Chris Brown's Eligibility To Enter NZ Is In Question

R&B singer Chris Brown's plan to play a show in New Zealand may be stymied by Immigration New Zealand due to his 2009 attack on then-girlfriend Rihanna.

This morning it was announced that Brown's world tour One Hell of a Night would visit New Zealand in December.

However Brown's violent past may mean he cannot get into the country.

Brown performed two sold-out shows in New Zealand in 2008. A year later he viciously attacked Rihanna in her car.

He was charged with felony assault and was eventually sentenced to community labour, five years on probation with a restraining order which required him to stay away from his victim.

But in June 2010 Brown was refused permission to enter the UK on the grounds of being guilty of a serious criminal offence.

Today Immigration New Zealand confirmed that Brown's rejection from the UK meant he could not enter New Zealand.

"If Chris Brown has been excluded from another country he will be ineligible to be granted a visa to enter New Zealand unless given a special direction," INZ spokesman Marc Piercey said.

A special direction is considered under Section 17 of the Immigration Act 2009 and allows exceptions to be given to a person who is not eligible for a visa.

Brown would not be the first high profile star turned away from New Zealand due to violence.

Family violence prevention group Shine spokeswoman Jill Proudfoot said she had mixed feelings about Brown coming to New Zealand.

"He is coming to this country where we've got a really serious domestic violence problem. People, whether he likes it or not, see him as a role model. We don't want that kind of role model here," she said.

Police would not comment as the decision to allow a person entry to New Zealand was up to INZ.

Source- NZ Herald