10. Question No. 10—ImmigrationSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 10—Immigration10. STUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura) to the Minister of Immigration: Have he or his officials received correspondence regarding visa exemptions for foreign teams in the America's Cup; if so when?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Minister of Immigration): I am not aware of any correspondence relating to visa exemptions regarding any of the foreign teams in the America's Cup. None of the syndicates have indicated that they want to be exempted from our usual immigration requirements. However to be helpful to the member I can inform the House that I have had regular correspondence with Dean Barker as the head of the American Magic syndicate on the subject of travel to New Zealand for the America's Cup since he contacted my office on 23 March 2020; this has included a video conference on 25 March 2020 and further correspondence since.Hon Dr Nick Smith: It's an exemption from the closed border.Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: Immigration New Zealand officials have also been in regular discussions—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Some of us think this is quite an important question Dr Smith and it's not helped by your loud interjections which appear to be coming through your colleague's mike behind you.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No. I want to hear the end of the answer. If there's a point of order then I'll take it.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Some members get points of order and some don't?SPEAKER: I think the member is lucky that his colleague's mike was turned off.Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: Thank you Mr Speaker. I'll pick up where I left off which was to say that Immigration New Zealand officials have also been in regular discussions with the America's Cup syndicate since July of 2019 and the member will appreciate that the context for those discussions has changed significantly since that time.Stuart Smith: Why have some visas for America's Cup teams not been approved given Immigration New Zealand provided specific instructions to staff on 18 August 2018 on issuing visas to America's Cup teams in a timely manner?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: Because we have established a process for exemptions from the restrictions that are in place.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Oh there are now exemptions? So there are exemptions now?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: Exemptions from the restrictions that are in place Dr Smith—listen carefully. And I understand that applications for exemption have been lodged with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and are being processed for consideration by the Minister for Economic Development.Stuart Smith: Does he expect America's Cup teams to apply for visa exemptions under the significant economic value" category; and if so how can they do this given the criteria is unpublished?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: As I've already explained to the member there is no way to apply for a visa exemption.Stuart Smith: Why then has he not communicated that to the America's Cup teams?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: The America's Cup teams are well aware of the process for seeking an exemption to the border restrictions and I understand that applications have been lodged and are being processed by MBIE.Stuart Smith: Is he confident that visas will be granted in time for the first America's Cup team members to arrive by 15 June in order to adequately prepare for the event?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: I am confident that the process that has been put in place and has been discussed with the syndicates will be applied appropriately."