Migration to New Zealand: same sex partner visa

Unlike many other countries, New Zealand recognizes same sex de facto and officially registered civil partnerships, as well as marriages between same-sex couples. To be eligible to apply for the same sex partner visa, otherwise known as the interdependency visa, you and your foreign partner must meet the general residence visa eligibility requirements, and also prove to immigration officials that you have been living together in an exclusive, committed relationship for at least one year immediately prior to filing your visa application.

To obtain permission for your partner to migrate to New Zealand under the interdependency visa category, completing the application forms is simply the first step. You and your partner then must prove that your relationship is genuine. If there are serious doubts concerning the legitimacy of your union, the adjudicating officials may require you and/or your partner to appear for a personal "face-to-face" interview to ensure that you have entered into your relationship in good faith, and not to evade New Zealand immigration laws. This can be an embarrassing and nerve-racking experience, as the officials may ask highly personal questions. While some may seem quite innocent, answering any critical interview questions incorrectly may result in a substantial delay in the processing of your residence visa application.

Only the couples themselves know their intentions in living together, but the immigration authorities will try to interpret their intentions based on objective facts, and with the use of some "rules of thumb". Generally, in assessing a claimed same-sex relationship, the Immigration New Zealand offices, whether onshore or offshore, usually look at evidence of things such as living together on a permanent basis, sharing a household, and important financial and social commitments.   

We know how the New Zealand same sex partner visa application should be prepared, what evidence should be included, and how you should prepare for an interview, if one is required by the immigration department to reach a decision on your interdependency visa case. We will help you through this often stressful and complicated process to ensure that it is as smooth and worry-free as possible for you and your partner, and that the visa is granted without excessive delays and complications. 

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New Zealand interdependency (same sex partner) visas: general eligibility requirements