At least there is a reason for denying her. My partners uncle wasn't allowed a tourist/visitor visa until a MP was asked to help sort things out. He is married to a NZ citizen but the immigration service is so useless that despite following their advice about how to go about things (get visitor visa to come visit his wife then do the rest once he is here) the put him on the list of suspect people requiring extra attention. If he was from the PI's it would have been no problem but because he is asian... As for this lady's weight lose. 20 kg over 2 years is a great result and is sustainable unlike a rapid unhealthy drop which is unlikely to last. It show promise of continued weight managment. Good on her

How clever is Immigration to be able to foretell what the future holds for this woman. It can therefore only be a matter of time before those with freckles and moles are also citizenship because everyone knows these are precursors to potentially expensive skin issues. What about those who are 'seriously having a bad day?', because of repressive regimes in their current homeland. Memories of that would almost always lead to depression and perhaps the inevitable deer rifles in belltowers. I guess if she were 5 ft 1 and only weighed 35 Kg, despite being obviously bolemic or anorexic she would be allowed to slip through the system. Gimme a break!

I find this so darned stupid when each year we let so many people into this country that have aids. I would hate to think just how much their drugs costs the poor old tax payer each year and a lot of them aren't working at all, whereas this lady is qualified and wants to work,just take a look around the streets and see how many morbidly overweight people we let in from the islands.

I can only assume that those who are so unkind have never had to try and lose significant weight.

It is quite obvious that some people are predisposed to put weight on and we all know those people who can eat whatever they want and never gain a Kilo (hate them! )

My weight has fluctuated throughout my life since I hit about 21 - before that, I could eat whatever I fancied. Now, no chance! In the 20 years since then I have been as high as 132 Kg and as low as 105. I can put 10Kg back on in less than 2 months if I get stressed and stop being careful what I eat.

Personally I would be more concerned by the overweight people who live on benefits and make no contribution than I would be by a qualified nurse whose entire family is going to pay tax etc.

If she divorced her husband and married a Kiwi she'd get straight in anyway!

How do things like this make the news, when I myself are living an immigration nightmare in Australia, yes australia and I am a New Zealand Citizen. I arrived 2002 and have lived in Australia ever since. My wife and little girl are Australians, but I am unable to become a citizen until 2011. I was studying to become a science teacher, and had successfully past 2years of the 4 year course. I had to suspend my studies as paying my fees upfront made our family homeless and were forced to live in a tent. I applied for a hardship scholarship and was informed that I was ineligible for the international hardship scholarship as I was considered a domestic student. When I applied for the domestic hardship scholarship, I was ineligible as you had to be a citizen. Discrimination? I have just applied for work in the fire and police departments. I can protect there people, live in there country for 7 years but cannot become a citizen until 2011.

This is just more of the typical Gutter journalism being seen in New Zealand. I'm willing to bet my life that the Residence Review Board did not tell this lady she is "Too Fat". But a headline that reads "Too unhealthy to live in New Zealand" does not catch everyones attention.

While I can understand the cries of "It'll cost the government/the tax payer!", I disagree with denying her residency! All three members of the family plan to work in fulltime employment - therefore becoming tax payers themselves! She is already employed in a sector where there is a SERIOUS shortage of trained and qualified workers and with 10 years experience, she's more than capable - no matter what her size! As for objections to someone obese being a nurse - just take a look at how many nurses smoke, drink or have other health-risking habits! Smoking costs our government millions every year. Let her stay!

reply to Big fella . The difference between a refugee and this woman is that a refugee doesn't choose to emigrate, they have no other choice. This woman is choosing to leave her home country of her own free will. We definately have different requirements for refugees and voluntary migrants. That is sort of the point.

She's in her 50's and is overweight, she'll end up costing NZ more than she's worth with all the hospital visits she's going to have to make due to health problems that will come with her age combined with her weight. It's harsh but NZ isn't one big retirement village (no matter what people in Dunedin like to think, old fogies)

Sarah - Comment #11. 2 years to loose 20kg is a VERY long time! I lost 20kg myself in under 6 months. So that to me probably says that there is an underlying problem which has caused her to get to the size she is.

Also what in gods name is this country coming to?? What's next, they start asking obese people to leave NZ because of their size?