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PArtner Visa New Zealand

Living together in New Zealand – with the right visa by your side.

Partner Visa

Living together. Building a life in New Zealand.

HOW DO I GET A VISA AS THE PARTNER OF A NEW ZEALANDER?

If you are married to – or in a relationship with – a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or resident visa holder, you may be able to apply for a New Zealand partner visa and obtain the right to live in New Zealand.

For a visa application, both people need to meet certain requirements – the visa applicant as well as the New Zealand partner acting as sponsor. The most important requirement is that you have a New Zealand partner. You do not have to be married; de facto relationships are also recognised. Same-sex relationships can equally form the basis for a New Zealand partner visa.

Depending on how long you have already been living together, you may be able to apply directly for a Resident Visa (a permanent right to live in New Zealand) or you may first need to apply for a temporary visa.

Permanent PARTNER VISA FOR NEW ZEALAND

Direct pathway to a Resident Visa

To obtain a permanent right to live in New Zealand – a Resident Visa – as the partner of a New Zealander, the key requirement is a relationship with a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or resident visa holder. While that may sound straightforward, there are many details to consider. It is not enough simply to say that you are a couple. You must show that you are in a genuine, stable, long-term relationship, have been living together for at least 12 months and are running a shared household.

Providing evidence of the relationship in line with New Zealand immigration requirements can be more complex than expected and is often challenging. It is important to clearly demonstrate that the relationship is serious and intended to be long-term.

If you have not yet lived together, or have only been living together for a short time, you will not meet the requirements for a Resident Visa. This does not necessarily mean that there is no visa pathway for New Zealand. Temporary visas can be an interim solution that allow you to live together in New Zealand and build the basis for a later Resident Visa application.

A de facto relationship exists where two people are in a committed partnership – even if they are not married. What matters is that they live together and that the relationship is intended to be long-term. Same-sex partnerships are fully recognised as well.

With a Resident Visa you may live, work and study in New Zealand – in many respects similar to New Zealand citizens. However, a Resident Visa comes with travel conditions that limit your right to return to New Zealand to two years from the date it is granted. During this period, you may leave and re-enter the country as often as you wish.

Once this travel period has expired, you must apply either for a Permanent Resident Visa or for an extension of your travel conditions if you wish to keep travelling, even though your visa itself remains valid while you stay in New Zealand.

When the travel conditions on your Resident Visa have expired and you meet the relevant criteria, you can apply for Permanent Residency. To do so, you must show that you have lived in New Zealand for at least two years and have made it your main home – for example through the time you have spent in the country, your employment, property ownership or business activities.

A Permanent Resident Visa gives you the right to stay in New Zealand indefinitely, without being subject to travel conditions. You can leave and re-enter New Zealand at any time – even after a longer period overseas.

TEMPORARY PARTNER VISAS FOR NEW ZEALAND

BUILDING THE BASIS FOR A RESIDENT VISA

If you do not yet meet the requirements for a Resident Visa as the partner of a New Zealander, or if you are planning a temporary stay in New Zealand, there are specific visitor visas and work visas for partners of New Zealanders. Special rules apply when applying for these visas. Which option is most suitable depends on your personal circumstances and your plans for the stay.

Although these visas only allow a temporary stay, they can be an important step towards a permanent residence visa in New Zealand that you may apply for later on.

A Partner Visitor Visa allows you to live temporarily in New Zealand with your partner if they are a New Zealand citizen or resident visa holder.

This visa does not allow you to work.

Depending on the length of the relationship, it can be granted for up to 12 months, or for up to 36 months for longer-term relationships.

The 36 months are a maximum limit and can be made up of several consecutive visas.

A Partner Work Visa allows you to live in New Zealand and work without restriction if your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident visa holder.

Depending on the length of your relationship, it can be granted for a total of up to 36 months.

This visa is an ideal way to get established in New Zealand and prepare the transition to a Resident Visa.

After some time on a Partner Visitor Visa or Partner Work Visa, you may be able to apply for a Partner Resident Visa once you can show that you have lived together in a genuine relationship for at least 12 months. Your New Zealand partner must be a citizen or resident, and the relationship must still be ongoing.

This visa allows you to live in New Zealand permanently and is the next step towards Permanent Residency.

WHICH NEW ZEALAND VISA IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Are you already living together, or are you planning to move in together?
Is your partner a New Zealand citizen or resident?
Do you need a visa that is temporary to start with, or one that is permanent from the outset?

These are the questions that influence which visa is the best fit for your situation. Not every couple needs the same visa. In some cases, a visa that is not based on the relationship may be the most suitable approach.

Alternatives to partner visas

If you do not yet meet the requirements for a partner visa, or if a partner visa is not the right option for your circumstances, other visa types may be considered – for example a General Visitor Visa to visit your partner in New Zealand for a holiday.

A Student Visa may also be an option if you intend to start a course or training programme – it is important that genuine study is the main purpose in order to avoid a visa refusal.

If you receive a job offer and meet the relevant criteria, you may also be able to apply for a temporary work visa based on that employment.

These options can help you spend the necessary time living together and build the evidence needed for a later partner visa application – or they may provide a separate pathway to New Zealand residency based on employment.