Partnership based Work Visa or go straight for Residence ?

[fabs]

Hello everyone,
So just a quick question or two
Me and my girlfriend (nz citizen) live in Germany ,we met in high school and I finished, she still has a year to go .
She has never lived in NZ ( citizen by descent ) , if I read the Immi website right does that mean that we get ' priority processing ' because she has been out of the country for more than 5 years ?
Now because we both lived together with our parents until recently , we need to wait till next year to apply.

I read on the forum that its sometimes better to first get the partnership based work visa before getting residence because they will already have recognised the partnership hence making it a smoother process once we go for residence so we can def move down there asap next year, with residence for me so we can start uni and enjoy NZ without filling out those forms ever again
I am aware of the extra costs but thats alright.

Now what do you guys think , I would appreciate some help , its such a maze and some helpfull insight would be great !

thanks everyone and have a good day !

[JandM]

Hello.

I expect you will have read that partnership is judged by INZ solely on the basis of being able to prove that you have lived and are living together. For Residence, you will need 12 months' evidence, while for a partner-sponsored temporary work visa, you can start the process with around three months' evidence. Notice, because these visas are the prime target for fraudsters paying people to lie for them, the evidence is very carefully checked for whichever visa is your first partner-sponsored one, and then if the couple needs to move on, either to a second work visa or to residence, it's an easier process on that second visa because INZ have already proved to their satisfaction that the two people genuinely are linked, and it's just a matter of checking that they're still living together over the time period since the first application. However, if you apply directly for Residence, INZ checking your evidence for that, from the start of your relationship forward to the date of the application, is no more awkward than them doing a first work visa would be.

So to sum up, I don't think there would be any advantage to you in applying for a work visa, then going on to Residence. And of course, it would mean paying two lots of fees.

I see you are hoping to go to university in NZ. If you get Residence, you will be eligible for domestic fees, but you should know you will not be eligible for any student loan from the NZ government until two years after you activate your Residence visa.

[fabs]

Wow thanks for the quick reply.
Alright my bad, thought from reading here there was going to be an advantage.
So theoretically we could move to NZ earlier with a Partner Work visa, and the time moving there and all the settling in would be counted towards 12 month ?
Because we wanted to travel around NZ the first few month and we wouldnt have an apartment and rental contract like we do now , would hostel/hotel receipts and all that be enough or would you just recommend staying here until I get residence?

Thanks you so much !

[JandM]

You just struck a time when I happened to be online as well, hence the speed!

Yes, people have used time when they were travelling together as part of their partnership proof, but the evidence is a bit different, for instance travel tickets for you both, shared accommodation, photos of you both in the same place, either together or each of you with the same things/people in the background, etc..

[dharder]

Is there a reason why you wouldn't just go for a Working Holiday Visa? You could use that time to gather your evidence for a partnership.

Not sure if this is something you want to hear, but if you are just out of high school and your girl friend has another year to go that makes you what, 18? 19? Even though JandM is of course right and people have used travel together as counting towards the 12 months, if it's all you have ever done as a couple, I would expect INZ to ask for further proof of financial and other interdependence.

[fabs]

Well High School is a bit longer here so I am 20 my girlfriend 23 , she did an apprenticeship before and because I am working now and we live together I dont think there should be a problem with INZ on that term , I think its understandable for them that the financial aspect cant be there if one is still in school , same goes for people where one is staying at home doing the house chores and one works full time , where is the difference ? We have a joint bank account where we both drop in our money and buy groceries pay bills etc...

Working Holiday I havent even thought about , thanks for reminding me. Just heard from friends that with that visa it is much harder to get a normal job which doesent evolve around fruitpicking and so on.

Just one more question , if I get the Partner Work Visa will I have to provide all the proof for the whole 12 month again once I apply for residence, just in case so I remember to print two copies of everything in the future

Thanks guys !

[JandM]

There have been many people on the forum who have got a fully professional job while on a WHV, with the employer making them an offer of a permanent contract meantime, so they could apply to INZ for a work visa.