Emergency situation...

[yogurt123]

Hey everyone, thanks for reading. My girlfriend is Korean, we've been together for 6 months, and living together for almost 3. Her working holiday visa expires on the 4th of March. We were planning to a plly for a partnership based temporary visa, but before doing so we decided it would be better if she applied for a working holiday extension first, so our chances of getting the partnership based visa were better. We stupidly never dreamed she wouldn't get her extension, she meets all the requirements, but it's been declined as the quota of Korean working holiday makers is full. Is there anything at all we can do to keep her here? I think it's too late to try for a partnership based visa as she has to leave in just over two weeks, should we try anyway? What can we do? Should I just start looking into teaching English in Korea?
Please help.

[JandM]

Hello.

Sorry to hear about your worries.

In your position, I would definitely put in the application for a partner-sponsored work visa immediately. Once the application is lodged officially, she may at least come under the regulations for grant of an interim visa while the processing goes on. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...ts/interim.htm

[eternalkiwi]

I would talk to immigration about your options, though unlikely it may be possible to process a partnership work visa in 2 weeks or they may suggest another visa type.
A visitor visa may be an option whilst they process your partnership work visa or you may qualify for an interim visa, though interim visas are only issued at the discretion of the visa officer (there is not application process).

[Karen Phillips]

If you have only been living together for 3 months a visa based on partnership is very unlikely, but worth asking immigration nz. Would your girlfriend consider trying to get a student visa - the academic year is just starting and there could still be opportunities? Happy to give advice for FREE - I am not trying to promote my business in any way here. Where in NZ are you based? I worked in a Polytechnic in NZ for 9 years unti last year and still have contacts. It wold all depend how quickly Seoul could process a student visa. Karen