Hi all,
I'm hoping to apply for a partner residency visa and could do with checking I understand everything and getting your view on order in which to do things and evidence to submit.
I qualify as a partner - we have lived together for 2 1/2 years, we are engaged and getting married on 1st June.
In terms of evidence to submit I think I need to provide evidence we've lived together for at least a year and evidence that we are in a committed and ongoing relationship - is this right?
The evidence of living together is actually a bit tricky as I moved into a flat Andrew was already renting so all the bills etc are in just his name and we never bothered to change anything. We did try to change the utilities about 18 months ago but the company wouldn't do it - they said there was no need and we couldn't persuade them otherwise. So, I can show that we both live there by both having things addressed to the same place - bank statements etc. I also have a statement from our landlord on headed paper saying when I moved it - we used this to support Andrews UK citizenship application. Will this be enough?
In terms of evidence of a committed, ongoing relationship we don't have a joint bank account - something else we never got round to - I can show financial interdependency through bank statements - money transfered between accounts, including the monthly standing order I pay him for rent and bills. I can also submit copies of documents from the registrars showing details of our wedding. I may also have a photo of the notice of intent to marry, I need to check that though. I have photos from holiday and can track down some of the flight records/e-tickets but not all. I don't have anything like wedding invitations because none of my friends have got married recently. I may have some photos of family christmases at my parents too, although again I'll have to check. Would it be helpful to get respectable people to write statements - so a friend who is an NZ citizen and another who is an advice worker both of whom knew us as we got together?
Do you think that sounds ok? What else will I need to find?
In terms of the order in which to do things, I have read the Immigration NZ website and am I right in saying that I need to submit my application form, our police checks and my medical form all at once? Or do I do the application first, wait for a case officer to be appointed and then do the other things when they ask? I'm a little confused about the process and the timescales.
Thank you in advance.
Laura