Eligible for a partnership visa, but deported for a visa breach
A British woman living in Queenstown was eligible to apply for a partnership visa with her New Zealand partner, and yet she was issued a deportation notice and had to leave. The trigger was not her relationship but a breach of her visa conditions, and once that happened she could not simply apply for the partnership visa from inside the country.
What happened
- She had lived in Queenstown for years and was in a genuine relationship with her Kiwi partner.
- Immigration New Zealand found she was not working for her sponsor, which breached her visa conditions, and issued a deportation liability notice.
- Although eligible for a partnership visa and a residence visa, she could not apply for either while in New Zealand, and planned to wait offshore while her application was processed, leaving her partner, dog and business behind.
As reported by NZ Herald, 4 February 2022: “British woman in Queenstown issued deportation notice after visa breach”.
The lesson
Being eligible for a partnership visa is not the same as being safe. Breaching the conditions of your current visa, even inadvertently, can trigger deportation liability that overrides an otherwise strong relationship case, and it often cannot be fixed from inside New Zealand. Knowing your visa conditions, and acting before anything lapses or is breached, matters as much as the relationship itself.
The visa in this story
Partner of a New Zealander Work VisaAn open work visa for the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident — work for any employer while you live together in New Zealand.
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.