Partnership visitor visa

[Fandano]

Hi,

in September 2012 I got job in NZ and in february 2012 I got my NZ resident visa. From this time we are "fighting" for my wife's NZ visa. To make it more complicated I am from Europe and my wife is Nepali. Since we are not living together more then 12 month (our wedding was 4.9.2011) she is applying for partnership visitor visa. Her application was already one time declined because of "lack of evidence about our relationship" so we collected more evidence (including 3600 photos from 2009 to 2012 ) and in this time we are invited to interview to New Delhi branch.

Do you think it is already good sign in my wife's application process?

We also do not have any documents as for financial interdependence (my wife has her bank account here in Nepal, my is in Europe, we do not have any loans ... ). Can it be reason to decline my wife's application?

We are hoping to common future and if my wife will not get again visa we will have to say goodbye to New Zealand .

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

The more time that goes by, and the more evidence you can show, the better chance you have for a good outcome. It would be good to have something to show the time you have lived together. Immigration NZ's definition of partnership is that it is a live-in relationship. It would be good to have things like mail from official bodies, such as the tax office, or banks, or insurance companies, going to EACH of you, at that same address, to prove you were both there over that period of time. Also, you can ask for letters from family members on both sides, and/or family friends with some standing in your communities, to tell about how they see you as a couple, and that the other person, not originally known to them, is now accepted as party of the family group. There is a good reason why you dealt with finances separately, but now you are married, maybe you can show that your wife paid for certain expenses for both of you, and you also paid for certain expenses for both of you - that is another way to show interdependence.

I think the fact that you are being called for interview is a step forward, certainly. In some cases, INZ officials have also visited a couple's home, to see the situation for themselves.

[Fandano]

Thank you JandM! Recently we are living in Nepal and I am not working (just waiting to start my new job in NZ), my wife is studying. Life in Nepal is little bit different then for instance in Finland, where I was living before, so a lot of evidence you are mentioning is simply "not applicable". We delivered letters from my family and our friends in Europe and Nepal, letter from our landlord (everything with notary stamps), photos, wedding video, of course wedding certificate, some e-mails, bills for plane tickets to europe with my and my wife's name, evidence that I was financially supporting my wife during my stay in Europe. We will try to go through bills what we have at home and maybe we will find something more. Do you think it will help if we will have also some statement from my parent's in law?

Thank you once again. It is good to have more information and especially in NZ immigration in New Delhi they are not so communicative (in comparison with London branch).

[JandM]

What evidence COs want in different cases seems to vary, so it isn't possible to be definite as to exactly when you will have enough, for your particular CO. But do keep on fighting. As you are a genuine couple, and since, as time goes by, you are going to be able to give more and more and more evidence that you are together, there will be less and less room for them to doubt you.

Do you think it will help if we will have also some statement from my parent's in law?

Yes, it could be a good idea, and perhaps from someone who knows their family also - neighbours who know you are there, or perhaps someone professional, like the local doctor or police officer. When my son was getting Residence because he had married his NZ wife, the CO asked for such letters from people on both sides of the family. Let the people write in their own words - this need not be formal. It is important that the CO can see that the people have come to know you gradually, and met you on different occasions, and, naturally, are perhaps aware of different things about you, depending on what conversations and interests you happen to have shared. It mustn't look as if all parties have conspired to put a story together!