Partnership Resident Visa — partner of NZ citizen / resident

Build a Partnership Resident Visa strategy for [CLIENT_NAME] (relationship type [RELATIONSHIP_TYPE]; duration [RELATIONSHIP_DURATION_MONTHS] months) with [SPONSOR_NAME] ([SPONSOR_STATUS]).

§1 — LEGAL BASIS + ELIGIBILITY (90-110 words)
INZ Partnership category under SM6 + F2 operational instructions. Pathway:
  • Partner of NZ Citizen → Partnership Resident Visa (direct PR if eligible)
  • Partner of NZ Resident (PR holder with conditions met): Partnership Resident Visa
  • Partner of NZ Work Visa holder: Partner of Worker Visa (not residence — separate)
Core test:
  • Genuine + stable relationship
  • Living together for at least 12 months immediately before application
  • Intent to live together permanently
  • Sponsor: NZ citizen OR PR holder with conditions met (not still in conditional resident visa period)
For [SPONSOR_STATUS]: verify sponsor's full PR status.

§2 — RELATIONSHIP EVIDENCE (110-140 words)
Three relationship types accepted equally:
  • Marriage (civil OR religious — INZ recognises Indian Hindu Marriage Act + Special Marriage Act + Muslim marriages registered)
  • Civil union (NZ Civil Union Act)
  • De facto (unregistered cohabitation)

Evidence categories (provide multiple for each):
  • Joint accommodation: lease/mortgage/property records, utility bills in both names, joint address records
  • Joint finances: joint bank accounts (1+ year), joint credit cards, shared bills, joint insurance
  • Communication: texts/WhatsApp/calls across the relationship duration (don't curate — provide raw)
  • Family + social recognition: photos with family events, social media tagging, statutory declarations from friends/family
  • Travel: joint travel records (flight tickets, hotel bookings)
  • Children (if any): joint custody / co-parenting evidence

For Indian-cohort de facto relationships: cultural sensitivity around unmarried cohabitation — INZ accepts but expects clear documentation. Avoid relying solely on family declarations.

§3 — 12-MONTH COHABITATION RULE (90-110 words)
For [RELATIONSHIP_DURATION_MONTHS] months:
  • Minimum 12 months of "living together" as partners is required before PR application
  • Short separations (work travel, family obligations) acceptable if relationship continued
  • Cohabitation must be at a verifiable shared address
  • For Indian arranged marriages: time after marriage living together counts; pre-marriage courtship typically doesn't
  • For de facto: cohabitation start date must be evidenced (joint lease, utility connection records)
If [RELATIONSHIP_DURATION_MONTHS] < 12: apply for Partner of Worker / Visitor / Student / Resident visa first; transition to Resident after reaching 12 months.

§4 — SPONSOR REQUIREMENTS (70-90 words)
[SPONSOR_NAME] must:
  • Be NZ citizen OR NZ Resident with full PR (conditions met)
  • Be of sufficient age + character
  • Have NOT sponsored more than one prior partner in last 5 years
  • Have NOT been the perpetrator in protection-order / domestic violence orders
  • Sign sponsorship form committing to supporting partner

Sponsor restrictions discourage sequential sponsorships — flagged at INZ.

§5 — APPLICATION PROCESS (80-100 words)
  • Online via INZ ONLINE
  • Fee: NZD 4,290 [VERIFY current]
  • Documents: relationship evidence portfolio, marriage / civil union / de facto declarations, sponsor identity + status, applicant passport + medical + police certificate, English exemption (no IELTS required for partnership), bridging visa during processing
  • Interview: may be requested for relationship verification — usually for borderline cases or arranged-marriage contexts
  • Processing: 6-15 months typical
  • Outcome: Partnership Resident Visa granted with conditions on relationship continuity for 24 months OR clean PR depending on circumstances

§6 — POST-PR CONDITIONS (40-60 words)
Partnership PR granted typically with condition: relationship must continue for 24 months post-PR. INZ may audit at month 18-24:
  • Continued cohabitation
  • Continued sponsorship
  • Updated joint records
After 24 months relationship continuing: full PR with no further conditions.

End with: "DRAFT PARTNERSHIP RESIDENT VISA STRATEGY — for review by IAA-licensed adviser. Relationship evidence is the dispositive factor; quantity + quality of joint records + statutory declarations matter more than narrative. For Indian-cohort arranged marriages, document the post-marriage cohabitation period precisely."