Prime Minister John Key says the Australian government will charter a flight to bring more than 10 Kiwi detainees to New Zealand.

More than 10 New Zealand-born detainees being held at Australia's Christmas Island detention centre will be flown to New Zealand within days, Prime Minister John Key says.

Speaking to reporters in Vietnam, Key said a number of detainees had responded to calls to process their appeals from New Zealand, the NZ Herald reported.

"I think the message has got through that they actually can go and register their appeals from New Zealand.

"The number is moving around a little bit so I probably won't put a number on it but it is certainly more than 10 is the number, I have been advised."

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Key said the Kiwis would be returned on a flight chartered by the Australian government.

It could take longer than a couple of days "but not a lot longer" for the detainees to return, he said.

Key said he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull about catching up at the Apec summit in the Phillippines "over a glass of red wine" to discuss the detainee issue.

"We will be getting together, there's no doubt about that. The form of the bilateral will be over a glass of red wine, hopefully New Zealand red wine.

"But yes, there will certainly be a sit-down and discussion about what's been happening and how things are playing out in New Zealand."

More than 500 Kiwis are currently in Australian detention centres awaiting deportation to New Zealand, after a tightening of the country's visa cancellation process put many in breach of the new rules.