Hi, my girlfriend was here in NZ on a 3 month partner visit visa. We then applied for a partner work visa just before the visit visa expired. She got an interim visa while we waited .

Her dad then took Ill and we decided it would be better if she was back in Thailand with her dad so we withdrew her work visa application and she went back. Now that her dad is better we both want to carry on living together in NZ.

My question is, do we need to apply for another 3 month visit visa or can we go straight in with a new partner based work visa? We lived together for almost 4 months in NZ before she went back and by the time we apply we will have been apart for approx 2-3 month.

If we apply for a partner work visa will it be dismissed immediately because we have spent a couple of months apart and/or we are not living together when she applies?

We dont really want to have a refused application on her record so maybe would be a lot easier just to go for a visit visa again then go for work visa after another 3 months?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks