Partner from Romania

[Antforest]

Hi guys, I have an urgent question:

I have a long term partner, we have known each other since May 2010.
We have been exchanging emails, phone calls and even handwritten letters for months.

Recently I went to see her for just under a month - we had a great time and took a lot of pictures.

I have been trying to find ways to bring her to New Zealand - I am a permanent resident and I desperatley want her here! we are in love and I want her here.

Can people give me options and help please, please, please! I have been in contact with the immigration office and they said the best way to get her in is to first get a visitor visa but to hide the fact she is coming in to New Zealand to be with me - I don't really like this idea because it means she would have to be lying....neither of us like it.

The other option is that we can try to get a partner-visitor visa but for this to happen we need to have a 'genuine and stable' relationship...which is about 1 year together...which obviously we do not have although we do have nearly a years worth of emails, letters and even photographs of when we were together.


Please, can anyone give me some help?
What do you recommend? Should we go for the visitor-partner visa? what is our best option? is there another visa out there that could work?

Thank you all in advance

[nikcho]

Hi! She can be a visitor without a visa, as Romania is visa-free:
http://glossary.immigration.govt.nz/...ecountries.htm
She needs to show NZ$1000/month if she does not show arrangements for accommodation or in your case NZ$400/month of stay. Once in NZ if you think it is a good option you can marry (or get a civil union) and then you can apply for her as a spouse. She can be upfront with the immigrations officer when she comes to visit to say that she is visiting her fiance. I doubt that she will have any problems entering the country.

It's interesting to know, and you should check in advance with INZ, if once in NZ you will be able to apply for her as a spouse. Also, if INZ says that marriage will help, you will have to ask the local City Clerk (or Justice of the Peace) what are the requirements to marry a foreigner.

And last but not least (precautions are always nice), after you know the requirements, for example birth certificate, she can get an original duplicate from Romania and mail to you, so she does not have any documents on her person that would indicate that she intends to stay. I can't think of anything else at the moment, but I wish both of you luck!

Nick

[sophiedb]

Also, if INZ says that marriage will help

They won't - all the visa regs that I can remember revolve around proof of relationship in an emotional, economic and co-habiting sense. Pieces of paper are nice as back-up, but really don't carry the weight they might have 50 years ago.

[newarrival]

Marriage definitely doesn't make any difference for INZ- we were married for over 30 years when I applied for a work permit asa partner based on a Postgraduate Student Visa and we still had to proof that we were living in the said stable etc. relationship. Immigration was more interested in the recent proof of that than anything else.

[nikcho]

Right - I was thinking about Australia (the marriage certificate is all that's necessary to prove an opposite-sex relationship) In the case at hand I think his going to Romania, possibly meeting the "in-laws", constant communication while apart, her visiting NZ and meeting possibly his parents would be enough proof.

OFF TOPIC. In the Skilled Migration program if the partners have not been together for a year, there is an option (I believe at the CO's discretion) that visas are put off until the couple actually has a year. So even if the couple have not lived together for a year, the Romanian may receive a conditional visa. This is my speculation only and is not based on hard evidence or knowledge of the Operational Manual.

[anthony]

Hi! She can be a visitor without a visa, as Romania is visa-free..
She needs to show NZ$1000/month if she does not show arrangements for accommodation or in your case NZ$400/month of stay.

That is correct and might add she will need a two way ticket.

And last but not least (precautions are always nice), after you know the requirements, for example birth certificate, she can get an original duplicate from Romania and mail to you, so she does not have any documents on her person that would indicate that she intends to stay.

But this isn't an intention of lying?
In Romania, an original duplicate of a birth certificate can be obtained only if you declare that you have lost/destroyed the original one - and in that case this one will not be valid. Anyway, I don't see the reason of doing that.

Antforest, can she apply under SMC? Maybe a trip to NZ, finding a job offer there can add points to her application..just a thought.

[dharder]

I'm no immigration expert, but I really am not sure how the intent to do one thing or the other could be a reason to be not here legally. So what if you come on a visitor's visa with the purpose of living with your partner for the duration of your legal stay? Or if you plan to marry? People come here on holidays to marry on a regular basis. As long as you don't end up staying illegally, I don't see the problem.

Good luck,

Daniela

[Sun777]

I have been in contact with the immigration office and they said the best way to get her in is to first get a visitor visa but to hide the fact she is coming in to New Zealand to be with me - I don't really like this idea because it means she would have to be lying....neither of us like it.

Did immigration office really said this? As far as I know, Immigration department of any country advice to be honest with applications. Did you try asking what if she comes here as a visitor (with visa or even if she's exempted from visa) to be with you?

I'm not advicing here but just an idea, how does it work if she comes here on visitor visa and later on you choose "partner-visitor visa" route? Check with immigration about all possibilities (what others have mentioned) and your questions. My 2 cents worth!

[Antforest]

Did immigration office really said this? As far as I know, Immigration department of any country advice to be honest with applications. Did you try asking what if she comes here as a visitor (with visa or even if she's exempted from visa) to be with you?

I'm not advicing here but just an idea, how does it work if she comes here on visitor visa and later on you choose "partner-visitor visa" route? Check with immigration about all possibilities (what others have mentioned) and your questions. My 2 cents worth!

Yes the immigration office really said it, he said it would be good for her to come over on holiday and from there she can apply for extensions and then a partner-work visa, thanks a lot for the response!

[Antforest]

That is correct and might add she will need a two way ticket.


But this isn't an intention of lying?
In Romania, an original duplicate of a birth certificate can be obtained only if you declare that you have lost/destroyed the original one - and in that case this one will not be valid. Anyway, I don't see the reason of doing that.

Antforest, can she apply under SMC? Maybe a trip to NZ, finding a job offer there can add points to her application..just a thought.

Sorry anthony, what is SMC? Thanks!