Does a de-facto relationship qualify?

Yes — married, civil-union and de-facto relationships all qualify, provided you can show a genuine and stable relationship with at least 12 months of living together. De-facto cases need especially thorough evidence.

What if we have been together less than 12 months?

Immigration NZ may defer the residence decision and issue a Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa with open work rights as a bridge, until you reach the 12 months of cohabitation needed for residence.

Can our children be included?

Yes — dependent children aged 24 or under can be included, with proof of financial dependency for those aged 21-24.

New Zealand · Visa guide

New Zealand Partner & Family Residence

Residence for the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident, and for dependent children joining a parent in New Zealand.

ProcessingTypically 5-7 months for offshore partner-residence applications
Visa categoryPartner & Family Residence
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New Zealand Partner & Family Residence — overview

The Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa is one of the most common residence routes for Indians who marry, enter a civil union, or form a long-term de-facto relationship with a New Zealand citizen or resident. Dependent children of a New Zealand citizen or resident can also gain residence through the Dependent Child Resident Visa.

The core test is a genuine and stable relationship of at least 12 months of living together before the application. Immigration NZ scrutinises partnership cases carefully, so the evidence — shared address, joint finances, communication and public recognition of the relationship — must be thorough. If you have been together less than 12 months, Immigration NZ may instead issue a partner work visa as a bridge.

Lifeset Overseas helps you assemble relationship evidence that meets New Zealand consular practice — including for de-facto and culturally-arranged-marriage cases — and coordinates the supporting partner's documents.

Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa

Indian spouses and partners of New Zealand citizens and residents apply for the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa, which lets you "live, work and study in New Zealand" indefinitely. Immigration New Zealand's own figures and conditions are below.

Cost, processing and conditions — from Immigration New Zealand

Cost
INZ position
"From NZD $5360"
Processing time
INZ position
"80% within 7 months"
Stay
INZ position
"live, work and study indefinitely"
Relationship
INZ position
"be living with your partner in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months"
Support
INZ position
"have your visa application supported by your partner"
Children
INZ position
"include your dependent children aged 24 or younger in your visa application"
Permanent residence
INZ position
"apply for permanent residence after having this visa for at least 2 years in a row"

Item	INZ position
Cost	"From NZD $5360"
Processing time	"80% within 7 months"
Stay	"live, work and study indefinitely"
Relationship	"be living with your partner in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months"
Support	"have your visa application supported by your partner"
Children	"include your dependent children aged 24 or younger in your visa application"
Permanent residence	"apply for permanent residence after having this visa for at least 2 years in a row"

"If your partner has New Zealand residence through an Australian passport, Australian residence or resident return visa, they must live in New Zealand." "If your partner is a New Zealand citizen and you have been living together overseas for at least 5 years, we may give you a Permanent Resident Visa." The fee is paid to INZ and is not refunded on decline.

Proving the partnership

INZ publishes a partnership timeline and evidence checklist to include with the application. The case turns on evidence of living together: shared address, joint finances, correspondence to both of you at the same address, travel and photographs across time, and statements from family. Marriage alone is not enough; the 12-month living-together test is applied to Indian couples who married but lived apart, which is the most common reason for decline or for a temporary partnership visa being offered instead.

Official sources

Immigration New Zealand — Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/partner-of-a-new-zealander-resident-visa/
Immigration New Zealand — Partnership and how to prove it: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/process-to-apply/once-you-have-a-visa/bringing-family-to-new-zealand/partnership-and-how-to-prove-it/

Quotations checked against Immigration New Zealand on 30 September 2026. Fees and rules change; the official page always prevails.

8 items

Documents you need

Proof of living together
Evidence of a shared address over the full 12 months — joint tenancy, bond lodgement, or mortgage/property documents naming both partners.
Genuine-relationship evidence
Joint bank accounts, joint utilities and insurance, photos across the relationship, communication records, and letters of support.
Partner's status proof
Evidence your partner is a New Zealand citizen or holds a residence-class visa.
Partnership Support Form
Form INZ 1178, completed and signed by your New Zealand partner.
Relationship certificates
Marriage or civil-union certificate, or documented evidence of a de-facto relationship.
Health certificates
Chest X-ray and general medical certificate from an Immigration NZ panel physician.
Police certificates
From India and any country either partner has lived in for 12+ months over the last 10 years.
Children's documents
Birth certificates and, for dependent children aged 21-24, proof of financial dependency.

5 steps

How the process works

Typical processing: Typically 5-7 months for offshore partner-residence applications.

Step 1
Free eligibility review
We confirm whether you qualify for residence now or need a partner work visa as a bridge.
Step 2
Build the relationship evidence
We help assemble thorough, well-organised proof of a genuine and stable relationship.
Step 3
Coordinate the supporting partner
We guide your New Zealand partner through the INZ 1178 form and their documents.
Step 4
Lodge the resident application online
The application is submitted through Immigration Online for you and any dependent children.
Step 5
Decision — Resident Visa to PRV
Immigration NZ decides the application; after 2 years as a resident you can apply for the Permanent Resident Visa.

Transparent

Costs & fees

Item

Amount

Partner residence application fee

Varies with where you apply and whether biometrics are required.

From NZD 5,360

Medicals, police checks & biometrics

Third-party certificate and VFS costs.

Confirmed at booking

Government and third-party fees change often — we confirm the exact current amounts for your case before you pay anything.

3 answers

Frequently asked questions

Yes — married, civil-union and de-facto relationships all qualify, provided you can show a genuine and stable relationship with at least 12 months of living together. De-facto cases need especially thorough evidence.
Immigration NZ may defer the residence decision and issue a Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa with open work rights as a bridge, until you reach the 12 months of cohabitation needed for residence.
Yes — dependent children aged 24 or under can be included, with proof of financial dependency for those aged 21-24.

Why it matters

Going it alone vs filing with us

On your own

Guessing the document list — one missing or wrongly formatted paper triggers a refusal.
Generic cover letters copied from the internet that officers recognise and flag.
No read on peak rejection windows or what this visa post is strict about.
Government and VFS fees are non-refundable — money lost if you are refused.
A refusal stamp follows you and weakens every future visa application.

With Lifeset Overseas

An honest case assessment before you spend a rupee on government fees.
A file built to the embassy's exact checklist and in the exact order.
Weak finances, ties or purpose identified and fixed before submission.
Previously refused? We can rescue and rebuild the file.
Every case handled by one consultant, end to end.

Refused before?

A refusal isn't the end

A refusal is not a permanent bar — but it only improves if the actual reason is found and answered, and nobody can tell you a second application will succeed. If a New Zealand visa has been refused, we: