Increasing numbers of asylum seekers, overstayers and illegal immigrants are trying to win the right to live in New Zealand, three new reports show.

The Refugee Status Appeals Authority, an independent body which reviews appeals lodged by those who are declined refugee status, released its annual report yesterday, with figures showing a big jump in numbers wanting to stay in the country.

The past year has seen numbers increased from 246 to 382, with Fijian nationals generating the most appeals, at 24.

Other countries with a high number of applicants were India (22), Iran (22), Sri Lanka (13), Czech Republic and Pakistan (both 10).

Iraq and Afghanistan, two countries involved in international conflicts, recorded low numbers of appeals, with six and five appeals respectively.

The Removal Review Authority also released its annual report, and it likewise showed an increase in appeals, up from 264 to 296.

This independent authority considers appeals from those living unlawfully in New Zealand. The authority upheld 31 appeals in the past year, of which nearly half were appeals for residence permits.

A third independent authority, the Residence Review Board, also recorded an increase in applications in its annual report.

The board considers appeals from those whose residence application is declined, and in the last year it received 440 appeals, compared with 358 in 2009.

Of these, 116 were successful, including 70 decisions where the original decision of Immigration New Zealand was deemed incorrect.

Thirty-nine decisions were referred to the Immigration Minister as an exception to policy.

This will be the final report from the three bodies, as under the Immigration Act 2009 they will be combined into one authority, the Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT).

The new tribunal will be overseen by the Ministry of Justice, and is planned as "one-stop shop" tribunal to consider all grounds for appeal.

It will begin hearing cases when the Immigration Act 2009 comes into effect, later this year.

Refugee Status Appeals Authority chairman Allan Mackey said in his report that it was regrettable the opportunity was not taken under the new Act to provide long-term "career" members dedicated to the field, with secure tenure.

He hoped many of the members of the authority would be appointed to the IPT so that it would benefit from their experience.

Members and the secretariat all faced uncertain futures, he said.

(Source Otago Daily Times)