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
- Your guideOne consultant
Start here
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.
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
- Q.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.
- Q.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.
- Q.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.
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.
- 1,200+ approvals, handled by one licensed consultant end to end.
Refused before?
A refusal isn't the end
Refused applicants often win the second time — once the real reason is fixed. If a New Zealand visa has been refused, we:
- Read the actual refusal letter and pinpoint the real gaps.
- Advise whether to pull the officer's notes (CAIPS / GCMS) for the true reason.
- Identify which part was weak — funds, employment, purpose or ties.
- Tell you honestly whether to reapply now or strengthen the file first.
- Rebuild a stronger application — same fixed fee, refusal or first try.
Your next step
Ready to start your New Zealand Partner & Family Residence?
A visa file is won or lost on the small things — a mismatched date, a thin financial trail, a document formatted wrong. We go deep into your profile, build every document properly, and give you an honest verdict before you commit. If your case isn't ready, we'll tell you — and tell you exactly how to fix it.
Free, honest assessment
We read your full profile and tell you straight whether your case is ready — before you pay anything.
Your file, built right
Every document prepared, apostilled, translated and stress-tested the way the embassy expects.
One consultant, end to end
The same person handles your case from the first call to the visa decision — no hand-offs.
We handle the process
VFS appointment, biometrics, submission and follow-up — we manage the moving parts for you.
licensed (No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024)Fixed fees agreed upfrontWe won’t take a case we believe will fail
Other New Zealand visas
New Zealand Visitor Visa
A visa for tourism, family visits, weddings and short stays of up to 9 months — Indians need a full visitor visa, not an NZeTA.
New Zealand Business Visitor Visa
A visitor visa for short business activity in New Zealand — meetings, conferences and negotiations, with no employment.
New Zealand Student Visa
The Fee Paying Student Visa — the main route for Indian students enrolling full-time at a New Zealand university, polytechnic or institute.
New Zealand Student Guardian Visa
A visitor visa that lets one parent or legal guardian live in New Zealand with a child who is studying there.
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