A luxury cruise ship is being held just outside New Zealand waters because most of the crew onboard have been denied visas.
The boat Le Laperouse was granted an economic exemption to come and take New Zealanders on a cruise, but any workers onboard needed special visas to cross our closed borders.
The ship set sail from Jakarta just two days after filing visa applications for 90 foreign crew.
Immigration NZ says while the ship was on route it was told twice that 61 of the crew had been denied entry visas as they are not critical workers, but the boat continued its voyage to New Zealand.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi talks through the issue with Lisa Owen.
