\u201cI was genuinely happy and excited to see him again, meet his friends, spend time with him, and simply enjoy that family moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anna Laura Amaral Pimentel Pereira, 27, says , she felt “disrespected” and “humiliated” after Immigration New Zealand denied her entry to New Zealand at the boarding gate. Photo \/ @candy_girldream_ofc<\/p>\n
Pereira used her layover in Chile to print the documents she needed before arriving in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
She said her papers were checked, her visa was valid and she only had to wait for boarding.<\/p>\n
Then, her name was called to the Latam Airlines<\/a> counter.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I went there, I was informed that I would need to undergo an interview by phone before being allowed to board.<\/p>\n \u201cI agreed without hesitation because I knew that everything was in order and I had absolutely nothing to hide.\u201d<\/p>\n Pereira said immigration authorities asked her to explain the purpose of her trip, her situation at home, where she would stay, who her uncle was, and what they planned to do while staying.<\/p>\n Although she works as an adult content creator in Brazil, Pereira stressed that she never wanted or intended to do so while visiting.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was a personal trip to visit a family member, and I had more than sufficient financial resources to support myself throughout my stay,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI fully co-operated with everything that was requested of me … in the end, I was not allowed to board.\u201d<\/p>\n While no longer travelling as planned, Pereira said the way her situation was handled by officials left her feeling \u201cintimidated, disrespected, ashamed, and, above all, humiliated\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI found myself alone, far from home, without fully understanding what was happening, and feeling as though I were being treated as if I had done something wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Igor told the Herald he was upset, shocked and angry by the decision, as his niece\u2019s visit would have been the first from a family member in Brazil.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand what happened,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was in Chile crying by herself with no support, everyone looking at her.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not just my niece, she\u2019s like a daughter to me … I just need to have some answers here.\u201d<\/p>\n Pereira accepted immigration officials reserved the right to interview and carry out checks on inbound passengers, as well as authorise or deny entry.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat affected me so deeply was the lack of a clear explanation and, most importantly, the way I was treated throughout the entire process,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps what I am hoping for most now is a clearer and more concrete explanation of what happened, and maybe even an apology for the way the situation was handled. <\/p>\n