Partnership-Based Temporary Work Visa...Please Help...

[Stuart-W]

Good evening,

I feel a little bad just signing up for a forum & bowling in with a question with my first post, however, people seem quite informed here.

My situation is not especially a tricky one, however the background is a little convoluted.

My partner & I met in China in September 2013. We were both working in the same city. She is a New Zealand citizen & I'm a UK citizen. She left China to return to NZ in order to study in January 2014. I had to stay in China as I could not terminate my contract with the company I was working with. She returned for a 6 week visit in November 2014. I then moved to New Zealand on a 9 month Visitor Visa at the beginning of April 2015.

I today applied for a Partnership-Based Temporary Work Visa, as my finances are beginning to dwindle after not being able to work for three months. We have lived together for three months in New Zealand & in total, six months in China. I have been told by INZ that three months living together in NZ should be okay to attain this visa. After reading some comments & threads on here I'm a little disheartened as people have been rejected for this visa.

Unfortunately I have very little proof of us living together in China as my company paid all my rent & utilities. The only things we have are photos, a birthday card, my girlfriend's plane ticket itinerary for her visit in December 2014 & a testimony of a mutual friend.

In regards to living in NZ, we have provided a joint bank statement, a letter from our landlord to say we have lived in our apartment, a collage of photos & 'Fly-Buys' account statement. Both of us have provided a letter to outline our circumstances & a rough timeline of the relationship. My aunt has also provided a letter to say we met in China & now live together etc. My girlfriend also submitted the partnership sponsor form.

I have obviously submitted the medical forms & police checks etc. This was done with my Visitor Visa. My girlfriend is a qualified teacher & we both have university educations. (I put this in via an edit. I thought it might be of significance, but I'm pretty certain INZ are just looking for proof of continued co-habitation etc)

I'm not sure if I was inpatient to apply pretty much bang on three months, but due to my finances declining & the sheer boredom of not working, I had to get the ball rolling.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Regards,
Stuart