Partner & Family Visas
How These Categories Generally Work
A general overview of New Zealand's partnership and family visa categories and the kinds of factors Immigration New Zealand generally considers. This is general information only — assessing a specific relationship and preparing evidence is personalised advice from a licensed adviser.
General Overview
What These Categories Generally Involve
A Genuine & Stable Relationship
Partnership categories generally turn on whether a relationship is, in INZ's terms, genuine and stable. This is assessed by an officer against current policy and individual circumstances.
An Eligible NZ Partner
Your partner generally needs to hold an eligible status, such as New Zealand citizenship or residence, and meet sponsorship requirements that apply at the time.
Living Together
Cohabitation history generally matters and differs between temporary and residence outcomes. The specific requirements and any time periods are set by INZ and confirmed case by case.
Supporting Evidence
INZ generally considers evidence across financial, household, social and commitment areas. What is relevant to a particular relationship is reviewed by a licensed adviser.
Working With VisaPlex
From First Conversation to a Clear Plan
- 1
Map Your Situation
Start in the AVA workspace to organise your relationship and partner-eligibility information against the general framework.
- 2
Adviser Review
A licensed immigration adviser reviews your circumstances against current policy and explains the options that may apply.
- 3
Prepare the Application
If you choose to proceed, your adviser guides the evidence relevant to your specific relationship.
- 4
Submission & Support
Your application is submitted and supported through to a decision.
Common Questions
Common Questions About Partnership Visas
This is an assessment made by an Immigration New Zealand officer against current policy. INZ generally considers evidence across several areas of a couple's life. How it applies to a specific relationship is reviewed by a licensed adviser.
Time-together requirements generally differ between temporary and residence categories and are set by INZ. The current detail is on immigration.govt.nz and confirmed for your situation by an adviser.
No. VisaPlex provides general information and an AI-assisted planning workspace. Assessing a specific relationship is personalised immigration advice provided by a licensed adviser.
Our general partnership guide covers the categories and evidence areas in more depth. See the Partner & Family Visa guide in the VisaPlex NZ insights.
Next Step
Talk Through Your Partnership Pathway
Tell us a little about your situation and our licensed adviser will review how the partnership and family categories may apply to you.