Partner visa - how long it takes?

[PeppaPig]

Hi all,
my husband has just accepted a job in Christchurch and due to start end of next month.
Mu husband is a NZ citizen I am a Romanian citizen and we're concerned re visa for me.

We are in S Korea at the moment and will be moving to NZ from here. My questions are:
1. What is the best way for me to arrive in NZ as we only have 4 weeks until we leave? I am planning on entering as a visitor (I don't need a visa and can stay for up to 90 days as I did previously)
2. Do I need a return ticket if I will just be honest to immigration that I am intending on staying for as long as my husband's job lasts?
3. Once I'm there (if I manage to get in ) ) what type of visa shall I apply for? We found two types - temporary work visa or resident based on my husband's citizenship. If I can stay in NZ for up to 90 days which one of these visas will take shorter time to process? I found that I need same documents for both of them so not sure which is quicker to process.
4. We have lived in 4 countries so I'll need police checks from all 4 plus my residency one, how long does it take for these checks to arrive - translate etc?

As you can see I am mainly stressed about the 90 days time frame when I need to get a different status in order to stay in NZ.
Thank you so much for your help and looking forward to any advice

[lisl71]

Hi there,

I recently joined my Kiwi partner from the US. As I had also lived in Germany for 11 years, I needed a police certificate from Germany as well. To answer your questions:

1. At this stage, entering on a visitor visa is your best bet. But if you can, get your police records under way now. If you have an address here already, have them sent there. Police records are valid for 6 months, medicals for 3. I entered on a visitor visa and 6 weeks later, I submitted all paperwork (medicals, police records from both countries) to INZ and was approved a month later. I have a work permit for a year.
2. Yes, you need a return ticket. If you haven't purchased your airfare already, I would make sure your return fare is refundable or changeable. You can't enter NZ on a one-way fare until you have the right visa or they won't let you in.
3. I believe you are only eligible for the partnership-based work visa. My partner is a citizen, too, but it doesn't matter if you're in a de facto relationship or married... you gotta do these things in steps here. See above -- if you get moving now and once you hit the ground and are able to submit everything within the first 6 weeks of your being here, your 90-day visitor visa should really be enough time to get yourself sorted till you get the right work visa.
4. Hard to say -- every country is different. Germany was fast -- the US can take forever. Get moving on these reports now.

[fabs]

So basically it is all about how long you and your partner have lived together , marriage doesn't count for INZ as proof of partnership at all.
You need to be living together under one roof to start the clock ( 3~ month for temporary partner based work visa , 12 month for residence ) .

Doesn't matter where in the world that happened you just need proof of it like :
- rental agreement with both names on it
- insurances
- pictures
- travel together ( airplane boarding pass, initenary , e-ticket, hotel booking ) - which can also count as time living together just need good proof .
- financial aspect like bank accounts together or money going from your account to his and vice versa
-postcards addressed to both of you
-letters from family to testify that you guys have been in a relationship
- marriage certificate and pictures and invitations maybe from your wedding .

It's ok if it's not always in both names but need to be to the same adress , you can check for further information on the INZ website under family/partner immigration.

Now to your questions

1. Well best way is to apply right away for the partner based sponsored work visa in NZ since it's much quicker and also cheaper

2 . You need a return ticket but that can also be to Australia or other countries where you could legally enter on a visitor visa

3 . whether you are eligble for the temporary based work visa or residence depends on how long you have been living together ( 3 month for the temporary one year work visa and 12 month for the residence visa )
Don't worry about entering the country because it will be together with your hubby I don't think they will ask a lot of questions since he is kiwi but don't tell them you want to stay longer that would wake sleeping dragons and just make everything more complicated , tell them you want to visit NZ together and check for some jobs maybe or visit family or just see beautiful NZ together , that will be enough for them.

4 . For the temporary visa you only need a police certificate from every country you have lived in for 5 years or longer , but for the residence a certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 month or longer... So again temporary much quicker...

don't worry about the time if you have lodged the application and it take longer then there is time on your visitor visa you can visit an INZ branch and they will issue you with a bridging visa which allows you to stay in NZ as long as there hasn't been a decision made on your application .
Also yes you need to translate everything that is not in English . But can be done in Auckland there are translators for every language .

good luck

[newarrival]

So basically it is all about how long you and your partner have lived together , marriage doesn't count for INZ as proof of partnership at all.
You need to be living together under one roof to start the clock ( 3~ month for temporary partner based work visa , 12 month for residence ) .

Doesn't matter where in the world that happened you just need proof of it like :
- rental agreement with both names on it
- insurances
- pictures
- travel together ( airplane boarding pass, initenary , e-ticket, hotel booking ) - which can also count as time living together just need good proof .
- financial aspect like bank accounts together or money going from your account to his and vice versa
-postcards addressed to both of you
-letters from family to testify that you guys have been in a relationship
- marriage certificate and pictures and invitations maybe from your wedding .

It's ok if it's not always in both names but need to be to the same adress , you can check for further information on the INZ website under family/partner immigration.

Now to your questions

1. Well best way is to apply right away for the partner based sponsored work visa in NZ since it's much quicker and also cheaper

2 . You need a return ticket but that can also be to Australia or other countries where you could legally enter on a visitor visa

3 . whether you are eligble for the temporary based work visa or residence depends on how long you have been living together ( 3 month for the temporary one year work visa and 12 month for the residence visa )
Don't worry about entering the country because it will be together with your hubby I don't think they will ask a lot of questions since he is kiwi but don't tell them you want to stay longer that would wake sleeping dragons and just make everything more complicated , tell them you want to visit NZ together and check for some jobs maybe or visit family or just see beautiful NZ together , that will be enough for them.

