further, the family said the Covid-19 pandemic had hit India hard and the vaccine roll-out had been slow and beset with issues.

Because of the pandemic’s effects on the economy, the father would struggle to find a job if deported.

The tribunal noted the family’s concerns about Covid-19 in India, the “associated black fungus epidemic”, and the “large-scale economic destruction” owing to the virus.

However, the mother – a registered nurse – would not face challenges finding work, and both she and her husband had family in India they could look to for support, it said.

While the difficulties posed by the pandemic in India were “serious”, they did not amount to exceptional humanitarian circumstances, the tribunal found.

The family’s appeal was declined, but they were granted temporary visas to allow the adults time to be vaccinated for Covid-19 and to secure flights to India.