An out of touch visa message as the bombs fell
A Ukrainian woman in the middle of a partnership visa application, sheltering in a city under bombardment, was told by Immigration New Zealand to verify her passport at a centre in Kyiv, a day after the Russian invasion began. The family called it completely out of touch, and Immigration New Zealand later apologised. It is a hard reminder of how an offshore partnership application can play out without someone advocating for you.
What happened
- A Ukrainian woman and her Auckland-based husband were partway through a partnership visa application when the invasion began.
- She received an automated instruction to attend a visa application centre in the capital to verify her passport, while the country was under attack.
- After her family spoke out, Immigration New Zealand apologised for the automated message, and her case was raised with senior managers by a licensed adviser.
As reported by Otago Daily Times, February 2022: “'Out of touch': INZ's visa message shocks family”.
The lesson
Partnership applications lodged from offshore run on standard processes and automated messages that do not bend to your circumstances on their own. When timing, safety or fairness matter, someone has to engage Immigration New Zealand directly and advocate for the right handling. A genuine relationship is not enough if the process stalls and no one is pushing it forward.
The visa in this story
Partner of a New Zealander Resident VisaResidence for the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident, based on a genuine and stable relationship and time living together.
Don’t let this be your story
Most partnership visa heartbreak is avoidable with the right advice before you apply. Have a lawyer assess your situation honestly, backed by our money-back guarantee.