How long do we need to live together for partnership residence?
Party A is a New Zealand citizen or resident, and Party B is their partner from overseas. They have been together for a while and want to apply for partnership-based residence so Party B can settle in New Zealand long term, but they are unsure how much time living together Immigration New Zealand expects, especially since periods of their relationship were spent apart for work or visa reasons.
For partnership-based residence, you generally need to have been living together for at least 12 months in a genuine and stable relationship. Residence is about long-term settlement, so this threshold matters.
The 12 months must be genuine cohabitation, not simply being in a relationship. Time apart, for work, study or visa reasons, can sometimes be explained, but you will need evidence covering the whole period, such as shared tenancy, joint bills and mail to the same address.
If you have not yet reached 12 months, a Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa is often the right first step while you build up your time. See evidence of living together, or ask MyLaw about your pathway.
Answered by Michael Yoon, Immigration Lawyer, MyLaw.
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This is general information, not advice on your situation, and reading it does not create a solicitor-client relationship. For advice on your case, talk to MyLaw.