Relationship evidence

[JamesH]

Hi, I'm applying for Residence via the partnership catergory and am just gathering evidence together. I think I have enough evidence and understand what it is I need to provide but I was wondering how I go about presenting the evidence to be sent off. I have joint bank account statements on which I've highlighted certain transactions but was wondering how is the best way to explain the highlighted ones. Should I paper clip a piece of paper explaining them, a small posted note or write directly onto the statements?
On a side note I have the following evidence collated-
Bank statements (joint and same address from last few years)
Phone bills
Credit card statements
Photos
Godparent (both of us) invitations for my niece
Letters from friends and family
Statement from both of us (explaining relationship history, shared responsibilities, shared financial responsibility)
4 month old child birth certificate
Passport showing same day entry to NZ
Engagement ring receipt (from 06/04/11)
Enagament congratulations cards
Probably more kicking about but does that lot sound ok?
We've been living together for 4/5 years now and I'm hoping this should be enough.

Thanks

[JandM]

It sounds as though you have a good range of evidence. Notice that they are going to be looking in particular at the last 12 months, so make sure that you have something very sound that shows you were together a year ago, then something for about every month since then, and right before you send off the applcation.

About how you draw attention to details on a particular document - anyone who's ever worked in an office will tell you that paper clips and post-its are INVENTIONS OF THE DEVIL. Paper clips reach out and grab other papers, so they may collect things belonging in other files, or attach themselves to someone else's case. Post-its cling on just as long as it suits them, then flip away to land down the back of filing cabinets. So, no, don't use either of those! There's no prescribed method - just 'whatever works well'. My feeling would be, if you can write on the statement without doing it so small that it's illegible, that would be okay, or if you need to attach another sheet with your explanation, use a staple.

By the way, have you noticed that if you've got evidence for five years together, outside NZ, you may be able to ask for PR directly, without having Residence first? F2.5.1 here. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/42627.htm

[Suz]

Sounds like a good amount of evidence. If you can write legibly on the statements then that might be a good option. Otherwise a sheet of paper with a written explanation might be a good idea. I actually grouped things and had a divider page between sections. So if there was something that needed explaining I put it on a sheet that went with the section and stated what pages to look at and the explanation (I numbered everything and cross referenced, etc- have slight organisational/OCD issues lol). I don't have small enough handwriting to fit explanations on to bank statements

INZ is most interested in the recent 12 months. So good to have things prior to that to show the timeline and history and then have a good portion of evidence be the most recent. Since it was several months from when I applied to when I got a CO, they asked for evidence showing that we were still together since the application was submitted (sent in a few months worth of our joint bank account). So just keep records going forward as well just in case they do ask for stuff to cover that slight gap in time that might happen from submission to approval.

[JamesH]

Thanks for the replies, I've got a good few bank statements but not the last 12 months entirely so I've asked the bank to re-print these so I can provide as much as they could hopefully ever want. I've decided to highlight certain transactions and then write directly onto the statment what they are. This process is so in-depth it's hard to know what to do next!