Partnership
Work and resident visas for partners of New Zealand citizens and residents. Live together in New Zealand, work for any employer and build towards residence.
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New Zealand offers partnership visas for people whose partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident. The Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa lets you live with your partner and work for any employer for up to 3 years. If you've lived together for less than 12 months, the first visa is for 1 year, and you can apply for further visas up to 3 years in total.
Once you've lived together in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months, you can apply for the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa. Your partner must support your application, and you can include dependent children aged 24 or younger. After holding the resident visa for 2 years in a row, you can apply for permanent residence.
Immigration New Zealand sets its application fees, levies and processing times and updates them regularly, so we don't quote them here. Check the current cost and decision time for your situation with INZ's Fees, decision times and where to apply tool, and see the full requirements on INZ's Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa and Resident Visa pages.
Strong relationship evidence is the heart of every partnership application. Concord helps you build a clear timeline and evidence pack, choose the right visa for your stage, and avoid the common gaps that slow these applications down. New Zealand matters are handled by Sejoo Han, Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA licence 202400274).
Who is it for?
This visa is for partners, including married, civil union and de facto partners, of New Zealand citizens and residents. You'll need to show you're living together in a genuine and stable relationship, with evidence such as shared finances, a shared address and how you present as a couple.
It's ideal if you're moving to New Zealand together, or you're already here on another visa and want open work rights and a path to residence. Partners of work and student visa holders have separate options, which we can check for you.
What are the requirements
Eligible partner
Your partner must be a New Zealand citizen or resident who supports your application.
Living together
You must be living together in a genuine and stable relationship. Residence requires at least 12 months living together, after you both turned 18.
Relationship evidence
Provide documents showing your shared life, such as joint finances, a shared address and correspondence, plus a partnership timeline.
Health and character
You'll need to meet health and character requirements, which may include medicals and police certificates.
Visa Timeline
Concord Processing Time
Premium Processing Time
Standard Processing Time
Concord reviews your relationship history and evidence and confirms whether to apply for a work or resident visa first.
Varies
Build your partnership timeline and gather documents, sponsor support, medicals and police certificates.
Varies
Lodge the Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa so you can live and work in New Zealand.
Varies
Once you've lived together for 12 months, apply for the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa.
Varies
Varies by relationship length
The Concord difference:
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