Partner lives in US, wants to immigrate to join me here in NZ but..

[x42ndecthellion]

Hey all

This is my first time posting here so take it easy on me.
I am a New Zealand citizen and for about the last 6 years I have had a long distance relationship with a U.S based individual, our relationship is almost solely either web based or letters/parcels with daily correspondence via viber or skype . My partner has and I have always considered one of us moving to join the other but recently the discussion has turned to the big question of them immigrating here to join me . I know its a long shot but is the partner visa applicable? I have records and letters/customs forms of many parcels and letters between us dating back to 2012 at the earliest . I have been able to track down our Skype conversation records also, whilst I do lack any photographic evidence which I know is a failing. We have never lived together (this is the crux of the issue I know) but intend to continue our relationship together here

I'm aware this isn't the best case for a partner visa but failing that if they were to come on a visitor visa for the 3 month period and spend time with is this able to be considered as evidence of relationship for a future application?

Advice welcome

[JandM]

You're right in your last paragraph. Since you haven't ever lived together, you don't have the basic requirement for any visa based on partnership. INZ can't simply take anyone's word for how they feel about another person - that would be like an essay competition - so it is brought down to the one element where it can be shown that two people have taken action about being a couple by sharing a home. Visas based on partnership are the ones most targeted by fraudsters, because there is no requirement for particular work experience or qualifications, so INZ check into them very carefully. The minimum amount of time taken seriously is two to three months.

And therefore, if you start collecting evidence https://www.google.co.uk/#q=site:enz...tnership+proof that you are living together as soon as your partner arrives in NZ as a visitor (and this should be useful http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rd...20June2014.pdf, because then nobody can say there was any suggestion that the partner might not want to stay on, and claim fraud), an application for partner-sponsored temporary work visa http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...milystream.htm can go in towards the end of the visitor visa. As long as this is lodged while the visitor visa is still valid, an Interim visa http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...ts/interim.htm will be issued to keep things legal while the application is being processed.

[nicolenz]

Hi there

I'm not an expert and correct me if I'm wrong JandM, but if your partner meets the requirements for a working holiday visa that could be an option? They have to be under 30 and have at least $4200nzd in the bank I believe as well as a few other requirements.

The working holiday visa is a very quick process from what I've heard and usually gets approved within a couple of days.

The working holiday visa would give your partner 1 year in NZ and they would be able to work straight away.

Over that year you could gather evidence of living together then apply for partner based work or residence?

That would give your partner the option to start work straight away but if that's not a concern then the visitor visa then the partner sponsored temporary work visa will be the way to go!

[JandM]

Yes, IF the partner is a US citizen, this is a good option. I must admit, I'd jumped to the conclusion from the wording, 'a U.S. based individual,' that the partner is actually of a different nationality. For a WHV to be an option, their country would need to have an arrangement to that effect with the NZ government. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas

[Sandwich]

Hi, so we have done this. My husband is from the US and we did the "long distance" thing for a while. He came over here under visa waiver, then after two months we applied for a further 3 month visitor visa. When we applied for the visitor visa we wrote in our application that we wanted the extra time to gather evidence for a relationship visa and it was approved. We then applied for a work visa for him a couple of months later and that was approved based on ~ 5 months of evidence from when he entered the country. A year later we applied for another work visa, and now it's another year later and we're about to apply for residency. We gathered evidence from the minute he got here. Saved our plane/hotel tickets from one end of the country to the other, got him on my tenancy agreement and made my bank account a joint one. I introduced him to all my family and friends immediately and we made sure to get photos everywhere we went, even if it was just selfies in the park.

Edit: Hey JandM, I actually have a question for you if you see this. We were initially granted a one year work visa (under partnership) and when we applied for the second one I expected it to be granted for an additional year. Instead, it was granted for an additional two years. Do you think this will cause any problems for us?

[JandM]

No, that won't cause any problems at all. Whenever the Residence comes through, it will supersede the partner-sponsored temporary work visa so the rest of it will become irrelevant. All it means, having the extra time, is that you won't feel 'pushed' while the processing is happening on his Residence application.