Family Visa

The family category visa incorporates all areas relating to partnership visas, parent retirement visas, parent category visas and dependent children visas.  Whilst these visas aim to strengthen families and communities, they are also aimed at reinforcing New Zealand’s overall objectives and policies relating to immigration matters.

Partnership Visas

Under Partnership visas in temporary class visas, where a person has been granted a visa to live or work in New Zealand, that person has the option of bringing their partner to New Zealand to be with them.  Partnership visas extend to relationships that are of legal marriage, civil union and de facto relationships.

It is important to note that there are several categories of partnership visas which can be applied for and they are:

• Partner of a work visa holder
• Partner of a visitor visa holder
• Partner of a student visa holder
• Partner of a New Zealand resident or citizen

It is required for all partnership category visas that evidence be provided to show that you and your partner are in a ‘stable and genuine’ relationship, that you are living together and that you and your partner are socially accepted.

An extensive set of evidence will need to be provided to ensure that the relationship you and your partner have is genuine and stable to the standard that satisfies Immigration New Zealand.

Such evidence may include:

• Tenancy agreements that show you and your partner live at the same residential address
• Share utility bills including power bills and internet bills etc
• Proof that you both hold a joint bank account and also use and contribute to funds of the account i.e. bank statements
• Letter of support from friends and family affirming that you and your partner and in a genuine and stable relationship and that you are socially accepted
• Substantial amounts of photos showing you and your partner spending time together travelling at events or special occasions, as well as being surrounded by family and friends

The conditions of a partnership visa may vary depending under which circumstances you are applying for under this visa.  Partnership visas can be granted as temporary visas or may lead towards becoming a resident in New Zealand.

Parent Retirement Visas

​This visa has specific requirements that need to be met if you wish to be granted a visa under this category.  This includes:

• Having funds or assets to the value of at least 1 million and produce a plan to show how you will invest the funds or assets over a four year period
• Provide evidence to show that the funds or assets are legally under the applicant’s name and that the funds or assets were obtained legally
• Place or transfer the funds into an acceptable investment project that is in line with Immigration New Zealand instructions
• Place $500,000 of settlement funds and provide evidence that proves that these funds or assets are owned by the applicant
• Provide evidence that the applicant will have an annual income of at least $60,000 per year
• The applicant will also need to ensure that they meet all the requirements for family category visas stated under Immigration New Zealand instruction

It is important to remember that any applicant applying for this visa will also be required to meet the health and character requirements of Immigration New Zealand if they wish to be successful in their application.

Parent Resident Visas       

Immigration New Zealand for the moment has suspended Expression of Interest applications for parent resident visas, due to the COVID-19.

This visa will allow to live, work and study in New Zealand and it allows for your partner to be included in the application.  There is a quota of 1000 applicants a year being selected for this visa.  Grandparents and legal guardians may also be eligible to apply for residence under this visa category.