Partnership based visa

[hiren]

Hi,

I am a NZ resident & I had my wife joining me in NZ on a partnership based work visa in June 2013 and her visa expires in April 2014. As our relationship was less then 12 months old she was granted a work visa for 12 months in April 2013,but it took her 2 months to sort things out (pre dominantly shopping ) before she joined me in June 2013.

Anyways my question is, in order to renew her visa do I need to apply in April or June 2014? Also we have been gathering information (various documentation) to prove our relationship to be genuine (12 months proof will be in June), so would it be ideal to apply for residency straightaway or should i renew her work visa and then apply for residency?

If I need to apply for work visa does she really need to be employed? She is still struggling to find good job in chch? Would her unemployment affect her work visa application (Partneship based) in any way?

Thanks,
Hiren

[JandM]

The date that counts will be on her visa. What is the wording there?

If you want to get a further visa, you don't wait till the time when the other one runs out - you've got to allow for processing time.

Since your wife was already granted a partner-sponsored visa, you must have some evidence of time living together before she got to NZ. That proof can count as well towards the 12 months needed for partner-sponsored Residence. I'm calculating, as her visa was granted in April, 2013, and processing will have taken at least a month, and you must have been living together for at least three months before that, maybe you were living together from December, 2012. That would mean your documented partnership is already 12 months old, and your wife could apply for Residence any time she wants to do so. (I realize you were apart for a while during that time, but the rules allow for explained absence, such as waiting for her visa to come through, and packing up her old life - see the note at the bottom here http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...artnership.htm.)

To answer the last question, someone qualifies for a partner-sponsored work visa ONLY by being the partner of someone who is already a citizen or NZ visa holder. No qualifications or employment are looked at at all. The partner-sponsored work visa ALLOWS the partner to work (at any job) - it doesn't say they MUST work.

[hiren]

JandM

You are right we got married in december 2012 and we stayed together for a month before i came back to NZ to resume my work and simultaneously was waiting for the outcome of her visa application which took about 2 months to get processed and approved.

Our marriage certificate also dates back dec 2012. You reckon I should start the process for her residency application or get work visa first?

On her current visa it says " This visa expires 12 months after first arrival" first entry before is : NA
Expiry travel date : 11/04/2014

[JandM]

In her place, I'd think it's worth going straight for Residence. If for some reason, INZ don't think it will get through processing by the time of expiry of the current work visa (which won't be till June, by what you have quoted), the official will tell her, and she could at that point go for another work visa to tide her over. But otherwise, why pay for two visas if you don't have to?

[hiren]

Thanks JandM

Also in terms of proving genuine relationship, do we need to provide evidence for each month? (i.e, joint utility bills, bank statements, phone call & txt history etc?
or is it ok to have few of them spreaded out throughout the year?

If i was to apply for her residency now that means We will have to show the evidence our relationship from Dec 2012 till date which includes 4 months wherein she was back home waiting for her work visa approved, what sort of evidence would be acceptable to INZ for those 4 months?
All I can provide is our Whatsapp chat history for that... would that be enough for them?

cheers,
Hiren

[JandM]

From other people's experience, within reason, don't think of partnership proof as being only 'a few' of anything. The CO needs to see, as quickly and easily as possible, that there IS a relationship there, functioning, through the whole of the 12 months leading up to the application, so give them as varied a bag of evidence as you can for every passing month. (Old threads about partnership proof here. https://www.google.co.uk/#q=site:enz...tnership+proof)

As far as the time apart is concerned, yes, your chat history will help. You have the obvious explanation as to why you had to part - your work to go back to, her visa to wait for. Think if there's anything else you can add. Some ideas... Did your wife have a name change, with official post showing that the authorities or financial companies (for instance) were aware of that? Did either of you alter your insurance to include the other? Did you send money to one another, or did one or both of you pay for items which are for your joint use now you are together? Can people testify about your wife wrapping up her old life, leaving (whatever - work, clubs, maybe) and having told them why?

[hiren]

Hi JandM,

I have gathered most of all evidence of our partnership. My worry is that my facebook and whatsapp chat history is way too long and if i think of printing them out might take ages and eatup lot of paper (not that im a tree hugger). Instead, I am thinking of making a PDF file and write it into a CD and send it over. You reckon that would be acceptable to INZ? I hope it does not need to be certified by JP ( i wonder how would it be certified ). I simply wanna save up on time. Howerver, i have enough hard copies like utility bills, joint Bank account statement, wedding pics, family correspondence on both our names etc etc.

Your opinion would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Hiren

[JandM]

I have heard of other people sending a CD (not of such a thing being certified, though, relax!). How about printing off A LITTLE, as a for instance that would be easy to look at, and saying there is more on the CD?

[eternalkiwi]

Like JandM said i would send in a selection of chat history from each month. The aim is not to be a detailed documentary on your relationship, but you do need to provide clear evidence that you have maintained a relationship as a couple during (at least) the last 12 months.

As you would have provided acceptable relationship evidence for the work visa, Immigration mainly focus on whether your relationship remains stable since your last application.