NZ immigration

Over the past 20 years the woman has visited New Zealand several times.

According to Kaniva News, in 2017 she was granted a two-year visitor’s visa which allowed multiple visits.

In 2019 she was diagnosed at Vaiola hospital in Tonga with  complicated  diabetes  mellitus  type  2.

She  had end-stage kidney disease and was advised that she needed renal haemodialysis, which was not available in Tonga.

Maria 'Ilaisaane Valu-Pome'e, a Tongan national, pleaded guilty to 14 charges in the Waitakere District Court on Tuesday.

The Auckland woman agreed to withdraw her application for renewal of her law licence during a 2014 proceeding where she was found guilty of a series of misconduct and negligence charges, after representing a couple who wanted to adopt their 1-year-old niece.

Among other failings, Valu-Pome'e had sought a visa extension from Immigration New Zealand by falsely claiming a close relation of the couple had drowned in the Waikato River.

Joeli Taliai, a skilled worker whose work visa expires in July, applied for residence two days before his 56th birthday, the cutoff age.

However, his documents were returned because they were incomplete - and now he has been told the application was made too late.