Help and understanding where to start needed please help!

[Brian H.]

After looking for hours at Immigration New Zealand web site and even a phone call my partner and I are beyond confused. I'll try to keep it brief and from the start.... I'm an American looking to come to New Zealand and explore the possibility of becoming a permanent resident. My partner and I are not married nor have we lived together before, this is why we want a visa that will allow me to stay in country for an extend period to try things out. The questions really start with how me being disabled and diabetic play a roll in effecting both some type of visitors visa and for the future of becoming a permanent resident should we decide to get married. So far it seems we would apply for a sponsorship visa of 6 months, but maybe there is a better way we are over looking? Any and all feedback would be so greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Brian

[Karen Phillips]

Hi Brian
INZ site can be very confusing until you get used to it! Is your partner a NZ Citizen or permanent resident? You don't say, but I am guessing because of the mention of sponsorshp. NZ won't care one way or the other whether you are married or in a "de facto" relationship. A lot will depend on the nature of your disability and the severity and type of your diabetes. Medical waivers are available for the partners of NZ citizens/residents in quite a few cases. They are really going to be waying up ongoing costs to the health service. The other factor that will complicate things is that you have not actually lived together before. You will need to think carefully about how you can prove the "genuine,stable and ongoing" nature of your relationship. Being married makes no difference to this. If you can answer these questions or (after you have posted 5 messages) send me a private message if you would prefer not to discuss your health situation and relationship in a public forum. In the interim, I will have a look at some specifics in the Operational manual and I can either point you in the right direction to investigate for yourself or help you along the way a little further. Kind regards

Karen

[Brian H.]

Thanks so much Karen for your reply. Yes she is a citizen, I'm not bothered with posting about my health as this could help someone else out too. I am a type 1 diabetic and have neurological complications from that. Based on the nature of my neuropathy I have rather poor feeling in my hands and feet/lower legs and as such do not walk very well and have difficulty with sensation and dexterity in my hands. I was recently fortunate enough to have received an insulin pump a little over a year ago through my insurance with our government and that has made a drastic difference for me in my overall health and frequency of related problems.

What do we need to prove a valid relationship exists? We have some emails but mostly it's been through several months of Skype on the Internet and Facebook. I recall reading something about limitations on the frequency of visiting whether on a visitors visa or with a visa waiver, for example 6 months in country means I would have to wait 6 months before returning. What about with a visa waiver after visiting for 90 days, is it then 90 days before I could return?

Brian

[Karen Phillips]

Hi Brian
You could do 90 days in and 90 days out so long as you could prove either to INZ or, if using a visa-waiver to the Border Control people that you had the genuine intention of returning home afterwards - a "bona fide" visitor. I don't think they will accept your relationship as a partnership at this stage. However, if you were in NZ living with your partner for a few months on a normal visitor visa, you could then then apply for a special visitor visa under the Partnership category. As your relationship would be easier to prove but less than 6 months, you could be in with a better chance of getting a 12 month visa, which would allow you to stay until you were eligible for residence. However, the key factor would be getting your health issues waived. The requirements are less stringent for visitors than when appling for residence. If residence is your ultimate goal, it might be better to look at those requirements now, so you know where you stand. Basically, if it is likely on the balance of probabilities that someone's medical condtions would cost NZ more than $41,000 in total, they will not be very receptive to granting residence. I have no idea what the ongoing costs of your disability would be. Having the means to pay for this yourself, doesn't make any difference. Why not phone someone in the Washington office, explain your situation and see what they advise. If you can get a visitor visa, I would go for the maximum time allowed and once there look at getting a longer visitor visa on the basis of your partnership. Hope that helps! Karen

[Brian H.]

Thanks Karen. This was the conclusion we reached a few weeks back or along the same lines, how ever we thought that I could only apply for visas and such from with in my own country. I guess it's different since your applying for a change of visa or something along those lines. As for the total cost of $41k, is that annually or flat out not to exceed that amount ever? Over hear my medications and such per month would total about $12k and I wouldn't know where to begin to get an idea of doctors fees and such since it varies in the event a new complication arises.

So then it sounds as applying for and going over on a 6 month visitors visa (is that the same as a sponsorship visa) is where we should start and then after a few months apply for something longer if the end goal is to become a resident/citizen I need to be able to show proof of a living together for 12 months. Is this correct? Any thoughts on consulting or going through an immigration attorney? That was recommended to me by someone here who immigrated from Canada to the US.

Thanks again Karen

[Brian H.]

Over hear my medications and such per month would total about $12k and I wouldn't know where to begin to get an idea of doctors fees and such since it varies in the event a new complication arises.

That should have read as 1,200.00 not 12k.

[JandM]

how ever we thought that I could only apply for visas and such from with in my own country.

The vast majority of visas don't have a restriction as to where you are when you apply for them - the INZ website gives details about each one.

I guess it's different since your applying for a change of visa or something along those lines.

It's not this that makes the difference in a case such as yours may be.

flat out not to exceed that amount ever?

That's it - totalled. And you need to research the cost of treatment and medication in NZ.

(is that the same as a sponsorship visa)

No. Karen has suggested getting an ordinary visitor visa FIRST, then possibly applying for a partner-sponsored visitor visa. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...alvisitors.htm (scroll down)

[Karen Phillips]

Hi again
If you post one more message on site I can send you a private message with some info. You will not need to respond or reveal your private email address. Can't do this until you have made 5 posts - and you have 4 that I can see. Cheers. Karen