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Pathway

New Zealand Partner Resident Visa

New Zealand Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

You may qualify for New Zealand residence through a citizen or resident partner after at least 12 months of living together in a genuine, continuing relationship. For new applications from September 25, 2026, that time must be after both partners turned 18. Your partner must be eligible to support the application.

Supporting partner
An eligible New Zealand citizen or resident
Living together
At least 12 months in a genuine, continuing relationship
Current age rule
For new applications from September 25, 2026, count only time after both partners turned 18

Summary

A person who has lived with a New Zealand citizen or resident for at least 12 months in a genuine and stable marriage, civil union, or de facto relationship may qualify for residence. A separate partnership-based work or visitor visa may be available before the 12-month residence threshold is met.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

The supporting partner must be a New Zealand citizen or resident. If they have New Zealand residence because they are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, they must live in New Zealand. Both partners must be at least 18. For residence applications filed from September 25, 2026, the qualifying 12 months can begin only after both turned 18, so both will be at least 19 when eligible. Applications submitted before that date and already granted visas are unaffected.

The couple must have lived together for at least 12 months after both turned 18. Evidence should cover the full period and can include joint tenancy or property records, utility and official mail, shared finances, household responsibilities, travel, messages, photographs, and statements showing that other people recognize the relationship. Periods apart should be explained and documented.

The supporting partner must satisfy character and sponsorship-limit rules. Prior partnership sponsorships, certain family-violence or sexual convictions, or having been included as a partner in an earlier successful residence case can restrict support. The applicant must meet health and character requirements.

If the partner is a New Zealand citizen and the couple have lived together overseas for at least 5 years while the citizen also lived overseas for at least 5 years under Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) rules for counting time overseas, INZ may grant a Permanent Resident Visa directly.

Applying for residence through your partner
  1. Check your partner’s eligibility to support you Review their status, earlier sponsorships, and any restrictions.
  2. Document at least 12 months of living together Apply the current age rule and explain any time apart.
  3. Apply with relationship and personal evidence Check family eligibility and the travel conditions on the approved visa.

Marriage or engagement alone does not replace the requirement to have lived together.

What This Route Allows

The resident visa permits indefinite residence, work, and study. Dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included if they meet the dependency, relationship, health, and character rules.

The usual resident visa lets you leave and return only while its travel conditions remain valid. After holding it for 2 years, the applicant can normally apply for a Permanent Resident Visa if eligible. The qualifying long-term-overseas couple may receive permanent residence at the initial decision instead.

What This Route Is Not

It is not available for a couple who are dating, married, or engaged but have not lived together. Less than 12 months of living together can support a temporary partner work or visitor visa in some cases, but not this resident visa.

It is also not guaranteed by a marriage certificate or joint bank account. INZ assesses the evidence as a whole and can examine whether the couple share a real home and life.

Next Steps

  1. Confirm the supporting partner's exact citizenship or residence status and sponsorship eligibility.
  2. Build a month-by-month record of living together covering at least 12 months.
  3. Collect evidence from different sources throughout the period, not only documents created shortly before filing.
  4. Explain travel, work, study, or family reasons for any time apart.
  5. Prepare the partner's support form and character evidence, plus the applicant's identity, medical, police, and child documents.
  6. Consider a temporary partnership visa if 12 months of living together has not yet been completed.

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Discussed in these reports

Other routes in New Zealand.

Sources