How long do we need to live together for partnership residence?

For partnership-based residence, you generally need to have been living together for at least 12 months in a genuine and stable relationship. This is a key threshold - residence is about long-term settlement, so Immigration New Zealand wants to see that your relationship is well established before granting it.

The 12 months needs to be living together as a couple, not simply being in a relationship. Time spent apart - for work, study, or visa reasons - can sometimes be explained, but the core expectation is genuine cohabitation, and you will need evidence covering that whole period such as shared tenancy, joint bills, and correspondence to the same address.

If you have not yet reached 12 months living together, a partner work visa is often the right first step while you build up your time and evidence. MyLaw can help you work out the best pathway for your situation.