partnership visa crackdown

[traybon]

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-ze...rned-down.html
wonder where this crackdown originated the new or old governement?

[Eaglekiwi]

Sooner or later they will see the effect on their economy and global recognition...the news is everywhere and people are already encouraging and advising Canada to people...the other day NZ moved from 5th to 32nd in the list of friendly country.

If they want to make changes to immigration, breaking families and partners is not d best way...at some point people will have to take permission and approval from immigration before falling in love.

[Nzs]

A couple of bad eggs have ruined it for the rest of everyone else. INZ has to act to stop fraud and non genuine relationships and unfortunately the consequence looks like those whose relationships are not traditional or long standing are getting caught up in it as well. INZ likely takes a safer approach and stopping these people at the temporary stage to ensure there's less fraudulent residence. I would also expect changes to be coming soon to the partnership category given the report the minister got over it early in the year that was made publically available

[diallta]

...the news is everywhere and people are already encouraging and advising Canada to people...

I don't see how "advising Canada" is useful advice to would-be migrants seeking partnership visas in light of more stringent immigration controls. I would imagine that most applicants are interested in a partnership visa because one of the partners already has a right to live and work in New Zealand, has family and friends or other social ties to New Zealand, and likely was born and raised in New Zealand. It's enough of a struggle to immigrate when one person in a partnership already has a legal right to reside in a country, let alone two people immigrating to a completely foreign land.

While I think it's absolutely unfortunate that some relationships are put at risk, even with the increased scrutiny I still think that New Zealand has a very fair and accommodating system that strives to not be biased towards particular cultures or traditions. I can't think of any other country that is so accommodating towards the committed-but-unmarried, the LGBT community, or those with otherwise unconventional circumstances. But, in exchange for this fairness you are required to substantiate your relationship with reasonable evidence.

If I had one criticism of the process it would be that their criteria for providing evidence is too open ended and loosely defined, and even after reading the accounts of other applicants, participating in these forums, and consulting the INZ regulations, I still don't know what is the "right" amount of evidence to provide. I think the process would be better served by stating that particular pieces of evidence have certain weighted values, say, a years' worth of joint financial statements is worth 10 points, a letter of support from a relative is worth 1 point, a shared tenancy agreement is worth 5 points, etc., or something to that effect--and you must provide 50 points worth of evidence in order to qualify. Of course, it would then be a case officer's job to verify the validity of the evidence provided. I'm sure that INZ collects enough details and statistics about applications to develop a baseline model for what represents the typical application. Perhaps it's something we'll see in the future, I think it would really simplify the process for applicants, and might make it easier for case officers as well.

[NZdreaming]

The news has definitely come at such an alarming time for us. We just sent in our application for a partnership-based work visa on the 20th. We have only started living together in October of last year but have been together since 2009. We just hope the proof we were able to provide is enough. We had the biggest file that day. Being in NZ together is our penultimate dream and we cannot imagine how we could manage having to live apart.

However, we do appreciate INZ’s efforts to stop fraudulent partnerships from getting through. They just made it difficult for partners like us.

[diallta]

However, we do appreciate INZ’s efforts to stop fraudulent partnerships from getting through. They just made it difficult for partners like us.

For what it's worth I still have no idea if I've sent enough evidence or if I can even expect my visa to be approved...I hope the process goes smoothly for you!

[Eaglekiwi]

I so much agreed with ur last paragraph, that would be the best and logical way of weighing evidence. Both the applicant and immigration officer would have less job and worries to do and know what to submit and what to look for respectfully.

Because i believe Inz way and system of judging and deciding application is so narrow and unexplained at the moment. As an applicant, you just keep gathering and submitting evidence because apart from the few official ones, u don't know what they want or which ones actually add weight to ur evidences.
A case officer once said groceries and some other miscellaneous receipts do not add any weight? Then why do we keep submitting that.


As for leaving, I personally know a couple who now moved to Canada because the wife and kid could not get NZ visa...the husband apply for the express skill program and was able to get the PR there after.

NZ is a beautiful place and we just hope they find a better way of figuring out fraud application and not make all relationship look like one.

[JandM]

I sympathize with the state of uncertainty you are all in. But...

Over the years, every so often, threads like this one arise on the forum, where people give their thoughts about what INZ ought to do, and what the rules ought to be like. Sorry, but it does not help. Everything anyone here can tell you is about applying with the rules AS THEY ARE. The New Zealand government make the laws, and INZ can only apply the rules they are given. It's people already living in NZ who elect each government - voters are the ones who can influence decisions about changes in the law, and not many of them will be reading this, because most people who become forum members here do not visit the forum much (or at all) any more after they have obtained the visa they want and get their new life in NZ.

[traybon]

there was a report I saw on news hub, where people were protesting on this issue on Queen Street over the weekend (wish I had of known as would have joined in), there were two women interviewed who had children in pushchairs and their partners (fathers of children) were not allowed in as INZ did not beieve there relationship was genuine.
I really feel for them.
They interviewed a manager from INZ and asked him if he thought that the evidence they required was outdated these days when families are so diverese and so often live in extended family situations (espcially in Auckland with the rents), but his response was "people can get the evidence".
Well in our case we couldnt and any attempt to imo would have been manufacturing evidence.
Frustrating but rules are rules and only one to change them and that is to lobby the government. Dont really think this would be an election issue only as in "immigration" as a whole

[JandM]

I felt sorry for the INZ manager who got put in the awkward position of being interviewed there. He could only say what he has been told to say, in line with the regulations as they are right now. It may not be what he privately thinks.