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Thread: Bring my Thai partner to NZ

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
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    auckland
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    Default Bring my Thai partner to NZ

    Hey guys,

    Yes I know there are numerous threads about this topic but many are outdated or dont mimic our relationship and circumstances.

    Myself - a 22 year old New Zealand citizen born and raised in Auckland who has been living in Australia the past year but have now decided to come home to bring May (my partner) with me.

    May - A 23 year old Thai citizen living in BKK, just finished her degree in 2014.

    A brief overview of our relationship - May and I have been together for 12 months now, we met on a beach in Thailand and literally fell in love after 3 days (crazy I know but that's what happened), we have been messaging literally daily, calling each other weekly, skyping almost weekly, I have visited her again twice, first time we spent 2 weeks together at Koh Chang, and the second time we spent 2 weeks together over the Christmas period 1 week in Pattaya (sorry but yuck) and 1 week in BKK with her family and friends.

    Iam going to BKK to live with her for 3 months until July, we are renting an apartment out together, she will continue her job in a lab, and I will be voluntaring full time in an orphanage. We have looked in to me living in Thailand long term but with visa regulations it's virtually impossible for a westerner without a degree to get a work permit, so we are left with our preferred option to bring her to NZ. But what visa do we go for?

    Long term we want to get her residency so we can settle down here, start a family etc without the threat of being separated but how do we begin this journey? (Remember we want her working as fast as possible)

    Do we try for a partnership visa?
    Do we get a tourist visa and gather more evidence?
    Are we completely dreaming?

    Any advice/guidance would be greatly appreciated from May and I.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    37,824

    Default

    Hello.

    I expect you have seen the appropriate page on the INZ website, giving you all the details of requirements for a partner-sponsored temporary work visa. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...milystream.htm This is the visa you can apply for the soonest, that would allow her to work in NZ. There is no time requirement written up in the regulations, but we know from experience that INZ start taking applications seriously that have around 3 months' proof of live in partnership. Here https://www.google.co.uk/#q=site:enz...tnership+proof are a lot of old threads where people have been discussing the sort and amount of evidence to send in. Go for overkill!

    If successful on this application, she will get a 12 months' partner-sponsored temporary work visa, which will give you the chance to continue collecting evidence, and when you have 12 months'-worth altogether, starting with your original three months, she can apply for partner-sponsored residence. (Keep collecting evidence even while the application(s) are in, as it is common for the CO to ask for more immediately before the visa is issued, to make sure the partners are still together.)

    If you are going to have to leave Thailand straight away when the three months are up, if it's at all possible for May to get a visitor's visa and accompany you back to NZ, this would be good for evidence, as INZ take applications more seriously if the partners are still together when the application goes in and is being processed. However if you have to leave and she can't straight away go with you, be very sure to keep collecting evidence of your continued contact - financial links as well as phone/internet records, etc., see the old threads. There can be a bit of an issue about getting an ordinary visitor's visa for a would-be partner, because normally, a visitor is going to leave again, whereas a partner ideally doesn't want to. Sometimes INZ will play ball, but other times it's awkward. You may get offered a partner-sponsored visitor's visa, which is a good second to getting a partner-sponsored temporary work visa straight out.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    auckland
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    Default

    Thank you so much, that is very helpful.
    The partnership based work visa was the one we wanted but was just unsure if 3 months living together would suffice.

    Do you think it's worth getting an immigration advisor, or do think thoroghly following the checklists and taking it to immigration ourselves is easy enough. (Well not easy, but doable)
    Last edited by Kiwilad; 6th April 2015 at 07:58 AM.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2008
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    A DIY application is perfectly doable. If there's anything that isn't clear, just put up a link and ask the question. But actually, partner-sponsored applications are the most straightforward kind of visas, because there is ONLY the partnership to prove, nothing about qualifications and work experience, etc..

  5. #5
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    Apr 2015
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    auckland
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    Default

    Fantastic. Yes it does look relatively straight forward from the checklists etc provided!

    Now time to go and gather some evidence over the next few months
    Thanks again for all your help it has definitely clarified a few things for us!

    All the best

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    auckland
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    Default

    Hey guys,

    May and I have been looking for apartments to rent in BKK for 3 months, while doing this I've just realised that we're not going to really be getting any form of mail with joint names on it for proof of living together. All utility expenses are paid directly to the body corps or land lords, not 100% sure who we pay to but definitely will not be opening up any forms of power accounts etc. We will obviously have a contract with both our names on it, she will have all her mail (bank statements, etc) sent to our address. And I won't be recieving any form of postal mail.

    Any ideas on what we could do to help gather evidence over the 3 month period? We're looking in to a joint bank account but this is abit 50/50 due to me only being on a visitor visa.. Any tips or ideas would be great.

    Thanks in advance.

  7. #7
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    Default

    We are also paying 50/50 of the monthly rental costs, so I suppose we can show bank statements over the 3 months of us both paying that?

  8. #8
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    Feb 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwilad View Post
    We are also paying 50/50 of the monthly rental costs, so I suppose we can show bank statements over the 3 months of us both paying that?
    Yes. And maybe you can get the bank to write to you, as well as possibly getting paper statements sent.

    Otherwise, you need to get creative about this. Write to local organizations, so you get a reply. (By the way, save the envelopes as well as the letters.) Join clubs or classes or the library - even if they don't write to you, you can get a print-out of your details in their records. ASK them to write to you. Have May put you down as her next of kin at the doctor's, and at work - get print-outs of that, and get them sent through the post.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    auckland
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    Default

    Hi again guys,

    So its just 3 days until I leave Nz to be with May for 3 months in Thailand, I'm just trying to cover all bases before I leave so we don't fall short for a successful partnership application. So my parents will be writing to support our application, my question is do their letters need to be witnessed by somebody from justice of the peace or is an email letter acceptable? I just ask as if the letters need to be witnessed I would need my parents to write them now so i can take them with me.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    37,824

    Default

    They don't need to be witnessed, but it would be better if they're paper letters signed in person.

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