4 . For the temporary visa you only need a police certificate from every country you have lived in for 5 years or longer , but for the residence a certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 month or longer... So again temporary much quicker...

don't worry about the time if you have lodged the application and it take longer then there is time on your visitor visa you can visit an INZ branch and they will issue you with a bridging visa which allows you to stay in NZ as long as there hasn't been a decision made on your application .
Also yes you need to translate everything that is not in English . But can be done in Auckland there are translators for every language .

good luck

I have been reading several of your replies now, and, sorry for being blunt, I am quite amazed about the certainty you state things, to be honest!
Just curious- how do you know all those facts for sure? Since this forum is not supposed to give immigration advice, unless you are a registered immigration consultant (like Karen, for example), unless you provide your own personal experience or quote information from INZ's website, it might be misleading those looking for answers.

Just my personal opinion.., and I am sure there will be plenty of members not agreeing to that.

[JandM]

It may be that fabs as a newer member has not seen the thread warning against advising, WHICH IS AGAINST NZ LAW.

Here is the thread. http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24859 Please do read it, because this is extremely important. It explains the reason for Forum Rule 19.

19. Unless you are a Licensed Immigration Adviser and have said so on the forum, do not give formal immigration advice on the forum. You may draw attention to publicly available official information, giving a link or reference, and you may share personal experiences. See the explanation of NZ law, and discussion, on this thread. http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24859.

http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40236

[lisl71]

Whoops, I hope I was within bounds. I was strictly writing from my own perspective and what I did. I'm also new, but I'll refrain from offering up this advice in future.

[newarrival]

Whoops, I hope I was within bounds. I was strictly writing from my own perspective and what I did. I'm also new, but I'll refrain from offering up this advice in future.

I think that is the difference- you can offer your own personal experience, but not advice in general.

[JandM]

That's right. Lisl71, you were fine. And I quite often say such things as 'other people have found ...' or 'I think in your place I would ...' and I also give links to places on the INZ website or elsewhere where there is useful information.

[fabs]

Well newarrival this is a simple forum for everyone to share there experience , actually the information from my post above is all taken from INZ websites which is public for everyone to read , interesting that a senior member like you does not know that but I am glad to clarify for you.

So basically it is all about how long you and your partner have lived together , marriage doesn't count for INZ as proof of partnership at all.
You need to be living together under one roof to start the clock ( 3~ month for temporary partner based work visa , 12 month for residence ) .

Doesn't matter where in the world that happened you just need proof of it like :
- rental agreement with both names on it
- insurances
- pictures
- travel together ( airplane boarding pass, initenary , e-ticket, hotel booking ) - which can also count as time living together just need good proof .
- financial aspect like bank accounts together or money going from your account to his and vice versa
-postcards addressed to both of you
-letters from family to testify that you guys have been in a relationship
- marriage certificate and pictures and invitations maybe from your wedding .

It's ok if it's not always in both names but need to be to the same adress , you can check for further information on the INZ website under family/partner immigration.

Very widely available information on what is required but a good example is the Evidence of partnership list on the INZ website and the residence checklist from INZ London : ( nothing new its everywhere on the forum )

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...artnership.htm

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rd...tnershipUK.doc

1. Well best way is to apply right away for the partner based sponsored work visa in NZ since it's much quicker and also cheaper

Well this is also easy to find as you can see processing times for work visas around 1 month much quicker then residence and cheaper since no migration levy of around 1000 dollar:

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branc...ocessingtimes/

2 . You need a return ticket but that can also be to Australia or other countries where you could legally enter on a visitor visa

Exactly what is said in the guide of INZ just giving examples of where to possibly go

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/34288.htm

3 month for the temporary one year work visa and 12 month for the residence visa )
Don't worry about entering the country because it will be together with your hubby I don't think they will ask a lot of questions since he is kiwi but don't tell them you want to stay longer that would wake sleeping dragons and just make everything more complicated , tell them you want to visit NZ together and check for some jobs maybe or visit family or just see beautiful NZ together , that will be enough for them.

Seems to be the open consens on this forum that 3 month is enough and I have succesfully applied for it with 3 and a half month and also seen some correspondance on the forum with COs and applicants where CO states 12 week of live in evidence is required ...
For the rest well that is obviously my personal opinion , I could have put " I think in your place ..." like what JandM said but to be honest that is like giving advice just wrapping it nicely. Also as you can see my first language is not english and cant put things as nicely as you guys do.

4 . For the temporary visa you only need a police certificate from every country you have lived in for 5 years or longer , but for the residence a certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 month or longer... So again temporary much quicker...

http://glossary.immigration.govt.nz/...rtificates.htm

don't worry about the time if you have lodged the application and it take longer then there is time on your visitor visa you can visit an INZ branch and they will issue you with a bridging visa which allows you to stay in NZ as long as there hasn't been a decision made on your application .
Also yes you need to translate everything that is not in English . But can be done in Auckland there are translators for every language .

Also very basic stuff that has been discussed here before , whops its not bridging visa its interim visa that is the same meaning I am human sorry but information is correct and is what I was reffering to and with that information it can easily be found on google by yourself :

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...ts/interim.htm



I am not guaranteeing anything I say on the forum and I am sure that no one expects that every info is completely correct , this is a place where amateurs share there immigration experience . same goes with information from wikipedia, it gives you an idea but information can be edited by anyone so you need to make sure yourself that its correct or not . but with the points i made in my comment you can easily find the official source and see for yourself. So i dont think your points and overall statement is valid but you are entitled to your opinion of course.

good day

[JandM]

Thank you, fabs, for posting your sources and reasoning. That's what we need to keep the forum within the NZ law.