Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

We haven’t prepared a plain language version of this yet

We haven’t created a plain language version of this legislation yet. We’re working through New Zealand’s laws to make them more accessible to everyone, focusing on areas that impact the most people first.

If you’d like to see this particular legislation explained in plain language, please email us at hello@ackama.com with the subject “Plain language law” and mention this page — we’ll be happy to add it to our priority list.

Request a plain language version

Part 9Detention and monitoring
Warrants of commitment and release on conditions

317Decision on application for warrant of commitment

  1. On an application for a warrant of commitment, a District Court Judge—

  2. must, if satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the person is not the person named in the application for the warrant of commitment, order that the person be released from custody immediately:
    1. may, in any other case, either—
      1. issue a warrant of commitment in the prescribed form authorising the person’s detention, in a place named in the warrant, for a period of up to 28 days, if satisfied of the matters in subsections (2) and (3) (and having taken into account the matters in subsections (4) and (5)); or
        1. order the person’s release from custody on conditions under section 324F, if the Judge is not satisfied that detention is warranted.

        2. A Judge may issue a warrant of commitment if satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the person in custody is the person named in the application and that any 1 or more of the following applies:

        3. a craft is likely to be available, within the proposed period of the warrant of commitment, to take the person from New Zealand:
          1. the reasons why a craft was not available to take the person from New Zealand are continuing and are likely to continue, but not for an unreasonable period:
            1. the other reasons the person was not able to leave New Zealand are still in existence and are likely to remain in existence, but not for an unreasonable period:
              1. the person has not supplied satisfactory evidence of his or her identity.

                1. If subsection (2) does not apply, the Judge may, nevertheless, issue a warrant of commitment if it is, in all the circumstances, in the public interest to do so.

                2. In determining whether to issue a warrant of commitment, or whether to order the person’s release on conditions, the Judge must have regard to, among other things, the need to seek an outcome that maximises compliance with this Act.

                3. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the Judge must not release the person on conditions if—

                4. the identity of the person is unknown; or
                  1. the person’s identity has not been established to the satisfaction of the court; or
                    1. a direct or indirect reason for the person being unable to leave New Zealand is, or was, some action or inaction by the person occurring after the person was—
                      1. served with a deportation liability notice; or
                        1. arrested and detained for the purpose of deportation or turnaround.

                          Compare
                          Notes
                          • Section 317(1)(b)(ii): amended, on , by section 38(4) of the Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 75).
                          • Section 317(3): amended, on , by section 38(5) of the Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 75).
                          • Section 317(5)(d): repealed, on , by section 38(6) of the Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 75).