A 50-year-old Sri Lankan woman, Ruchira Ranasingha, has been stranded in the Cook Islands for three years because New Zealand and Australia have repeatedly denied her the transit visas necessary to fly home. Ranasingha, who is currently classified as an overstayer in Rarotonga, has stated she is willing to be detained, handcuffed, or escorted by authorities to satisfy their concerns that she will not attempt to stay in their countries.
Ranasingha left Sri Lanka in 2018 following the death of her husband and the closure of her business. After working in Hong Kong, she traveled to New Zealand in December 2022 on a visitor visa and later applied for asylum. According to correspondence reviewed by reporters, an immigration firm called Immigration & Secretarial Services advised her to leave New Zealand temporarily to apply for a work visa from abroad. However, by leaving the country, she violated the terms of her existing visa, and her subsequent applications for work and transit visas were rejected.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) told the BBC it declined multiple transit applications because officials were not satisfied Ranasingha had a genuine intention to transit. Alastair McClymont, an immigration law specialist, said authorities likely view her as a risk for making a new asylum claim during transit since she previously claimed her life was in danger in Sri Lanka. Australia's Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on the specific case but stated that all non-citizens must satisfy the Migration Act 1958.
The scale of the restriction extends to alternative routes through Hawaii and Tahiti. While Ranasingha explored these options, both jurisdictions require biometric data that she can only provide in person in New Zealand, which she cannot enter without a visa. This creates a circular legal barrier where she cannot obtain the necessary travel documents because she cannot reach the locations required to process them. The day-to-day impact includes the loss of funds on unusable airline tickets and her absence from major family events, such as her only son's wedding scheduled for November 2026.
The case has drawn involvement from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stated it is working with authorities in Wellington to facilitate her return. New Zealand Associate Minister for Immigration Cameron Brewer declined to comment on the case, citing privacy policies. Currently, Ranasingha remains in the Cook Islands with no confirmed departure date. Her family has expressed concern for her mental health as she remains in a legal status that prevents her from either working legally in the Cook Islands or departing the archipelago.