Building up evidence of living together - but do not own house and no formal rental agreement

[sha]

Hi there

I am a NZ citizen, my wife is here on a 9 month general visitor visa because this is the only visa she could get as we have never lived together before until now. Before we got married, we were in a long-distance relationship but we saw each other regularly because her previous job involved a lot of travelling to NZ.

The ultimate goal is for her to get permanent residence but we realise that there are a lot of steps along the way.

As I understand, the next step is to apply for a partnership based 12 month work visa. We intend to do this 3 months from now after we have 3 months of "evidence of living together". Our only evidence so far is a joint bank account that we recently set up that we will use regularly.

The tricky part is that we are living in my parents house. We pay them, but obviously there is no formal rental agreement. And all utilities and bills are in my parents names. We would like to transfer these bills into a joint account in me and my wife's names as these can be used as evidence of living together.

It turns out that we can't do this. My parents have to close their account and my wife and I have to set up another account. My credit history is fine and I have a reasonably stable job earning an ok amount $55k gross pa, I only have a student loan, but my wife has no credit history in NZ so this could be a problem? I suspect it will be the same issue with the telephone account as well ie my parents have to cancel their one and we have to create a new one.

I'm just wondering whether anyone has been in a similar situation and/or can offer advice?

Thanks a lot.

[eternalkiwi]

You need to provide evidence that you are a couple living in a stable/committed relationship.
INZ list a range of possible evidence, but it is not a must have list. So it is ok if you do not have all the items INZ list.
One way to think about it is to try and see it from their situations. What signs/evidence would you expect to see/notice about a couple in a stable relationship?

If you live with your parents, a letter from them confirming that you live together as a couple (start dates etc) and any mail you both receive at that address is fine.
If you have internet or mobile phones you can have them in joint names to that address, also car or other insurance (life or health).
A joint account were your expenses are paid from is also helpful.

Photos of both of you, since you are both living at your parents and before, copies of letters or emails,

[JandM]

It's fine if a couple have separate finances - you can still show that you are sharing financial responsibilities by each of you paying for certain things for both of you, or for each other, then submitting the receipts and linking them to items in your bank or credit card records.

eternalkiwi mentions mail - particularly good is mail that comes from official bodies, such as banks, the government, and service providers. Save the envelopes, too.

Make sure you are each on record as the other's next of kin, e.g. with the doctor's, with your employer, then you can get copies/letters of confirmation to submit with your visa application. Are you both named drivers on the car insurance? a beneficiary if you have life insurance? joint holders of memberships, e.g. the RSA?

[newarrival]

When we were in the situation to proof our relationship the case officer told me that emails to both of us were something they would look for, eg from friends talking about an event you both attended.

[sha]

I guess it's just a matter of creating joint accounts where the process is easy. For example, to create a joint account with the bank was a breeze whereas with a power company it is hard given our situation. Insurance accounts are a good idea and mobile phone and club memberships should be easy too. Thanks for the ideas everyone.

[slingshot]

I have almost similar question but different condition.
Me and my Partner are not from New Zealand. My Partner is an PhD Student at Wellington and based on NZ Immigration rules I am eligible to apply for Work Visa Based on Partnership of Postgraduate Students.
I Applied once through VFS global (Singapore New Office) with all Rent Book with both name on it - Photo book - Hotel and Flight booking - Internet Bill Same under Address - Facebook messages - Letter from my partner Mom-dad- sister - Family photo - Bank Transaction History-
However we were separated last 2 month before lodge Visa Application, after 12 month of living together, due to my partner student visa application and medical checkup in Thailand and I my working situation in Malaysia.. This 2 month separation made officer to consider our relationship not Stable .. and just issued me 9 month general visitor visa.. I departed to NZ after 1 month from date of my visa. so our separation gap get wider to 3 month..

Now Im in NZ,living with my partner just about a week .. and we made Joint Bank account , Share rental agreement ..
I want to know how long after we stay together in NZ, it would be wise to Re-apply for Work Visa based on Partnership ?
As I know after 9 month visitor visa I must to leave NZ for at least 9 month to get another 9 month visitor visa. which is not my favor.

[JandM]

Hello, Slingshot.

Around three months seems to be the trigger that shows INZ you mean it!

[slingshot]

Around three months seems to be the trigger that shows INZ you mean it!

Thanks JandM ,, Finally I can post in this Forum .. So I will wait for 3 month collecting documents and Apply again..
Meanwhile I'm preparing for SMC also.. I plan to get IQA first then submit EOI, Can I use all previous documents again for both Partnership-work Visa and SMC ?( Medical Checkup and Police Certificates which I used for general Visa)

new question :P : In What condition my Level 8 Master of Science qualification can Assess as Level 9 ?
Unfortunately my Master from Malaysia is just recognized as Level 8-50 point- in the list of NZQA website , but there is note under the List which states:
"If an applicant believes their qualification may be higher than the level stated they should apply to NZQA for an International Qualifications Assessment."
I studied my Master Degree for 2 years-Full time- Mixed Mode (Half Thesis - Half Courses)// Any idea that what additional proofs can lead me to convince NZQA to assess it as Level 9 ?

[JandM]

Can I use all previous documents again for both Partnership-work Visa and SMC ?( Medical Checkup and Police Certificates which I used for general Visa)

As long as they are within the date limits it says on the INZ website.

About the assessment of your MSc. There isn't anything you can or should do to try to convince them - that's not the way it works. NZQA assesses any qualification by examining the paperwork that shows what subject matter was studied, to what depth, for how long. Their job is to state, from what they find, which (if any) NZ qualification the foreign one is equivalent to, and what NZ Level it has. It would be fair enough to put in for the IQA with a covering letter saying that you think and hope your degree may be worth a Level 9, but then you have to let them do their work.

[AntonescuM]

I would also like some advice on this point (evidence of living together):
me and my wife have been living together for 3 years, early last year she took my name and officially changed her address in her ID card(got married), and so on. We do not have a common bank account or life insurance; we have pictures from different events and so on, with us, parents, friends;
What kind of official papers would one need to produce in order to prove what the CO would require(if one is in my situation)? We have no time pressure now, and I may be able to better prepare for a future scenario. What do you advise?

Thank you,
Alex.