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domestically and in Hong Kong; “vast potential of philanthropic benefits to NZ”; “vast potential for venture capital”; buying “NZ’s most expensive home” — the $35 million Coatesville mansion — and $12 million on two other properties.

“The applicant is exactly the type of high-net worth individual the government seeks to attract,” he wrote.

Immigration NZ business immigration specialist Chris Biggs emailed staff who were checking Dotcom’s documents to tell them the case had become a “very urgent sensitive issue”. Senior managers at Immigration NZ had been approached by Dotcom and Malcolm Pacific “and I have been advised that a decision must be made on this application with utmost urgency”.

The decision was all but made. A sticking point was Dotcom’s convictions: “The only evidence of these convictions is the applicant’s own admissions and the letter from the applicant’s solicitor in Germany,” Biggs wrote. The department was stymied by Dotcom’s honesty — the convictions had been wiped and could not be checked.

“I have given careful consideration to the unfavourable material about the applicant on the internet and in the media. However, I have found no credible evidence that would substantiate any of that material.”

Biggs offered arguments against and for granting residency. There was no real reason to accept Dotcom will serve the “national interest”. He has been convicted of dishonesty, wrote Biggs, and there is much negative publicity. “Overall, I do not consider that is in the national interest that the applicant be granted residence.”

And then he added: “There is also the matter of the $10 million the applicant will invest in New Zealand under the terms of the Investor 1 policy, should he be granted residence. This is not an inconsiderable sum of money . . . It will directly assist the economy at a time when it is surely needed.”

While Immigration NZ clearly felt it was working hard to clear a path, Dotcom also believed he was being called on to go to extreme measures which he did because of a “desire to do this for my family. I had to jump through hoops for people. You wouldn’t believe it . . . I am someone who demands a certain level of respect, I don’t jump through hoops for people. I swallowed a lot of stuff just because I thought it was the right thing to do for my family. I went to the medical check up for my residency application. That guy made me strip. There was a bit of wax in my ear, they made me get a big thing with hot water pushing into my ear so they could see my eardrum. Really I was in pain, and I went through all kinds of stuff just so I could get my medical checks done.

“All the things you had to do — I can tell you right now, someone who isn’t in my situation who wants this badly for his family would say

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