G'day all,
So, here's the situation. My partner of nearly three years is Aussie. I'm US American. I did a WHV in Aus for a year to be with her (with no solid "evidence" in rents/bills/etc. but there is a decent digital trail of grocery/flight/etc purchases). We traveled together for six months, my visa ran out so we came to NZ to carry on being together. We simply volunteered at different family farms together (wwoofing) for a year (with an informal 7week room share in Welly mixed in there). My visa was running out but I managed to swing a nine-month visitor visa extension, again, to carry on being with her. So, our time is running low again and we want to carry on being together without moving. We love it here in NZ. So, she's Aussie but our digital and "official" records are scant to none. We live very simply. We havent "worked" (officially, for money, requiring tax records) for over two years. We have an opportunity to live with friends and can really live with little to no money. We work hard growing food and taking care of ourselves but dont have jobs, dont need or want them. But, that makes our situation challenging. Is she eligible to sponsor me? How does she prove that NZ is her place of permanent residence? How do we demonstrate our committed relationship? Does anyone reckon we have a decent chance of getting the visa? Of all folks we definitely arent keen to burn money on a hopeless cause. Bit, at the end of the day, we love each other, we have been together for going on three years (living together for 27 months, but only six months in her rented apartment and the rest of the time in tents and other peoples' homes), and we just want to be here in NZ and garden (we're proudly independent and wouldnt think of bludging the system even if we could). Yeah, so I think that's us.
Please respond with any clarifying questions, suggestions, laughing remarks or whatever. Honesty will be much appreciated.
At the very least hopefully our situation will put some of you seemingly stressed out folks at relative ease knowing your applications are much more solid than what I fear we'll be putting together!