NEW ZEALAND VISA OPTIONS FOR PARTNERS AND FAMILIES
If you are in a relationship with a citizen or resident, either in New Zealand or abroad, you may qualify for a temporary visa or even residence. INZ is happy to grant residence to partners and children if they can show that they have a genuine and stable relationship, and that they are living together. There are several other criteria INZ assess, but these are the big two.
You will need to show that you have lived together for at least 12 months to qualify for residence. If you own a home or share a tenancy agreement and you split all your bills, then this may be easy to prove. But what if your other flatmate is responsible for the bills? What if you and your partner have been traveling for the last few months? What if you have been back visiting your family for a while and your partner is still in New Zealand?
INZ are very thorough when they investigate relationships, so you will want to provide as much evidence as possible to show that you live with your partner. Visas for NZ licensed advisers have processed many partnership applications, and we have all sorts of unique and interesting methods you can try to prove your shared living arrangements.
This is often a hard thing for couples to prove because it is quite a vague concept. People often think that simply if they are married, their marriage certificate will be enough. But we have had hundreds of unmarried couples prove their relationship is genuine, and plenty of married couples that found out the hard way that their certificate alone isn’t enough.
You will need to prove that you and your partner have a loving relationship that is recognised by your family and friends, and that you both contribute domestically and financially to maintaining your relationship. This part often requires a wide range of evidence and can take months to prepare for. Make sure you get it right the first time.
There are many different types of visas available for partners depending on your circumstances, your partner’s visa status, and reasons for coming to NZ or staying in New Zealand. It is best to book a consultation with one of our licensed immigration advisers to provide you with your options, pros and cons.
TALK TO ONE OF OUR LICENSED IMMIGRATION ADVISERS TO DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONS
For each visa type there are many different rules surrounding the option to apply for these visas. These can range from visitor visas to residence visas.
You must prove that you are in a genuine and stable relationship, irrespective of whether you are married to be approved a partnership visa. For some visas there is a requirement that you are living together. Your partner must be a good character.
Partnership work visas allow you to work for any employer in any occupation and are generally for the same term as your partner visa. If your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident, then the visa could be approved for up to 2 years.
Below are some of the most common visas:
- Partners of student visa holder
- Partners of work visa holder
- Dependent children – If your child is under 18 years old, single and financially dependent on you, they may be eligible for a student visa or a visitor visa so they can live in New Zealand with you.
- Partners of New Zealand citizens or residents – you can still apply for these offshore or onshore at present and depending on how long you have been living together you may be able to apply for permanent residence direct without needing to come to New Zealand.
- Culturally arranged marriage
They Can Help You
Contact one of our advisors and they'll be happy to help.
