Conservative commentator Candace Owens has been denied a visa to enter New Zealand for a speaking engagement, with immigration officials confirming Thursday that the decision was tied to her being banned from another country. The ruling comes just weeks after Australia also refused her entry, citing her controversial statements about Holocaust denial and other incendiary remarks.
Owens, known for her polarizing views on topics like Black Lives Matter, feminism, and vaccines, had planned a speaking tour in both Australia and New Zealand early next year. The events, scheduled for February and March, were set to focus on free speech and her Christian faith. Despite her visa refusals, tickets for the tour remain on sale, and the promoter’s website makes no mention of the bans.
Immigration officials in New Zealand clarified that Owens was refused an entertainer’s work permit because their laws prohibit issuing visas to individuals banned from another country. Jock Gilray, spokesperson for the immigration agency, stated, “Visas legally cannot be granted to those who have been excluded from another country.” The decision followed Australia’s October ban, where Immigration Minister Tony Burke strongly opposed Owens’ entry, citing her divisive rhetoric.
“Australia’s national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else,” Burke said, highlighting her comments about Holocaust denial and Muslims. Australian Jewish organizations had lobbied for her exclusion, emphasizing the harm her rhetoric could cause to community cohesion.
Owens has long courted controversy, amassing over 3 million YouTube followers while frequently igniting backlash. Critics accuse her of promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitism. She faced widespread condemnation in July for minimizing the Holocaust in a YouTube video, and her denial of Nazi medical experiments on Jewish concentration camp prisoners added to the outrage.
Earlier this year, Owens parted ways with The Daily Wire, where she had hosted an online talk show since 2021. She cited clashes with the outlet’s founders over her remarks about Jews and her opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel. Her departure marked a turning point in her career, as she doubled down on her controversial stances.
While her promoters marketed the tour as an opportunity to discuss free speech, her critics argue that Owens’ speech often borders on hate speech. Australian officials expressed concerns about her potential to incite discord, with Burke stating she “has the capacity to incite discord in almost every direction.”
New Zealand’s decision to deny her entry reflects its strict visa policies rather than an explicit condemnation of her political views. However, the refusal underscores the challenges Owens faces in gaining international acceptance as she pushes her polarizing message to global audiences.
Neither Owens nor the Australia-based promoter, Rocksman, responded to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the fate of her speaking tour remains unclear, as tickets continue to be sold despite the visa setbacks. The bans from both countries have further fueled debate about the limits of free speech versus the need to protect communities from divisive rhetoric.