Stop the deportation of autistic 5-year-old child, Aidhan Nithin.
Stop the deportation of autistic 5-year-old child, Aidhan Nithin.
The issue
Aidhan’s parents, Nithin and Aparna, are NZ residents but they’ve been told their child can’t stay.
Aidhan’s parents both work in health care. Nithin is a registered nurse in aged care, and his wife Aparna Jayandhan Geetha is a senior healthcare assistant. They spent 15 years working towards their goal of coming to New Zealand, including eight years living apart while Nithin worked overseas to improve his English so he could secure a visa. Their dedication to joining and strengthening our health workforce has been immense.
Both parents have been granted residence because of their essential roles in the health sector. However, Aidhan has been left without a valid visa due to an autism diagnosis. As a result, he has been deemed ‘unlawful’ in New Zealand and is facing enforcement action. This outcome does not reflect the values of fairness and compassion that our immigration system should uphold.
Aidhan is settled here, attends a local kindergarten, and relies entirely on the routines, stability, and care his parents provide. Forcing the family to leave or having Aidhan return to India with his mother would be deeply harmful. It is not in the best interests of any child - particularly one with high support needs - to be uprooted from the only secure environment he knows.
Furthermore, if Aidhan is deported we risk also losing Nithin, and Nithin is an exceptional nurse whose loss would be felt in the Nelson community.
Stop the deportation of autistic 5-year-old child, Aidhan Nithin. Sign the petition to keep Aidhan and his parents in NZ.
12,780
The issue
Aidhan’s parents, Nithin and Aparna, are NZ residents but they’ve been told their child can’t stay.
Aidhan’s parents both work in health care. Nithin is a registered nurse in aged care, and his wife Aparna Jayandhan Geetha is a senior healthcare assistant. They spent 15 years working towards their goal of coming to New Zealand, including eight years living apart while Nithin worked overseas to improve his English so he could secure a visa. Their dedication to joining and strengthening our health workforce has been immense.
Both parents have been granted residence because of their essential roles in the health sector. However, Aidhan has been left without a valid visa due to an autism diagnosis. As a result, he has been deemed ‘unlawful’ in New Zealand and is facing enforcement action. This outcome does not reflect the values of fairness and compassion that our immigration system should uphold.
Aidhan is settled here, attends a local kindergarten, and relies entirely on the routines, stability, and care his parents provide. Forcing the family to leave or having Aidhan return to India with his mother would be deeply harmful. It is not in the best interests of any child - particularly one with high support needs - to be uprooted from the only secure environment he knows.
Furthermore, if Aidhan is deported we risk also losing Nithin, and Nithin is an exceptional nurse whose loss would be felt in the Nelson community.
Stop the deportation of autistic 5-year-old child, Aidhan Nithin. Sign the petition to keep Aidhan and his parents in NZ.
12,780
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Petition created on 11 December 2025