A Dunedin immigrant couple who gave birth to a child three days after their work visas expired now face a $31,000 hospital bill.

The couple, a Fiji-Indian family, have been left with a $31,815 hospital bill after their baby boy was born in Dunedin just three days after the parents’ New Zealand work visas expired.

Shalveen Sen and his wife, Swastika Chand, had lived in New Zealand for the past three years before their work visas expired in late June.

Attempts by the Otago Daily Times to reach the family were not successful. 

They have started a Givealittle page and said on the page had the birth occurred only a couple of days earlier, they would not have been faced with the overwhelming hospital bill.  

New Zealand healthcare costs are covered for those with the correct visas in most cases.

The family says they did not return to Fiji before the visas expired because Ms Chand had been medically advised not to travel during the third trimester due to complications with her pregnancy.

Their son, Nyshik Sen, was born at Dunedin Hospital on June 27.

Ms Chand worked as a healthcare assistant and was a member of the NZ Nurses Union.

She had sought advice with the union and it was looking to meet Immigration NZ officials.

The couple had been trying to renew their visas but were not successful last year.

The couple had sold everything in Fiji when they came to NZ.

They also have a young son.

They said in the Givealittle post, the burden of the hospital debt was beyond their current means.

They were deeply grateful for any support, kindness and prayers offered to their family.

As of Wednesday night, $4408 had been raised.

With no visas, the couple have the added problem of not being allowed to work so have no means to earn any money.