‘I’m in shock’: Pop star furious that overstayers used her name to enter NZ, as number grows
Friday, 27 March 2026
A Bollywood singer who performed in New Zealand for the Holi festival has denied any involvement with a group of ‘performers’ who came here citing her name and have gone to ground. Meanwhile, the number here unlawfully has grown from 11 to 14 as more visas expire. Tony Wall reports.
On Saturday, February 21, hundreds of people gathered at the Pukekohe Indian Association Centre for a Holi festival event called Colours in the Park.
There was a guest appearance by the Bollywood singer Shibani Kashyap, who later described it on social media as a “fantastic, successful show … I came back with a lot of positivity in my heart for this beautiful country”.
(It was Kashyap’s second trip to New Zealand; last August she danced on stage with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Labour leader Chris Hipkins as part of Indian Independence Day celebrations in South Auckland.)
But the good vibes of Kashyap’s Pukekohe show have been spoiled by subsequent events.
Immigration NZ says that a group of people who were issued visas specifically for the occasion have overstayed and are now unlawfully in the country.
The department is trying to find them on a “case by case basis”.
And it seems the number of overstayers has grown.
Stuff previously reported that 11 people had overstayed their limited visas, which expired on March 6. But on Thursday, INZ confirmed that only four of the 18 who originally came here - some on one-month visitor visas - have left the country, meaning there are now 14 here illegally.
(INZ previously revealed that the visitor visas would expire progressively, and all by March 24.)
Kashyap was invited to perform at the Pukekohe event by the Indian consulate in Auckland, which also provided a letter of support for a wider group of people coming from India.
She stayed at the consulate’s India House in Ōrākei.
Contact the reporter: tony.wall@stuffdigital.co.nz
Stuff has seen one of the limited visas, which states that it is for the “express purpose of participating as a model in community Holi celebration with Shibani Kashyap”.
It is unclear what the role of “model” was to entail.
The event was organised by the New Delhi-based CD Foundation, which promotes trade and cultural collaborations internationally and also organised the event last August.
Kashyap: ‘I have no clue about these people’
In an interview with Stuff, Kashyap said she was invited to attend the Pukekohe event as an independent, solo artist and there was never any suggestion she would bring a team of performers as it would be too expensive and complicated.
“I’m not the organiser, I did not even apply for my visa. I sent the details to the CD Foundation and they sent them to the consular general in Auckland,” she said.
Kashyap said the first she knew that other people were travelling to New Zealand for the same event was when she received a call from an INZ officer in New Delhi, prior to leaving.
“He [said] ‘are you aware there are other people travelling?’ I told him in no uncertain terms I have no clue about these people … and he should call the CD Foundation who was organising this event.”
Kashyap, well known in India for her performances for television and film, said she was angry that her name had been used for other people’s visas.
“The entire programming was done by CD Foundation and I was just a featured artist.
“I am in shock to learn that so many unknown people have come on visas on the pretext of my Holi show.
“It’s very unfortunate to have used my name, just because I am a popular, well-known artist.”
She provided a letter, signed by CD Foundation founder and director Charu Das, which states that she was invited to perform as a featured artist and “is in no way responsible for, connected with, or associated with any individual members of the wider cultural delegation”.
Stuff reached Das by phone but she said she could not talk because of the impacts of the Iran war on life in India.
The CD Foundation later sent a statement saying it was a “globally recognised organisation” and “is not involved whatsoever in any immigration violation, visa misuse, unlawful stay, or illegal migration activity conducted by any stakeholders of the Indian cultural event”.
It said the people who had “misused” their visas “have acted beyond our sight and control and have independently conducted themselves which is entirely beyond our knowledge, mandate or consent”.
Kashyap said that when she performed in Pukekohe, she was alone on stage apart from a security guard who held a sun umbrella, and at one point got some local children on stage to dance.
Gulhassan Parvez, one of the organisers of the Colours in the Park event, confirmed that.
“She was the only person performing on the stage.”
Parvez said Kashyap performed for free, in exchange for the festival screening a CD Foundation culinary documentary.
INZ: Up to individuals to comply
Jock Gilray, INZ’s visa director, said INZ undertook “a range of processes” when assessing the group’s visa applications. He confirmed that included a call to Kashyap.
INZ previously said that it identified some concerns prior to the group travelling, including fraudulent documents, and some applications were declined.
One person whose visa was approved was “offloaded” before departing after further concerns were identified, INZ said.
Asked what measures were taken to ensure the travellers attended the event they were here for, Gilray said it was up to individuals to comply with the conditions of their visa.
Meanwhile, it appears at least some of the overstayers may have been interested in applying for asylum.
South Auckland lawyer Raj Pardeep Singh said about four of the group came to see him, while their visas were still valid, seeking advice and help.
“They were looking for options,” he said, adding that one of those was asylum. “But they don’t qualify for that.”
Singh said he checked their visas, which were to perform with Kashyap.
“They told me they attended the event. I’m not saying they performed, but they were at the event, that’s what they told me.”
He advised them to return to India and apply for education or work opportunities in New Zealand, and gave them information about visa options.
He did not know what became of them.
Immigration advisor: Were they right visas?
Immigration advisor Jagjeet Singh said he met two people from the group who were getting free lunch at a temple in South Auckland.
They asked about seeking asylum as a way of getting residency, he said, and mentioned that they were taking a bus to Whangamata that day.
Jagjeet Singh said they mentioned having paid about two million rupees (about $36,000) to come to New Zealand.
He said both had since returned to India, as he phoned one of them and they said they were back in their home country.
He could not understand why INZ had issued limited visas, which cost about $500, when entertainers work visas, which cost $1455, would have been more appropriate.
Gilray said when INZ was considering visa applications for the trip, some were declined and some had been lodged under the wrong category.
“Given time constraints, we continued processing them, rather than returning the applications and requiring fresh applications to be made,” Gilray said.
“An immigration officer may offer a limited visa instead of a temporary visa, if the person wishes to come to New Zealand for an express purpose, and there is risk that they may remain in New Zealand after their visa expires.
“A limited visa does not allow the visa holder to apply for another visa when they are in New Zealand or appeal against deportation liability.”
Stuff asked the Indian consulate in Auckland what it knew about the purpose of the limited visas and what role the people had in Kashyup’s show. It did not respond.
A spokesperson previously said the consulate provided a letter of support for the group and was working with community leaders and INZ to locate the overstayers.
The CD Foundation, in its statement to Stuff, appealed to “members of the Indian diaspora not to support or facilitate violations of local laws and regulations by a handful of individuals, as such actions bring discredit to the larger community”.
“We remain confident that this matter will conclude appropriately, with … the return of all overstayers.
“CD Foundation remains committed to transparent cooperation with authorities and to continuing its mission of promoting cultural diplomacy and international engagement.”
In a video posted to Facebook, Kashyap said the actions of the overstayers were 'absolutely wrong, absolutely unlawful' and she hoped “justice is done”.