New Zealand's Partnership Visas:

If you and your partner are living together in a stable relationship, and one of you is a New Zealand Citizen or Resident, you might be able to apply for a work or resident visa based on your relationship.

Partnership visas are a great opportunity for couples to build a life together in New Zealand without the need to secure a job offer or make a significant investment.

Partnership Visas:

Work Visas and Residence Visas

If you have a partner who is a NZ resident or citizen,
you might qualify for a work or residence visa.

Work Visa:

This policy allows partners of New Zealand citizens or residents to obtain a work visa for 12 to 24 months, during which they can establish the required 12 months of living together in a partnership to qualify for residence.

This visa allows you to live and work in New Zealand with no restrictions, however, the length of the visa will depend on how long you have lived together with your NZ partner.

If you have lived together with your partner for less than 12 months, your visa will be granted for 1 year (for the first year). Further visas might be granted for a maximum of 2 years.

If you have lived with your NZ partner for more than 12 months you will receive a 2-year visa.

Resident Visa:

This Resident Visa can be obtained after 12 months of living together.

Immigration NZ can grant the partner of a New Zealand resident or citizen and any dependent children the opportunity to live in New Zealand indefinitely.

Can you prove that you have a genuine relationship with a New Zealand citizen or resident?

‍Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has recently tightened the rules and the assessment process has become far more stringent, with officials closely scrutinising applications even more than before, to ensure the genuineness of relationships.

Partnership visa applicants must provide extensive evidence to prove they are living in a genuine partnership with a New Zealand citizen or resident:

Evidence of mutual contributions to the partnership: Shared financial responsibilities and contributions to the household are crucial.
Evidence of time spent together: INZ looks for proof that the couple spends quality time together and shares their daily life.
Documentation of times of separation during the relationship: Any periods of separation, such as for work commitments, must be thoroughly documented and explained.

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Required Documentation

‍When applying for a partnership visa you should be prepared to provide extensive documentation:

Partnership evidence
Partner Sponsorship
General visa application documents

In addition to the documentation you will submit to prove your relationship status, you must provide evidence showing that your New Zealand partner fully supports your visa application.

Further documents you will need, as for any visa application, are Police Certificates (character) and Health Certificates (medicals).

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Advantages of the Partnership Visa

New Zealand's Partnership Visas, both work and residence visas, offer several benefits:

‍‍Work Rights - The partner can work in New Zealand without needing a separate work visa.
No Job Offer Required - Unlike other visa categories, a job offer is not necessary.
No Investment Needed - There's no requirement for significant financial investment.
Path to Permanent Residence - Partnership visas provide a clear route to permanent residency in New Zealand.

Challenges and Considerations

While the partnership visa offers an excellent opportunity, applicants should be aware of:

The increased scrutiny from INZ
The need for comprehensive documentation
The importance of maintaining a genuine, stable relationship
Potential processing delays due to lack of thorough checks

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Our Principal Immigration Adviser Dr. Carsten Hallwass says:

"New Zealand's partnership visa policy is an attractive option for couples looking to build a life together in New Zealand.

While recent INZ developments have made the process more rigorous, well-prepared couples with genuine relationships should still find this a viable path to residency."

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Will you qualify for a Partnership Visa?

If you are currently in a relationship with a New Zealander, whether already in New Zealand or overseas, get in contact with our team of Immigration Advisers.

We can help you navigate the process of collecting and presenting the right information, so you can worry less about complications and delays and focus more on planning a life together.

‍Ask our Licensed Immigration Advisers whether you may qualify.

The rest of the letter has 4 parts and should be succinct
(never more than 1 page):

1. Opening

Open with a strong statement giving the reason you are applying for the position.

2. Professional background
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What you have you been doing, relevant to the role you are applying for. Be skills/achievements focused and focused on what you can bring to the company rather than what the company can do for you.

3. Personal fit

What kind of person are you (hint: mention your qualities which are aligned to the
role)

4. Motivations
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Your motivation for wanting to settle in NZ and why you want to live in that particular area. Invite the reader to contact you if they have any questions about your application.