Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Moving to NZ with my Swedish Partner

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Finland
    Posts
    2

    Default Moving to NZ with my Swedish Partner

    Dear forum members,

    I am new to the forum and a little baffled at all the information on the NZ immigration website. I am an NZ citizen and I wish to bring my Swedish girlfriend into New Zealand. Any helpful comments and answers are appreciated!

    Situation: My girlfriend and I got together in New Zealand 5.5 years ago while we were both studying in Auckland. She was a Swedish international student studying for 6 months in NZ for a "gap-year". After the "gap-year" we stayed together, however she then went back to Sweden to start her studies in her home country, while I continued my studies in NZ. She visited me in NZ 18 months later, and then 6 months after that I went to Sweden to visit her. While I was there I applied for masters studies in Scandinavia. I have now been studying in Finland for the past 2.5 years (neighboring country to Sweden), and we have been regularly visiting each other in our weekends and holidays. Last year we lived together for 12 months as she came on an exchange year to Finland. She has now moved back to Sweden, and I am still living in Finland so we can finish our studies.

    Half way through this year we are planning on beginning a new life together in NZ. We will both have masters degrees, with her degree being on the NZ skill shortage list. We looked up how many points she will get on the points indicator on the NZ Immigration website after we have finished our education and she scored 160 points.

    What are the best visa options available to her if she doesn't have a job offer already lined up in NZ? We won't be living together again between now and when we plan on moving back to NZ in 6 months. Is it best for her to travel to NZ on a tourist visa, and then we can apply for the couples visa when she is arrives, or are there more convenient options? We simply want the cheapest, quickest and most hassle free way to get a visa sorted so she can both live and work in NZ.

    Thank you all for your comments in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

    Default

    Hello and welcome.

    I expect your last suggestion is the one that will work with the least hassle - for her to go in on a visitor visa, THEN live with you and you both start collecting proof of partnership. INZ look for proof of a live-in relationship immediately prior to the application, so the breaks in your record would work against you from that point of view. Here's the page with all the details of the partner-sponsored work visa, and the requirements. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...milystream.htm

    If your partner might have a job offer, and has a high points total on the EOI, she could apply for Residence in her own right (not depending on partnership at all), but this would probably mean a longer delay while the application was processed. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...nt/default.htm

    Likewise, relying on her skills rather than partnership, if she was to get a job offer from an accredited employer, she could go for an Essential Skills temporary work visa on that basis. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra.../requirements/ If she went by this route, once in NZ and living with you, you could start gathering the 12 months' partnership proof necessary to apply for Residence under the family stream, the same as you would move on to after starting with a partner-sponsored temporary work visa. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...er/default.htm

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Poole, UK to Chch, NZ
    Posts
    2,064

    Default

    Depending on her age, the WHV might also be an option: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...idayscheme.htm

    This would allow her to seek work straight away, while living together and gathering partnership evidence.

    I'm presuming that her first visa here was as a student

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

    Default

    Oh, good thought, Sophie!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Top of the South!
    Posts
    321

    Default

    Hejsan! Just wanted to say hello! My wife is a Finn, but grew up in Sweden, we have been in New Zealand for nearly nine years now. Drop us a line if you get to the South Island.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Finland
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Thanks for your comments JandM and sophiedb! It is appreciated! Maybe this Swedish Visa is the way to go.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •