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Thread: Immigration Interview (Residence Visa under Partnership category)??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    New Zealand
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    Default Immigration Interview (Residence Visa under Partnership category)??

    Hi all!

    I just handed in my application for the Residence Visa yesterday. My partner is a Kiwi, and we have been living together for 2 years unofficially, and 1 year and 9 months officially... I have been in NZ since July 2011, met my partner 4 months later and applied for Work Visa under partnership, granted July 2012 and got a new one granted again this year which expires in July 2014 (the last one we could apply for before the residency)... so now, it is residency we are waiting for.

    I was just wondering if any of you were called for an interview with your partner? How does it work and what type of questions do they ask you?

    If anyone is interested, the evidence I provided:

    - Applications

    - Birth Certificates

    - My ''Scrap book'' containing a written chronology, time line, every day life (bulleted list form), shared interest (list form) and Financially. Herunder transactions between me and his ex wife he got a son with (since I got online banking it is easier for us), Pictures of us (original + screen shots from FB with DATES on them), Facebook activity (status updates etc. where both of us have been mentioned), My CV for both translation work and general CV I have used for job hunting, emails for both of us, and booking documents for motel etc.

    - Slingshot (Internet + Phone line)

    - Car (plus transactions for our payments and pay off agreement document)

    - Proof of address from his uncle who we live with and pay rent to.

    - Proof that we got the same family doctor

    - Letters and packages addressed to us both AND individually

    - Support letters from our doctor, friends and my family members. There is a reference list in the ''scrap book'' with phone numbers, names and relation.

  2. #2
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    Sep 2013
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    Wellington, NZ
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    Hi! I am assembling my own scrapbook right now, so thanks for your post it's super helpful.

    Question: did you first apply for a temporary work visa under partnership when you first arrived? You might have said that but I missed it...

  3. #3
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    Nov 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by creepmouse View Post
    Hi! I am assembling my own scrapbook right now, so thanks for your post it's super helpful.

    Question: did you first apply for a temporary work visa under partnership when you first arrived? You might have said that but I missed it...
    No I came on a working holiday visa. I was working for a family as an Au Pair at the time, and then I met my partner. So we had a wee while together while I was on WHV before I applied for the temp work visa under partnership.

    So are you going for the temp now or residency ?

    The only thing I don't have to include this time is my police certificate and medical certificates/x-ray: all that is done with my other application. If you have handed in a police certificate within the last 24 months and medical within 36 months you don't have to provide them (from what I remember).
    I am happy you find the list helpful! My scrapbook came up to 123 pages :O !! So the officer who is going to deal with my application got a lot to read through lol bet better having TOO much than not enough.
    Last edited by Rikkesimone; 27th November 2013 at 05:55 PM.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2008
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    If anyone gets called for an interview about partnership it's because the officials are responsible for checking that the partnership is genuine, so in general, yes, they will be making sure that the two people give roughly the same answers to things like how long they have known each other, how they met, etc., and they might ask about the other partner's background and family. These things are not difficult for genuine partners, but will catch out anyone who is faking a partnership just for one of them to get a visa.

    Some of these interviews go into small matters like who does what domestic chores, how does it work, entertaining v. cooking, if you have people round for a meal, when in the day does the other one brush their teeth - again, real partners won't have any trouble, but fakers would be caught out.

    HOWEVER, in your situation, with two partner-sponsored work visas behind you, I very much doubt you'll be called for interview. Basically, they've already shown that they accept your partnership exists, and all you're having to do now is bring the evidence right up to date to show that you're still there, still together.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by JandM View Post
    If anyone gets called for an interview about partnership it's because the officials are responsible for checking that the partnership is genuine, so in general, yes, they will be making sure that the two people give roughly the same answers to things like how long they have known each other, how they met, etc., and they might ask about the other partner's background and family. These things are not difficult for genuine partners, but will catch out anyone who is faking a partnership just for one of them to get a visa.

    Some of these interviews go into small matters like who does what domestic chores, how does it work, entertaining v. cooking, if you have people round for a meal, when in the day does the other one brush their teeth - again, real partners won't have any trouble, but fakers would be caught out.

    HOWEVER, in your situation, with two partner-sponsored work visas behind you, I very much doubt you'll be called for interview. Basically, they've already shown that they accept your partnership exists, and all you're having to do now is bring the evidence right up to date to show that you're still there, still together.
    Thank you so much for your answer!! I kinda don't hope we do, it freaks me out - but if we do, we do and then we just have to take it one step at a time. And have to get something like my birthday into my dear partners head haha...
    But yea' that's what I thought. The immigration officer I spoke to before I handed in my application also looked up my files, and said that I basically knew what to do and she was sure we would be approved within the next 6 months time. So hopefully everything will go smoothly and we can get all this ''finished'' so our real life can begin

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rikkesimone View Post
    No I came on a working holiday visa. I was working for a family as an Au Pair at the time, and then I met my partner. So we had a wee while together while I was on WHV before I applied for the temp work visa under partnership.

    So are you going for the temp now or residency ?
    Thanks for your reply Rikkesimone!! I came over on a WHV too. I'm currently applying for the temp I agree with you, I've collected and kept everything - too much is better than not enough. Good luck!

  7. #7
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    Oct 2013
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    Rikkesimone, good luck on your application My wife recently went through the process for residence under partnership category and we also collected similar information to yours.
    We didnt have joint bank accounts but we provided bills that we paid (she paid water and phone and I paid electric and gas) and these bills were addressed to the same address. We didn't have joint tenancy but we made up for that with an explanation in our cover letter.
    We did provide a ton of photos, one for every year we were together and in the last two years 4-5.
    She got her visa in just 2 month
    From your list you look like you are well prepped
    Again good luck with your application.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by creepmouse View Post
    Thanks for your reply Rikkesimone!! I came over on a WHV too. I'm currently applying for the temp I agree with you, I've collected and kept everything - too much is better than not enough. Good luck!
    Good luck to you too, I am crossing my fingers like crazy for us both

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by DesC View Post
    Rikkesimone, good luck on your application My wife recently went through the process for residence under partnership category and we also collected similar information to yours.
    We didnt have joint bank accounts but we provided bills that we paid (she paid water and phone and I paid electric and gas) and these bills were addressed to the same address. We didn't have joint tenancy but we made up for that with an explanation in our cover letter.
    We did provide a ton of photos, one for every year we were together and in the last two years 4-5.
    She got her visa in just 2 month
    From your list you look like you are well prepped
    Again good luck with your application.
    Thank you so much for your response and congratz to you both. You can just relax in a whole other way when all of the immigration stuff is over!! ... wow that sounds really promising - where about's did you apply? I handed mine in to the Manukau office in Auckland.

  10. #10
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    Yes it was a stressful few months leading up to the application. We called INZ a few times to ask for help and they were really good to us. Often we thought if the information we provided were not enough but looking back if you try to answer all their needs I think it will be enough.
    We applied at the Shanghai branch. And we didn't have to do an interview. We also never heard from our CO untill they sent us a letter to tell us we had been approved. Up until that point we didnt know who our CO was LOL.
    Wish you all the best in NZ

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