12 months for Residence?

[MollyDee]

Hi,

I've read that you need to have actually have lived together (physically) for 12 months before applying from - Partnership based work visa to Partnership Resident Visa?

My partner & I have lived (physically) together for 8 x months but obviously maintained relationship long distance while waiting for Work visa to come through.

Do the months of separation while waiting for Partnership-based work visa to be approved count towards the 12 months?

In general - the months we've been living apart long distance (where it can be proven that a relationship was maintained for 2+ years) can this be added to the 12 months for eligibility Partnership-based Resident visa?

Or does NZ immigration only deem (physically) living together for 12 months as valid in order to be eligible to apply for Partnership Resident Visa?

[JandM]

It depends on how long you can show you lived together BEFORE the separation, and how good your evidence is, whether INZ will count the time apart while waiting.

For instance, in the case of a couple who had solid proof of having lived together for - say - five years, then one partner moved to NZ because of a job offer, leaving the other partner to wind up their affairs in their original home country, then INZ would count the gap.

In the case of a couple who could only prove a matter of months before the gap, then INZ would probably start the count of a year's evidence for residence from after they got together again.

[MollyDee]

Thanks JandM your always helpful