Sri Lankan woman stranded in Cook Islands for three years after bad immigration advice

The Stranded Traveler

Ruchira Ranasingha has been stuck on the Cook Islands for three years following a disastrous immigration mistake. The 50-year-old left Sri Lanka in 2018 after closing her small T-shirt factory due to financial troubles, first moving to Hong Kong as a caregiver. She traveled to New Zealand in December 2022 to stay with a cousin and later applied for asylum, receiving an open work visa after facing loan threats in Sri Lanka.

The Visa Trap

Following advice from an immigration consultancy to leave New Zealand temporarily and apply for an employment visa from abroad, Ranasingha flew to the Cook Islands. Her new visa application was rejected, and leaving New Zealand breached her existing asylum visa terms. New Zealand and Australia subsequently rejected multiple transit visa applications, while alternate routes through Hawaii and Tahiti failed because biometric data must be provided in person inside New Zealand.

Official Help

Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry has confirmed it is taking steps to help her return home, with officials at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Wellington working alongside New Zealand authorities. Meanwhile, local residents and a hotel providing free staff accommodation have supported her with food, clothing, and even a sewing machine to earn a small income.

Context

Transit visas are often tightly regulated by countries to ensure travelers do not overstay or enter without proper authorization. Without a valid transit document, airlines cannot permit passengers to board connecting flights through restricted international hubs.