Bouwer appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board in Christchurch yesterday and asked for parole to be declined because of his poor health, his lawyer, David More, said last night.
The South African native and former head of psychological medicine at the University of Otago is serving a life sentencefor murdering wife Annette, by administering a cocktail of drugs intended to mimic the symptoms of a rare tumour, between September 1999 and her unexpected death on January 5, 2000.
In September 2001, Bouwer was jailed for a minimum non-parole period of 13 years. That period was increased to 15 years after an appeal by the Crown.
He is subject to a deportation order and will return to South Africa when parole is granted.
"Parole is being declined at his request because he has some physical ailments and can't travel at the moment,'' Mr More said.
"That's about all I can tell you.''
Mr More has previously said Bouwer did not want the details of his illness publicly discussed.
Bouwer's bid for parole was also declined by the board last year as he remained an undue risk to the community.However, he claimed at that hearing he would be launching an appeal with the Privy Council against his conviction as his original defence case was wrong.
He told the board, at last year's hearing, he assisted his wife to commit suicide when she became ill as part of a suicide pact between the pair.
Claims of Bouwer's illness emergd in April, when Mr More said no appeal had been launched because Bouwer "isn't well at the moment''.
Following his wife's death, Bouwer travelled to South Africa and returned bald and without his trademark beard. He told people the changes were a result of chemotherapy he had for prostate cancer. It emerged that story was false.
A parole board spokesman said Bouwer's parole decision had yet to be officially released.
It is understood the board has not received any applications for compassionate release.
Mr More said last night he had yet to hear how long it would be before Bouwer next appeared before the board.
