Partnership Visas
Navigating the complexities of immigration law can be overwhelming.
If you’re planning to join your partner in New Zealand, our team of experienced immigration lawyers is here to guide you through every step of the Partnership Visa process.
A Partnership Visa allows the partners of New Zealand citizens, residents, or eligible visa holders to live, work, or study in New Zealand. There are many different types of visas. There are restrictions on which temporary work and student visas can support partner visas.
Whether you’re applying for a temporary visa or seeking residency, the application requires solid proof of your relationship and careful attention to immigration rules.
Don’t leave your future in New Zealand to chance. Contact us and take the first step towards securing your visa!
Temporary visas
If you have lived with your partner for less than 12 months, your visa may be granted up to 1 year and you can apply for additional visas to stay up to 3 years in total. If you have lived with your partner for 12 months or more, your visa may be granted up to 3 years.
A partnership visitor or work visa can be granted up to 3 years.
Residence visas
A partnership resident visa can be applied for once you have lived with your partner for more than 12 months under one roof.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply for a Partnership Visa, you must meet the following criteria:
- Genuine and stable relationship: You must prove that your relationship is genuine, stable, and exclusive.
- Living together under one roof: Generally, couples need to show that they live together.
1. The amount of time you need to have lived together is different for temporary and resident visas.
2. It is different again for partner of expat kiwis who remain living overseas
3. There are visitor visas in some circumstances for those who have a genuine and stable relationship but have not lived together for cultural or religious reasons. - Health and Character Requirements: All applicants must meet health and character requirements.
- Your supporting partner must be in New Zealand at the same time as you. The only exception is long term partners of expat New Zealanders planning to remain overseas. If they have been living together for at least 5 years and remain overseas, they can apply for permanent residence (this is only for the partners of New Zealand Citizens).
Our immigration lawyers can help assess your eligibility and guide you in gathering strong evidence to meet these requirements.
Contact us today to receive expert advice and take the first step toward a smooth visa application process!
Evidence and Documentation
The most crucial part of a partnership visa application is providing convincing evidence.
As our client, we will provide you with a detailed checklist of documents to ensure nothing important is missed.
Contact us today and let our team guide you through the partnership visa process with expertise and care!
Types of partnership visas
These include:
- Visitor visa where a couple are in a genuine relationship but have not lived together under one roof.
- Work visa where a couple can show that they have lived together under one roof but for less than 12 months
- Residence visa – where a couple can show that they have lived under one roof for 12 months or more
- Permanent residence visa for partners of New Zealand citizens living offshore who can show that they have lived together under one roof but for 5 years or more and have been offshore for at least 3 years
Issues with partnership visas
When applying for a partnership visa, couples must demonstrate they have lived together in a genuine, stable relationship under one roof for at least 12 months. However, several challenges may arise:
- Insufficient Relationship Evidence: We can assess this.
- Living Apart: For residence visas couples who have not lived together for the required 12 months, may face difficulties in proving the stability of their relationship. Those who have not yet lived together under one roof also face challenges.
- Historical Evidence Gaps: We will explain the evidence required.
- Health and Character Issues: We will explain the requirements.
- Living Overseas Together: Different rules apply here for temporary and residence visas: We can help guide you through these.
- Partnership Interviews: Immigration New Zealand may request a partnership interview, which can be daunting without proper preparation.
Our immigration lawyers specialise in addressing these challenges, providing personalised advice and support throughout the application process. If you encounter difficulties, we’re here to help you navigate these issues effectively!
How Pacific Legal can support you
At Pacific Legal, we understand that the Partnership Visa process can be complex and challenging. Our dedicated team is here to provide comprehensive support at every step. Here’s how we would typically deal with a case. Some cases require immediate action.
- Initial inquiry : We will send an Initial details form within 1 – 2 days of your inquiry through our website.
- Free assessment : Assess your situation and available evidence. Once you return the form, we will get back to you within 3-5 working with an engagement letter including our initial comments and fee estimate: There is no obligation at this stage.
- Quick assessment : In suitable cases we offer a one assessment of evidence and eligibility and a video meeting for a fixed fee of $500 (plus GST). Further fees depend on the case.
- Request your files from Immigration New Zealand. One you sign up to our services we will write to Immigration New Zealand to check your Immigration history if you have applied previously. This normally take about 20 working days. In urgent cases we may do some work while waiting for this, but it is important to see how Immigration New Zealand have assessed you case. Time and again we have cases won or lost on checking the Immigration New Zealand file.
