Tens of thousands of people could be affected by a fresh legal action against the suspension of offshore visa applications.

An Auckland law firm is seeking a judicial review of two recent decisions by Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi, over his suspension of applications and his instructions to lapse or refund offshore applications.

Lawyer Pooja Sundar says they're acting on behalf of an Auckland man, whose husband is stuck in China.

But she told Mike Yardley  the case will have implications for many couples and families, particularly those who haven't lived together before, but want to be reunited.

“You’ve got people from backgrounds of ethnic origin, you’ve got those who are of a different religion, of a different sexual orientation which means their societies may not allow them to actually live together before marriage, or live together at all.”

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