Key facts
- Ruchira Ranasingha has been stranded in the Cook Islands for three years.
- New Zealand and Australia have denied her transit visa applications.
- She is unable to travel to Sri Lanka due to visa restrictions and biometric requirements in transit countries.
- Her son's wedding is scheduled for November, and her mother is in poor health.
- Sri Lanka's foreign ministry is working to facilitate her return.
Ruchira Ranasingha, a 50-year-old Sri Lankan national, has been stranded in the Cook Islands for three years after her attempt to secure a New Zealand visa failed. She left Sri Lanka in 2018 and, after seeking asylum in New Zealand, was advised to leave the country to apply for a work visa. However, her application was rejected, and by leaving New Zealand, she breached her visa terms. Consequently, both New Zealand and Australia have denied her transit visa applications, leaving her with no feasible way to return to Sri Lanka. She is desperate to attend her son's wedding in November and is concerned about her mother's health.