They were planning to start a new life in a new country but Rowan Trezise, age 33, has been told by the government of New Zealand that she and her husband may have to look elsewhere for a place to live, because she is too fat to be allowed into the country.

Although both husband and wife were too fat for admittance when they first applied Mr. Trezise, a submarine cable specialist who was once a member of the British Army, has managed to shed two inches from his waistline thereby meeting the standards set for a work visa.

Mrs. Trezise however has not met the goal set for her and is therefore barred.

The couple were informed that New Zealand bars overweight people because of the potential burden they pose to the national health care system. According to New Zealand Robyn Toomath, spokesman of “Fight the Obesity Epidemic” a New Zealand organization dealing with the problems posed by overweight people:

“The immigration department can’t afford to import people who are going to be a significant drain on our health resources.

“You can see the logic in assessing if there is a significant health cost associated with this individual and that would be a reason for them not coming in.”

New Zealand’s Immigration Service has not said how many people have been bared from entering the country due to their weight but according to the Emigrate New Zealand website that number is fairly high. Unless Rowan Trezise can shed the weight by Christmas the couple say they will abandon their plans to relocate to New Zealand.

Source

My goodness….I wonder if other countries have specific health issues are of interest on visa applications?  I wonder if being blind, a paraplegic, age etc. are points the visa application ponders?

hulitoons - 16 September 2008 11:07 AM

My goodness….I wonder if other countries have specific health issues are of interest on visa applications?  I wonder if being blind, a paraplegic, age etc. are points the visa application ponders?

Austrailian requirements for permanent entry (pdf)

New Zealand requirements (Html)

Canadian requirements (Html)

British requirements (Html)

...just to show a few examples

Thank you Oppie, MOST informative: 

All of these, including NZ appropriately indicate diseases that might endanger the immediate public, or a condition that needs 24-hour care or medical monitoring. 

Obesity itself is not mentioned in NZ requirements.  It is mentioned in Austrailia’s as other diseases may emerge or be emerging as a result of obesity such as diabetes or heart problems etc. 

Here is New Zeland’s medical (black) List from their Appendix 10
Medical conditions
•  HIV infection
•  Hepatitis B surface antigen positive, with abnormal liver function
•  Hepatitis C, RNA positive, with abnormal liver function
•  Malignancies of solid organs and haematopoietic tissue, including past history of, or currently under treatment
Exceptions are:
1.  treated minor skin malignancies (not melanoma)
2.  malignancies where the interval since treatment is such that the probability of cure is > 90%, e.g.: early stage (I & IIA) breast cancer at 5 years; low risk prostate cancer at 5 years; early stage (Dukes A & B1) colorectal cancer at 5 years; childhood leukaemia at 5 years
•  Solid organ transplants, excluding corneal grafts more than 6 months old
•  Chronic renal failure or progressive renal disorders
•  Diseases or disorders such as osteoarthritis with a high probability of arthroplasty in the next four years
•  Central Nervous System disease, including motor neurone disease, complex partial seizures, poorly controlled epilepsy, prion disease, Alzheimer’s and other dementia, and including paraplegia and quadriplegia
•  Cardiac disease including ischaemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy or valve disease requiring surgical and/or other procedural intervention
•  Chronic obstructive respiratory disease with limited exercise tolerance and requiring oxygen
•  Genetic or congenital disorders: muscular dystrophies, cystic fibrosis, thalassaemia major, sickle cell anaemia if more than one sickle crisis in 4 years, severe haemophilia, and severe primary immunodeficiencies
•  Severe autoimmune disease, currently being treated with immuno-suppressants other than prednisone
•  In a person up to the age of 21 years, a severe (71-90 decibels) hearing loss or profound bilateral sensori-neural hearing loss
•  In a person up to the age of 21 years, a severe vision impairment with visual acuity of 6/36 or beyond after best possible correction, or a loss restricting the field of vision to 15-20 degrees
•  In a person up to the age of 21 years, a severe physical disability, where they are unable to stand and walk without support, and cannot independently dress, eat, hold a cup, or maintain their stability when sitting.