Visas with partners

[felicity]

Hi there,

My boyfriend and I are going to apply to live in NZ, probably on Residence from Work visas. He would be the primary applicant. Does anyone know that if the worst happened and we split up after living in NZ for however many months, would I still be able to continue to live in NZ on my own?

We have both done an online assessment and he got about 200 points and I got 110 points, so we both met the individual 100 points criterion.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

Felicity

[JandM]

Your position would depend on the kind of visa you got.

If your partner was awarded a WTR visa (which has a limited life), your partner-sponsored (open) work visa would only last the same length of time as his, and when it expired, if you weren't still with him, you would have to leave NZ if you hadn't got the necessary requirements in your own right for some other sort of visa.

If your partner was awarded Residence under the Skilled Migrant Category, with you as the partner on the application, you would both get Residence visas in your passports. Normally the secondary applicant automatically qualifies for Permanent Residence some time after two years later, when the principle applicant gets theirs, but even if the couple splits up, the secondary applicant is eligible to apply for Permanent Residence in their own right, on the same conditions as a principle applicant. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/45650.htm

[felicity]

Hi J,

That's very helpful - thanks very much :-)

Felicity