As many as 220 Indian pilgrims, who were given one-month New Zealand visitor visas earlier in July, have left Auckland for Sydney on various flights Tuesday evening.

Some of those who are missing absconded from Auckland International Airport on arrival in New Zealand in early July, while others absconded from their billets, all but one leaving their luggage there, according to the Department of Labour.

The pilgrims were billeted with church members in Auckland, not specifically Indian Catholic families, under so-called Days in the Diocese programme.

"When they are located Immigration New Zealand will encourage the missing pilgrims to continue their travel, but their visitor permits allow them to remain legally in New Zealand until 5 or 6 August (i.e., one month after arrival - they arrived on different days in early July)," a spokesperson of the department said.

The pilgrims were issued with group visas for one month by Immigration New Zealand's New Delhi branch, in consultation with Australian authorities offshore and the Catholic Church in India, which had nominated the pilgrims for travel to World Youth Day and had carried out a robust verification process.

The passports of all the Indian pilgrims have been held by church leaders while they have been in New Zealand and were returned to those leaving at Auckland Airport Tuesday.

Immigration New Zealand is maintaining close contact with the Catholic Church in Auckland and Australian authorities in efforts to locate the missing pilgrims.