Durante, the captain of the Wellington Phoenix, is keen to play for his adopted country and it was hoped the paperwork would all be completed by this Friday night.
But yesterday afternoon, New Zealand Football high performance manager Fred de Jong was still waiting to get the official all clear from Fifa.
He had received some documentation from Fifa that showed Durante was fine to play and, without prejudice, he meets the requirements.
But Fifa also said that, unfortunately, it could not confirm Durante was eligible to play.
So de Jong has gone back to Fifa and sought more clarity on the issue. He was unsure when a response from Fifa would arrive.
But with the All Whites assembling yesterday and starting to train today, time is running out for the defender. He is in the camp and will train with the rest of the team.
De Jong admitted it would be a big risk to play him if he had not received a complete clearance. He said the rules from Fifa said a player was not listed as an international if they did not play or take part in a game for another country. Durante (30) was on the bench for Australia in 2010 in an Asian Cup match but did not take the field. He has been in New Zealand for five years.
De Jong said the decision on whether he played lay ultimately with coach Ricki Herbert.
