Partnership based visa applications
Partnership based visas (visitor, work and residence) are visas for people in a genuine and stable relationship with a New Zealand Citizen or resident, or eligible work or student visa holder. The criteria that needs to be met are especially being in a genuine relationship, having good health and character and that the supporting NZ partner has not been convicted of domestic violence or any crime of a sexual nature, and has not supported another person for residence before or only one person more than 5 years previous.
The actual criteria are not so difficult, but proving that they are met can be very problematic. The reason is that these categories are one of the most abused, and INZ know clearly that many partnership based applications are fake. From this starting point, it should be clear that merely providing the supporting documentation asked for in the application form is not going to be enough. For example a partnership based visitor visa requires approximately 3 times the amount of work that a normal vsiitor visa does.
Process and fees
We manage the entire process for couples who do not want to take any risk of being forced apart by the New Zealand Government. The levels of visa from visitor - work - residence should be seen as a coordinated set of applications, all with overlapping but ever-increasing complexity and detail.
We provide guidance on how to prepare to gather genuine and correct supporting documentation, the form in whcih support letters should be written, what kind of evidence actually proves each specific requirement, and so on. This is a process which tends to be continuous and not just confined to the times of application. Sometimes a couple's routine and way of living needs to be adjusted to fit with what INZ expect genuine couples to do and be able to provide. Everyone has a different way of approaching life, but for a vsia application there may well be things which need to change.
Once one application is complete and approved, we guide our clients on how to prepare for the next one, and the invariable challenges from INZ before it is approved.
Our fixed fee service includes answering every PPI or request for information from INZ, advice and guidance on preparing for interviews and your legal rights when immigration officers suddenly turn up for an inspection. it also includes a continuous hands on approach to every application, right until the end.
See our costs page for indicative prices on applications. Package rates are possible for combined applications such as for managing the whole process, or a work visa combiend with partnership work visa, etc.
Lack of fairness
If you keep an eye on the news in New Zealand you will see media attention for many genuine couples who have been refused a vsia and have had to separate because of this. At the same time, we hear of people who have left their supporting partner the day after getting residence or who have paid for residence. This is unfair and it shouldn't happen, but the facts are clear that it does, and the reasons are simple; genuine couples who don't prepare their application properly run a high risk of being declined and separated, even fake couples who prepare their applications properly and professionally have a higher chance of being approved.
You can't rely on the fact that you are in love to convince INZ that your visa should be approved, it has to be done from a dry, factual, legal approach with little emotion and strong facts - almost the opposite way to how your relationship should be in fact.