New Zealand Names Top 10 Countries Whose Citizens Were Deported in 2025/2026
- New Zealand Immigration released figures showing 1,393 people were deported during the 2025/2026 financial year
- India ranked first on the deportation list, followed by China and Vietnam among the top three nationalities removed
- The data covers nationals from across Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and North America, with some surprising entries on the list
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New Zealand deported a total of 1,393 people during the 2025/2026 financial year, according to figures published by New Zealand Immigration, with nationals from ten countries accounting for the bulk of those removals.
India topped the list by a wide margin, followed by several Asian and Pacific Island nations.
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The data reflects the range of nationalities caught up in New Zealand's immigration enforcement activity across the financial year.
New Zealand: Top 10 countries whose citizens were deported
The full breakdown of the ten nationalities with the highest number of deportations is as follows:
1. India: 270 people deported.
Read also
New Zealand releases list of top 10 countries whose citizens overstayed their visas in 2026
2. China: 195 people deported.
3. Vietnam: 173 people deported.
4. Samoa: 147 people deported.
5. Tonga: 117 people deported.
6. Fiji: 89 people deported.
7. Philippines: 69 people deported.
8. Great Britain: 26 people deported.
9. Malaysia: 26 people deported.
10. United States of America: 24 people deported.
An additional 257 people from other nationalities were also deported, bringing the total to 1,393.
How New Zealand defines deportation
New Zealand Immigration draws a distinction between deportation, self-deportation, and voluntary departure. A deportation applies to a person who is unlawfully in the country, has been served with a deportation order, and subsequently leaves. It also covers temporary visa holders made liable for deportation who depart after the relevant deadline.
Self-deportation refers to someone unlawfully in New Zealand who leaves of their own accord, at no cost to the Ministry, before a deportation order is formally served.
Voluntary departure covers those who leave willingly and at their own expense before the point at which a deportation order could legally be issued.
The full statistics are available on the New Zealand Immigration official website.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that New Zealand released a list of the top 10 countries whose citizens overstayed their visas in 2026.
New Zealand names people facing travel disruptions
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that New Zealand mentioned the categories of people facing travel disruptions.
The statement, published by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), addressed holders of visitor, work, student, and other temporary visas, whether they were physically present in New Zealand at the time or stranded abroad.
The advisory was triggered by widespread flight cancellations and delays caused by disruptions to key international transit hubs and the closure of airspace in Iran and surrounding regions.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
