Protected Person

A Protected Person is a person recognised by staff of Immigration New Zealand under sections 130 & 131 of the Immigration Act 2009 as being a Protected Person.

In general terms, a Protected Person is someone who:

• Under the Convention Against Torture, there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be in danger of being subjected to torture if deported from New Zealand, or
• Under the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be in danger of being subjected to arbitrary deprivation of life or cruel treatment if deported from New Zealand.

From 1 January 2012, anyone who was sponsored into New Zealand by a family member who at the time of the students entry into New Zealand had Protected Person status, does not need to meet the two year stand-down requirement for Student Allowances and Student Loans.