New Zealand spouse/partner visa

A spouse visa allows you to live permanently in New Zealand if you are the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident visa holder.

You can reunite your partner or spouse with a New Zealand spouse visa, and they are eligible to live, work, and study in New Zealand for as long as they wish.

The following are the benefits of a New Zealand Partner Visa:

  1. A spouse visa for New Zealand has no age limit.
  2. IELTS scores are not required.
  3. Points are not awarded and there are no qualifications.
  4. There are many things you can do in New Zealand, including living, working, studying, and doing business.
  5. Benefits such as health insurance, Medicare, and social security are available to you.

New Zealand partner visa requirements/ Eligibility

The following requirements must be met in order to apply for a New Zealand spouse visa.

Age:
When applying for a New Zealand Partner visa, you and your sponsor partner must be at least 18 years old.

Partnership requirements:
Following are the factors that the New Zealand immigration officer considers when assessing your partnership.

  • Can you tell me how long you’ve been together?
  • What is the duration of your relationship as a couple?
  • Are you financially supportive of each other?
  • What is the best way to share financial responsibilities with your partner?
  • What is your level of commitment to a life together?
  • The type of property you own together or the property you share.
  • Have you ever had children together, and how did you arrange their care?
  • Is it common for you to share household tasks on a daily basis?
  • What is the perception of your relationship with other people?

Have eligible sponsor:
New Zealand sponsors are required for your partner

Other requirements:
If you and your partner want to apply for a New Zealand partner visa, both of you must prove that:

  1. It is important that you and your partner are in good health.
  2. It is important that both of you are good people.
  3. The citizen or resident of New Zealand must be your partner.
  4. It is essential that your application be supported by an eligible partner.
  5. To apply for a New Zealand spouse visa, you and your partner must have been living together for at least 12 months.
  6. At the time of marriage, both partners must be at least 18 years old
  7. Before applying, they should be known each other and have met.
  8. They do not meet the definition of close relatives under Schedule 2 of the Marriage Act 1955 or Schedule 2 of the Civil Union Act 2004, New Zealand.

How to apply for New Zealand Spouse visa from India/ Zealand Spouse visa process steps

Steps for applying for a New Zealand partner or spouse visa are listed below

Stage 1: Prepare your documents:
Providing accurate, authentic documents and information is the first step of the process, such as identification documents, documents regarding your relationship with your partner, documents regarding your character, and documents concerning dependents.

Imagine submitting false or misleading information or bogus documents. If that happens, your application will be rejected, and you will not be able to apply for any visas in the future.

Stage 2: Partner supports your application:
After preparing your documents, you will need to get the support of your partner who lives in New Zealand, in order to apply for citizenship or a resident permit. It is necessary for them to complete a ‘Partnership Support Form for Residence’ and provide all supporting documents to prove that they are eligible to sponsor your application.

Stage 3 Apply for NZ spouse/partner visa:
An application for residence must be completed at this stage. Additionally, the Applicant attaches documents related to their employment, qualifications, and personal information. Only credit cards are accepted for visa application fees.

Stage 4: New Zealand spouse/ partner visa outcome:
An independent third party will verify your documents and examine your application against preset standards. In the case of the defined category, you can show that you meet the prerequisites. A positive assessment will lead to the granting of your New Zealand spouse visa, and you will be instructed to depart within 12 months of the date your visa was granted.

New Zealand Spouse visa fee & Processing Time

In order to apply for a New Zealand spouse visa, you will need to determine where you will be applying from and how you will be applying (online or by mail).

There is a 10-month processing time for spouse visas in New Zealand; however, it may vary depending on the circumstances

Using a Visa, MasterCard, or UnionPay credit card, you can pay your New Zealand spouse visa fee online (only available to New Zealanders or Australians).

New Zealand spouse visa fee (NZD 2250)

Applications declined or rejected for any reason by Immigration New Zealand will not be refunded.

How long does it take to get a New Zealand spouse visa?
The standard processing time for New Zealand spouse visas is 8-10 months. This timeframe is currently met by 90% of applications. In any case, it may be determined by

  1. A high standard of document quality
  2. Time to respond to ADR
  3. Applying from a particular location
  4. There is already a queue for an application.

Documents requirements for New Zealand spouse/partner visa

Applicants for New Zealand spouse visas must provide true and accurate information and documents. Ensure that all documents that are not in English are translated into English. A transparent copy and a color copy of the original document must be submitted.

Please note:- Intentionally or unintentionally submitting falsified documents or information is illegal. In this case, your application will not only be denied but you may also be banned for ten years from applying for further applications.

