Newcastle Jets officials were left red-faced once again when Chinese striker Zhang Shuo was unable to enter New Zealand due to a visa bungle.

As the Jets went to board their flight to Wellington for Sunday's clash with the Phoenix (which they lost 1-0), Zhang was not allowed on the plane at Sydney airport because he did not have the required paperwork.

It is the same circumstances that faced Italian import Fabio Vignaroli last season and Jets CEO John Tsatsimas could not really explain why the situation has now occurred twice.

"It was just an administrative oversight," he told the Newcastle Herald.

"It's something that we've got to review in terms of how we go about those things. But what do you do?"

It was disappointment for Zhang, who has had a tough time of it with Newcastle, but managed to score his first goal for the club the week prior. He will, however, be in the squad to take on the Melbourne Victory tonight.