Since the deepening of the COVID crisis across the world, the NZ government and immigration authorities are trying to put up a resolute fight by introducing necessary reforms, passing efficient policies, and ensuring strict protocol. While the country has seen the minimum casualties due to COVID, it is trying to retain that position by providing essential immigration policy changes and reforms. Among these, the Critical Purpose Visitor Visa, the Short-Term Visitor Visa that is specially curated for the COVID purposes, extension of several works, and visitor visas stand out as earnest efforts by the government to safeguard the interests of its citizens.
The NZ government and INZ have launched many visa options to allow family members to fly across and unite with their own. A New Zealand citizen or a temporary NZ resident on a work or student visa can support visas for their partner, parents, or dependent children. The type of visa and the corresponding duration of stay will vary according to the status of the NZ resident and subsidiary factors. But there are plenty of visa options that can help you unite with your family overshores in NZ sooner than you would think.
Partner Category
If you have a partner living in New Zealand, you can apply for an NZ visa based on your partnership. Immigration New Zealand defines partnership as “a genuine and stable relationship between two people of the same or opposite sex engaged in a union of one of the following type:
- A legal marriage
- A civil union
- A de facto marriage
If you are applying for an NZ visa based on the reason to join your partner in New Zealand, you have to provide adequate evidence that your relationship with your partner is stable. Anyone who has been in a partnership for at least 12 months is eligible to apply for a visa on partnership grounds. Based on the type of partnership and the nature of your partner’s visa/ terms of residence, your visa can range from a visitor visa to a work visa or a permanent resident visa. Below are the most common partnership-based visas:
- Partner of a Worker visitor visa
- Partner of a Worker work visa
- Partner of a Student visitor visa
- Partner of a Student work visa
- Partner of a New Zealander visitor visa
- Partner of a New Zealander work visa
- Partner of a New Zealander resident visa
Therefore, you can join your partner in NZ if they are a citizen or resident of New Zealand or are currently in New Zealand on a work or student visa.
If your current partner is a New Zealand resident or citizen:
- If you have only been in a partnership for 12 months, you can be granted a temporary work visa whose usual validity spans 12 months.
- If you have been in partnership for more than 12 months, you can be presented either a work visa valid for 24 months or a resident visa based on the exact nature of your relationship.
If your partner is on a student visa in NZ, they can support your visa only if:
- They are studying at level 7 or higher qualifications in an area where there is an absolute skill shortage in accordance with the criteria specified in the Long Term Skill Shortage List,
- They are studying towards a postgraduate qualification
If your partner is on a work visa in NZ, they can support a work visa or a visitor visa for your partner except if they have a work visa in the following sectors:
- a Fishing Crew work visa
- a limited visa under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) or Supplementary Seasonal Employer (SSE) schemes
- A Working Holiday Visa
- a Silver Fern Job Search visa
- a Domestic Staff of a Diplomat work.
Book a Consultation with our esteemed immigration experts to know more about how you support your partner’s visa if you are on a work visa. These immigration advisors are well-versed in their trade and will help you sort out things quickly. They are friendly and amicable professionals who always serve you with a smile!
If your partner possesses an Essential Skills Work Visa:
- The Essential Skills Visa protocols underwent changes from July 27, 2020, concerning the duration of stay and eligibility to support a family. If you have applied for an Essential Skill work visa on July 27, you can support a visa for your family in the following conditions:
- If you are paid the median wage or above, you will have the ability to support a visitor visa or a work visa for your partner, as well as a student or visitor visa for your children.
- If your pay is below the median wage, you will be able to support a visitor visa for your partner but not a work visa. For a Work Visa, your partner will have to apply for it in their own right. You can still support visitor and student visas for your children only if you meet the minimum income threshold of NZD 43,322.76 in a year.
- If If you have applied for an Essential Skills Work Visa before July 27, 2020:
- You can ideally support a work visa for your partner if you have been ranked as a high or mid-skilled worker.
- If you have been assessed as a low-skilled worker, you can support a work visa for your partner if:
- Your partner held a visa on or till August 28, 2017, based on their relationship with you.
- You have not been subject to a stand-down period.
- You were a student in NZ on a student visa, and your student visa enabled you to support your partner’s work visa. You are now staying here on a post-study work visa and sponsoring their visas based on your relation.
Dependent Children Category
If you are a parent in NZ currently residing on a work or student visa, you can support visas for your dependent children and unite with them in NZ in the following ways:
- If they are aged below 20, you can include their visitor visa application in your own visa application at the time of the application process itself.
- You can support a residence visa for your dependent children, provided they are aged 24 years or below and reliant on an adult for financial support.
- You can also support a support visa for your dependent children.
Parent and Grandparent Category
- Visitor visa: The parent and grandparent visa allows parents and grandparents of NZ citizens or residents to join them for an entire duration of 6 months at a stretch and a total maximum of 18 months over three years on a visitor visa. The NZ citizen/resident should support the visitor visa of their parent(s)/grandparent(s).
- Resident visa: A NZ resident can sponsor the resident visa of their parents provided they meet specific income criteria.
- Guardian of a student visitor visa: This kind of visa allows you to visit NZ as parents or legal guardians of your children who are in NZ on a student visa. The child must be studying in the year 1-13, and only one parent will be able to visit at a time. Your visa will be active only for the duration of your child’s stay with the student visa.
Conclusion
With these visa options at hand, you can contact our officials to find out more details about the exact nature of the visa for which you would qualify depending upon your relation with the NZ resident. Even with the COVID-19 situation disrupting the global scenario, nothing should hold you back from uniting your family. Book a consultation with our immensely experienced immigration experts and get tailor-made solutions to your visa concerns.