Please find the New Zealand spouse visa documents checklist

Passport:
It is required that you provide the most recent page of your passport containing your personal details. Ensure that your signature appears on this page.

Marriage certificate:
Please note that certificates issued by the gurudwara, trust, or other religious organization are not acceptable for proving your marital status.

Photograph:
An official passport-sized color photograph (35x45mm with white background) must be provided.

Character documents:
If you spent more than 12 months in another country other than your home country, you must provide a police certificate from both countries.

Your relationship with your partner:
A continuing relationship must be demonstrated between you and your sponsor or spouse. Documents supporting your request can be provided as follows.

Please provide a copy of your marriage certificate if you are married.

A mutual commitment between you and your spouse may also be supportive documents. Please find below the additional documents that prove your relationship.

Finances:- Your partner and you can demonstrate how your finances are shared.

Your household:- Your partner and you should be able to demonstrate how domestic matters are shared.

Commitment:- It is important to demonstrate to each other how committed you are to a long-term relationship.

Social matters:- Provide evidence that your relationship is known to others.

Qualification Documents:
Qualifications are additional documents that support your application. The qualification documents are not mandatory, but it is recommended that all qualifications be submitted to ensure a positive impact on the application.

New Zealand Partner Documents:
Your partner must provide the following documents in order to become a sponsor

  1. I.D. verification
  2. Proof of address – Permanent residence card, citizenship card, etc.
  3. Bank statements, tax returns, and other financial documents
  4. A bill for electricity or gas is an example of a utility bill
  5. Certificate of Character

There may be a few documents that differ from case to case; the documents listed here are standard. Please contact our New Zealand Partner visa experts for more information about case-specific document requirements.

Applicants for a New Zealand spouse visa must provide true information & genuine documentation. Ensure that all documents that are not in English are translated into English. Please provide clear, color copies of the original documents.

Please note:- False and misleading information or bogus documents intentionally or unintentionally will not only lead to the denial of your application but may result in a ten-year ban from applying for any type of application.

Is IELTS required for a New Zealand spouse Visa?

New Zealand spouse visas and permanent residency in New Zealand require the spouse or partner to take IELTS with a minimum score in order to qualify.

How much does a New Zealand partner Visa cost?

There is a non-refundable fee of $ 2,250 for the New Zealand partner visa. A credit card or debit card can be used for payment if the applicant applies for the partner visa NZ online.

How long does it take to get a New Zealand Spouse Visa?

It may take up to 12 months to process the New Zealand spouse visa application. It takes 12 months to process 90% of all applications.

Do you have a live-together for a partner visa?

New Zealand partner visa applicants must provide evidence in terms of documents proving that they remain committed to each other at present and that their relationship remains genuine. The following are some of the documents you will need to provide.

  • Certificate of marriage/certificate of civil union
  • Your relationships are recognized
  • If you have children, please provide their birth certificates
  • Accounts in joint names
  • You both must provide proof of your mailing addresses
  • The joint utility bills, joint credit cards, joint purchases, and the joint assets of a couple
  • Here are some photos of the couple together

There is no requirement that you provide every document demonstrating your relationship, but more documents will ensure that you are approved for a partner visa in New Zealand.

Do you have to live together to qualify for an NZ partnership?

The NZ partnership visa is only available to couples who live together. Upon separation from your partner since the end of your relationship due to some reason, you are obligated to answer the following questions.

  • Living apart was due to a number of reasons
  • Staying away from one another for a certain period of time
  • When you were separated, how did you stay in touch with each other?

Can I bring my girlfriend to NZ?

A New Zealand partner visa allows you to bring your girlfriend to New Zealand under a de facto relationship. You both must fulfill all the requirements of the de facto relationship. An official definition of a de facto relationship is one where two people live together in a common household as a couple. Their relationship is not married or civilly unionized.

What are the requirements for a partnership visa in New Zealand?

In order to obtain a New Zealand partnership visa, you must meet the following requirements:

  • It is necessary for both partners to be over the age of 18 years old (parents’ consent may be required for applicants between 16 and 17 years old).
  • New Zealand partnership visas can only be applied for by couples in a committed relationship
  • It is not a good idea for them to be close relatives.
  • Stable and genuine relationships are essential
  • Vacation accommodation must be shared by both of them
  • Documents proving civil unions or marriages are required
  • Bank statements for joint accounts
  • Agreement for joint rental
  • Their birth certificates for any children they have together
  • Couples photos showing both partners
  • You may also provide evidence in the form of documents to prove that your relationship is harmonious

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