If your skilled migrant partner who is the principal applicant is applying for a visa, be it as a visitor, worker, or a resident, or they are already a New Zealand citizen or have a residence visa, you may be able to gain a visa yourself.
The conditions placed on the partner vary depending on the skills, salary, or occupation of the principal applicant.
The main issue for partnership visas of any type is that you need to provide solid evidence that your relationship is genuine, stable, and you have been living together for at least 12 months. Please note, time period can change subject to immigration NZ policy.
The person you are applying under must be able to support your application. Many documents are required as proof, and you need to discuss what is acceptable proof with your immigration adviser.
Immigration NZ define partnership as 2 people who live together in a genuine and stable relationship. You will be required to provide evidence of your partnership and that you and you partner are living together. If you are in doubt as to whether you qualify, it is essential to consult your Licensed Immigration Adviser. There may well be other considerations not noted below.
A broad guideline follows
Living together means sharing the same home as your partner.
This does not include spending time in each other’s homes while you each maintain your own home, sharing accommodation while on holiday, or living as flatmates in the same house.
Showing you are living together in a genuine and stable relationship can include a variety of evidence and requires multiple forms of evidence.
Immigration NZ list some of the following in their operations manual:
Joint ownership of, or home loan for, residential property
A joint rental agreement or rental receipts
Joint utility accounts, such as power or phone bills
Joint or individual mail sent to your shared address
Others recognise your relationship
You make decisions and plans together
You spend leisure time together
You parent together if you have children
Evidence can also include marriage or civil union certificates, birth certificates for any children you share, joint bank accounts, joint ownership of any assets through to financial arrangement between you both, letters of support that recognise your relationship, social media posts and photos of you together to name a few. There are many more.
Before submitting a partnership application, it is essential to consult your Licensed Immigration Adviser.
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