Partnership-Based Temp Work Visa Proof

My partner and I met online in April 2015 and I came over to NZ for a month in November 2015 on a visitors visa. I'm planning to return on January 10 and obtain a 1-year student visa. About a month before the student visa expires, we plan to apply for a temporary partnership-based work visa. By that time, we will have been living together for 12-13 months. He will be taking a 1-year course at the same school (Unitec) so we will finish school around the same time. He is a NZ permanent resident, I am a UK citizen and a US permanent resident.

The problem is that we will not have enough money to rent a place together so will both be staying with his parents. We are concerned that without bills in our name, we won't have enough evidence to fulfill the "living together" requirement of the work visa.

We plan to compile the following evidence:

JOINT BANK ACCOUNT
-HOUSEHOLD PURCHASES (GROCERIES)
-LEISURE PURCHASES (CINEMA TICKETS, MUSEUM)
-CAR PAYMENTS

CAR INSURED IN BOTH NAMES
LETTERS TO SAME ADDRESS
PHOTOS
STATEMENTS FROM FAMILY/FRIENDS
STATEMENTS ON HOUSEHOLD DUTIES
GYM MEMBERSHIP
TIMELINE
SKYPE CALL LOG



Is there anything else we can add to help our case? We will be a bit low on money during the year so won't be able to make any big purchases outside of the car (which his parents are giving him the money for).

You need proof that you are LIVING TOGETHER. In a lot of people's cases, that involves having joint ownership, or a joint rental, which would show up in official documents. But living in a family home and therefore not having documents to show, doesn't mean you're not living together. Official documents regarding paying for the accommodation are not mandatory - they're on the list because they are so often met with.

What evidence would we use in lieu of those documents? Our plan right now is to provide envelopes with both our names to the same address, and a statement from his parents stating that we are living together as a couple. Is there anything else we could include in our situation?

Here https://www.google.co.uk/#q=site:enz...tnership+proof are a whole lot of forum threads talking about evidence of partnership which should give you a lot of ideas.

The important thing is to establish very firmly where you both are located at the beginning of the 12 months you are going to use for INZ to scrutinize. Maybe you could have a social occasion, with friends and family invited, to mark that you've moved in, and take photos. Maybe you could send out change of address notifications. Whatever it is, make sure other people are involved so they can testify. After this, collect a variety of evidence that EACH of you is there at the same address, and you're involved in things together, even up to three items for each passing week. Overkill is good.

Even after you submit your application, keep collecting evidence in the same way, because INZ routinely ask for more partnership evidence covering the time while the application has been being processed just before they issue the visa - they don't want to grant a visa to someone whose relationship has broken up in the meantime.

Thank you for the advice JandM. I have taken a look through several of the old threads. We have already planned to include statements/testimonies from his family and several friends as well as photos of us together. We plan on using the joint bank account frequently for household purchases as well as leisure things such as restaurants and cinema tickets. These purchases would be shown on a bank statement which we plan to submit as evidence.

Judging from the evidence list in my original post (in the capital letters), would you say we would be fulfilling the "living together" part of the visa reqs.?

Yes, if you have plenty of examples, covering the time from week to week. Also, try to arrange for letters to be delivered for both of you/each of you from institutions, e.g. by writing and asking the bank or the insurance or phone company a question, which will result in a written answer, not just from family and friends.

And incidentally, keep collecting the evidence even when you have your visa, because you will need to show 12 months' proof at least when it comes time to apply for partner-sponsored Residence.