Honeymoon couple stranded in Fiji unable to board flights returning to NZ

A New Zealand-based couple who have been stranded while on their honeymoon in Fiji have been turned away from four flights home because they have the “wrong visas”.

Abdulla Mohsin and Catherine David, originally from Britain, relocated to Auckland in January 2019 for a job opportunity, the BBC reported.

Mohsin had been recruited to government housing agency Kāinga Ora on a “work to residence” visa which requires him to work in New Zealand for two years to earn permanent residency.

The couple left for their honeymoon in Fiji on March 7 when there were no travel restrictions in place.

The New Zealand borders then closed to international travellers on March 19 to limit the spread of COVID-19.

David told BBC they have been refused entry back into New Zealand.

“We were told at the airport, ‘You can’t come in, you’re not a resident’. But we live there.

“All our worldly belongings are there, we’ve lived there for the last 16 months. I’m completely emotionally drained by all this.”