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Being able to have family or partners with you in New Zealand
There are many options available to migrants who are in partnership relationships with NZ citizens or NZ visa holders. These range from temporary visitor or work visas, to residence visas. It all depends on your relationship – and FRENZ can do an eligibility assessment to discuss your pathway with your partner.
Partnership Visa where where the Partner holds a work or student visa
If you are a Partner of a Work Visa holder or Student visa holder, you may be eligible for a work visa for the same duration as your partner’s work/student visa
- You must satisfy Immigration New Zealand that you have lived/live together in a relationship.
- You must be of good character and in good health.
Partners of work visa holders can get open work visas – with conditions. They must work for an Accredited Employer and be paid the relevant median wage.
The only exception to this, is if your supporting partner is holding an Accredited Employer Work Visa for an occupation on the ‘Green List’. If this is the case, you can be eligible for an open work visa with no conditions.
What is the Green List and what’s on it? For the dairy industry, this is having the Herd Manager title
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Partnership Visa where the partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident visa holder
If you have lived together with a New Zealand partner for less than 12 months, you may be eligible for a work visa. The length of the work visa may depend on the amount of time you have lived with your New Zealand partner.
- You must satisfy Immigration New Zealand that your relationship is genuine and stable.
- You must provide evidence of the duration of the relationship
- You must be of good character and in good health.
Partnership Based Resident Visa where the partner holds NZ resident visa, or is a New Zealander
With the Family Category, as a partner of a New Zealand Citizen or Resident Visa Holder, you may be eligible to apply for Residence on the basis of your relationship.
INZ will assess the relationship and will require evidence that it is genuine and stable and that you have been living together for at least 12 months. Additionally,
- You must meet health and character requirements; but,
- You do not need to prove your English language ability for this type of residence visa.
Visitor Visas where partners haven’t lived together or haven’t yet lived together enough
If you are in a genuine relationship with a partner living overseas but have not lived with them due to working abroad, or have a culture that doesn’t allow living together before marriage, Immigration NZ has options for your parter to apply for a visitor visa:
- Culturally arranged marriage
- General Visitor Visa
Requirements for these types of visas vary from person to person, however:
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You must satisfy Immigration New Zealand that you are in a relationship that is genuine and stable.
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You must provide evidence of the duration of the relationship
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You must be of good character and in good health.
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The applicant may need to provide evidence that they will return to their home country following the expiry of their visa
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If applying under culturally arranged marriage, they need to prove that the relationship was arranged by people outside of the couple and in line with local culture
Dependent Children of visa holders or NZ residents/citizens can be eligible for visitor, student or resident visas based on their relationship with their parent/s.
- Visitor visas for those under 5 years of age
- Student visas for those 5-18 years of age
For Resident Visa, children aged up to 24 can be included; however, if they are aged 19-24 they must be single, financially dependent on their parents and have no children of their own.
Contact us for help…
- If you’re an employer looking to bring in an overseas worker and need to know more about our services, you can call us at 0800 891 314
- If you want to secure a position or obtain work eligibility, you can contact us or fill out a quick form and we’ll contact you.
If we can help you, we’ll contact you with our terms and all the relevant documents (as required under the Code of Conduct for Licensed Immigration Advisors by the Immigration Advisors Association of New Zealand).
