New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, speaking to FBC News during a Q&A session in Nadi

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reveals that he is aware of Fiji’s request for visa-free travel to New Zealand.

Speaking to FBC News during a Q&A session in Nadi, Luxon states that he also discussed this matter with his Fijian counterpart, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and acknowledged the importance of this issue for Fijians wanting to go over.

While Prime Minister Luxon announced that Fijians will soon no longer need a transit visa when traveling through New Zealand, he emphasizes that implementing a broader visitor visa policy requires more time and careful consideration.

“And it’s quite complex with respect to our broader immigration settings that we have to deal with and every country has to deal with so our officials will continue to work at that and continue to review that issue. I don’t think it will be a quick fix but it is something that we genuinely have heard the concern and we will genuinely, you know do work with our officials to see whether there’s a pathway through that.”

But his announcement on the upcoming changes to the transit visa policy is set to take effect in September.

Luxon says they just need to finalize a few things first.

“The reason is that again we just need a bit of time to get a few things organized but I’m very determined and that’s why I moved very quickly when I was aware of the issue to make sure that we make that irritant go away because we want Fijians to be able to get out and about in the world and it makes no sense to have a transit visa anymore.”

Luxon also attended a rugby match between the two countries’ defence forces at the Black Rock Camp in Votualevu, before returning to New Zealand.