Can I live in NZ? SMC with partner

[mikimaru]

Hello there, I'm hoping someone can advise.

I'm already in NZ on my visitor visa to visit my boyfriend. When I applied for this visa in Thailand, I mentioned that I'm going to visit & travel with him and provided a few proof of partnership. I got a 1-year visa (not limited), but it expires 3 months after each arrival.
He (UK citizen) holds a working holiday visa, is currently working in NZ and going to apply for SMC. However, he can't include me as a partner in the application because we haven't been living together for 12 months.

If I fly back to Thailand in July before my current visa expires, then we'll have lived together for 3 months and won't meet 12 months living together because he is still in NZ.

We're thinking about me getting a WHV. To do this, I have to apply online (and the quota for Thailand is only 100 spots) and then fly back to obtain my paper in person in my home country in June. I can use this visa to live in NZ with him for a year, so he can include me on his SMC.

Or I get a student visa. But international fees for a 1-year course would be expensive :/ And tbh, I'm not sure about any of these options because my intention can be determined that I'm not a bona fide applicant

I'm not sure what to do in this situation as we don't want to live apart

Advice appreciated.
Thank you very much in advance!

[ChrisMwn]

How long have you lived together for, as of now? You could apply to extend you visitor visa to allow for a stay beyond 3 months. It may also be possible to add you to your partners residence application, at any time up until a decision is made on that application. If he hasn't yet even started the process, that could be 12 months away.