Requirements For Partnership Visa In New Zealand
In this article I’m going to discuss the requirements for a partnership visa in New Zealand. Also, we’ll see what is the processing time taken by New Zealand government in issuing a visa to foreign partners of New Zealand citizens and residents.
In order to be eligible for a partnership visa in New Zealand, you will need to meet the following criteria:
People who are not citizens of New Zealand have to secure a visa to enable them to live in the country. One of the visa types is the partnership visa. This article focuses on the requirements for this specific visa type.
TL;DR: a non-citizen spouse that has been in New Zealand for more than 183 days qualifies for a partnership visa.
Requirements For Partnership Visa In New Zealand
If you and your partner are living together in a stable relationship, and one of you is a New Zealand Citizen or Resident, you can apply for a work or resident visa based on your relationship.
Which visa best fits your situation will depend on a variety of factors, including how long you have lived together, and your personal goals.
Border Exemption Alert:
If you are a partner of NZ Resident or Citizen and you are overseas, you may qualify to come to New Zealand now, while our borders are still mostly closed.
Find out about your eligibility to move now +
Work vs Residence
If you have a partner who is a NZ resident or citizen,
you might qualify for a work or residence visa.
Option 1: Work Visa
Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa:
This Work Visa can be obtained after a short time living together in a relationship.
This kind of visa allows you to live and work in New Zealand with no restrictions, however the length of the visa will depend on how long you have lived together.
The length of the visa (in most cases):
Time spent living together with partner:
Length of visa:
Less than 12 months
1 year
More than 12 months
2 years
Option 2: Residence Visa
Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa:
This Resident Visa can be obtained after 12 months living together (in most cases).
Immigration NZ can grant the non-resident applicant and any dependent children the opportunity to live indefinitely in the country. This can pave the way to a New Zealand permanent residency.
Applying for a Partner Work or Resident Visa:
There are several aspects to consider when applying for a Partner of a New Zealander Work or Resident Visa. You will have to provide a substantial amount of information to satisfy the requirements of Immigration NZ.
You also need to account for processing times, which at present can be over 6 months for a Work Visa and over 12 months for a Residence Visa. This puts a premium on making sure everything in your application is correct, and nothing is missing, to avoid delays and unnecessary stress.
The basic criteria Immigration NZ requires to recognise a relationship as one with the potential to be successful in a partnership based visa application is that the applicants must be living together in a genuine and stable relationship;this can be a legal marriage, a civil union or a de facto relationship.
Requirements:
Partners must:
- Have met each other before the application
- Be 18 or over (unless being 16/17 and having the parents/guardians consent)
- Not be close relatives
Other supporting evidence:
To be successful in a partnership application, you have to offer supporting evidence to a set of requirements.
These include:
- Identity: you must provide a valid ID and passport-style photos
- Health: you must be in good health. Depending on visa specific details, there may be mandatory medical examinations you have to undergo
- Police Records: you may have to provide evidence that you have no criminal convictions from every country you hold citizenship, and every country you have lived in for more than five years since you turned 17
- Genuine Intentions: you will have to provide evidence of living together and going activities as part of a ‘stable relationship’. Formal documents like a joint bank account or a joint tenancy agreement are the most advisable. Letters from supporting friends, messenger conversations, and anything that clearly shows the veracity of your relationship will help make amore robust application.
- The supporting partner: must be a NZ Citizen or Resident and be eligible to sponsor you
- Funds or sponsorship: for the partnership Work Visa, you must provide evidence of an income or the funds to be able to afford the costs of living in the country if granted this New Zealand Visa.
Will you qualify for a Partnership Visa?
If you are currently in a relationship with a New Zealander, whether already in New Zealand or overseas, get in contact with our team of Immigration Advisers.
We can help you navigate the process of collecting and presenting the right information, so you can worry less about complications and delays and focus more on planning a life together. Ask our Licensed Immigration Advisers whether you may qualify.