- Confirm advice. Within 10 working days of receiving the file we will. Explore options available to you and confirm our advice to you. We will send a detailed letter confirming our advice.
- Successfully assist you with your immigration matters. This includes:
1. Evidence checking.
2. Health and Character Waivers: Our experienced lawyers can assist in preparing submissions to support health or character waivers, ensuring that your application addresses any potential issues.
3. Interview Preparation and Support: We will thoroughly prepare you ahead of any partnership interviews and accompany you to ensure the interview is conducted fairly and properly.
4. Ability to escalate to senior management. Our reputation for being able to deal with unforeseen problems and to escalate urgent cases to management is second to none. We don’t bail out when your cases gets hard. - Proven Track Record : Pacific Legal has successfully supported numerous complex partnership visa cases. We are committed to striving for the best outcome for you and your partner.
Let us be your trusted partner in navigating the Partnership Visa process. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you!
Immigration & Visa Reviews
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FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
How is a partnership defined?
A partnership includes two people in a genuine and stable relationship who live together in:
- A legal marriage
- A civil union
- A de facto relationship
If you’re unsure if your relationship qualifies, contact us, and we can assess your eligibility.
How long do we need to live together to apply?
Immigration New Zealand generally requires couples to have lived together for at least 12 months under one roof.
If you have spent time apart during this period, you will need to explain the reasons and provide additional evidence showing that your relationship remained genuine.
Our team can help you gather and organise the required evidence to improve your application’s success.
What type of evidence is required to show we live together?
Evidence can include:
- Joint ownership or a home loan for a property
- Joint rental agreements or receipts
- Joint utility bills (e.g., power, internet, or phone)
- Mail addressed to both or either partner at the same address
For some visa types, such as the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa, you must show 12 months of living together before applying.
We can guide you on the best way to present your evidence and ensure everything is correctly documented.
How can we prove our relationship is genuine and stable?
You must show that your relationship is recognized by others, and that you share responsibilities and leisure activities together. Evidence can include:
- Marriage or civil union certificates
- Birth certificates of shared children
- Joint bank accounts, credit cards, or shared financial arrangements
- Cards, letters, or emails sent between you
- Social media posts or photos together
- Letters of support from friends and family
If you’re unsure what evidence to include, reach out to us for a personalised consultation to strengthen your application.
What happens if we spent time living apart?
If you have lived apart, you need to explain:
- Why you were separated
- How long you were apart
- How you maintained contact during the separation
We assess whether there were genuine reasons for the separation and if your relationship remained stable.
Our team can help you create a strong explanation that addresses any concerns about your time apart.
What factors does Immigration New Zealand consider when assessing our relationship?
Immigration New Zealand considers:
- How long you have been together
- Your level of commitment to building a life together
- Any children you share and your care arrangements
- Your living and financial arrangements
These factors help determine if your relationship is genuine and stable.
We can review your case and ensure that all relevant aspects of your relationship are properly documented and submitted.
Can I still apply if I have a criminal record?
Yes, but all visa applicants are required to demonstrate ‘good character’ to qualify for a visa.
If you have any concerns about meeting this requirement, it’s important to seek professional advice early. We can assess your situation and advise whether applying for a Character Waiver is a viable option.
Our experts can evaluate your situation and guide you through the process of applying for a Character Waiver if necessary.
How long does it take to get a partnership resident visa for New Zealand?
The processing time for a partnership resident visa in New Zealand can vary.
On average, it may take between 6 to 12 months, depending on factors such as the completeness of your application, the need for additional information or interviews, and current processing volumes at Immigration New Zealand.
We can help you avoid delays by ensuring your application is accurate, complete, and well-prepared.
I have broken up with my partner after getting my residence. Will my partnership residence visa be affected?
If the relationship was genuine and stable up to the point of Immigration New Zealand(INZ) approving the decision, then there should be no issues.
If the relationship was already unstable before the residence was granted, this was not made known to INZ at the time, and your partner informs INZ of this, then there could be issues if INZ decided to investigate.
Contact us if your relationship status changes, and we’ll help you manage the situation with INZ to protect your residency.
What happens if my application is denied?
If your partnership visa is declined, we can review your case, explore appeals, and guide you on other visa options.
You can appeal each Immigration New Zealand decision only once. The Tribunal cannot accept an appeal if you have no right of appeal. Time is critical, as there is a set period within which appeals must be lodged.
It’s crucial to act fast if your application is denied. Get in touch with us for expert advice on how to proceed!
Make a start to the process by contacting us
