Partners and family
Partner visas in New Zealand
A partner visa in New Zealand is based on your relationship with someone who is a New Zealand citizen or resident, or who is here on an eligible visa. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has separate work, resident and visitor visas for partners, and this page explains how they differ and what the process involves. It describes the visas; it is not advice on your own situation.
Last checked against Immigration New Zealand:
- Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa
- Up to 3 years
- Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa
- Live, work and study indefinitely
- Partner of a Worker Work Visa
- Normally the same length as your partner's work visa
What changed on 25 September 2026
From 25 September 2026, INZ applies new age and evidence requirements to its partnership-based visas. Both the person applying and the partner supporting them must be aged 18 or over when the application is made, and INZ recognises partnership evidence only from when both people were 18 or over.
For partnership-based residence, the 12 months of living together that INZ requires can begin to count only once both people are 18. INZ says the changes do not apply to resident visa applications submitted before 25 September 2026, or to visas already granted.
- Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa, Work Visa and Visitor Visa
- Partner of a Worker Work Visa and Visitor Visa
- Partner of a Student Work Visa and Visitor Visa
- Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa
- Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa
Partner work visa: partners of New Zealanders
The Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa lets you work in New Zealand if your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident and supports your application. INZ says that if you have lived together for less than 12 months, the visa is issued for 1 year and further visas can take you up to 3 years in total; if you have lived together for 12 months or more, it can be issued for up to 3 years.
The visa lets you work, study for up to 3 months and travel in and out of New Zealand. Dependent children cannot be included in the same application, but INZ says they can apply for visas based on their relationship to you.
Partner of a New Zealander resident visa
The Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa lets you live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. INZ requires that you and your partner have been living together in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months after you both turned 18, and that your partner supports the application.
Dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included. INZ says that after holding this visa for 2 years in a row, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.
There are limits on supporting partners. INZ says New Zealand citizens and residents can support only 1 partner for residence in a 5-year period, and only 2 partners for residence in total.
Partner of a worker work visa
The Partner of a Worker Work Visa is for people whose partner is in New Zealand on an eligible work visa. INZ says the visa is normally issued for the same length as the supporting partner's visa, and that you do not need a New Zealand job offer to apply.
People holding an Accredited Employer Work Visa may be able to support a visitor or work visa for their partner, subject to INZ's requirements.
Partner visa requirements in NZ: what INZ looks at
Across the partner visas, INZ's requirements include a genuine and stable relationship, living together, a supporting partner who is eligible to support the application, and the usual health and character requirements. INZ defines living together as sharing the same home; it does not include keeping separate homes, sharing accommodation on holiday, or living as flatmates.
INZ lists the kinds of evidence it looks for: how long you have been together and living together, shared finances and responsibilities, time spent together, and whether other people recognise the relationship.
Documents typically involved
INZ tells each applicant exactly what it needs. These are the kinds of documents usually involved:
- Evidence of living together, such as joint ownership or a home loan, a joint rental agreement, joint utility accounts, or mail sent to your shared address
- Evidence of the relationship over time: shared finances, time together, and recognition by others
- Your supporting partner's form: INZ 1146 for temporary visas, INZ 1178 for residence
- Proof of your partner's New Zealand citizenship or residence
- Identity documents, and the health and character evidence INZ asks for
The process, step by step
- Work out which visa fits. Work, resident or visitor, depending on your partner's status and how long you have lived together.
- Gather the evidence. Relationship and living-together evidence from after you both turned 18.
- Partner's support. Your partner completes INZ's support form for the visa type.
- Apply to INZ. The application is lodged, usually online.
- INZ assesses it. INZ may ask for more information before it makes its decision.
Fees and processing times change, so we do not quote them. Check the current figures on INZ's fee finder and processing times.
How we help
Our Licensed Immigration Adviser can talk through your situation, explain the requirements that apply, help you gather and organise the evidence, and review the application for consistency before it is lodged. Every decision is Immigration New Zealand's to make, and we never promise an outcome.
Immigration adviceMoving and settling in New ZealandAsk about this visa
Partner visas: questions
The Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa is temporary: INZ issues it for up to 3 years, and it lets you work while you live with your partner. The Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa lets you live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, and INZ requires at least 12 months of living together after you both turned 18.
INZ now requires both partners to be 18 or over when the application is made, and recognises relationship evidence only from when both were 18. For partnership-based residence, the 12 months of living together counts only from when both were 18.
INZ looks for evidence that you live together in a genuine and stable relationship: shared home, shared finances and responsibilities, time spent together, and recognition of the relationship by others. Evidence from before you both turned 18 is not used.
INZ has a Partner of a Worker Work Visa for people whose partner holds an eligible work visa. INZ says it is normally issued for the same length as the supporting partner's visa, and a New Zealand job offer is not needed to apply.
We do not publish Immigration New Zealand's fees on this site, because they change. INZ's fee and decision-time finder shows the current fee for each visa and where to apply.
Processing times change, so we do not quote them. INZ publishes current processing times for each visa type, and they are the figures to plan around.
Official sources
Every fact on this page was last checked against these Immigration New Zealand pages in September 2026. Rules change; INZ's pages are the authority.
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