Five years in New Zealand, then their residence hopes went dark
A couple who had built five years of life in New Zealand, one of them on a partnership visa, watched their residence hopes go dark when a one-off resident visa was announced with criteria that left them out. Even long, well-established couples can be caught by the fine print of a new pathway.
What happened
- The couple had lived in New Zealand for five years and had lodged an expression of interest, believing they met the criteria for residence.
- A newly announced one-off 2021 Resident Visa opened residence to many work-visa categories, but the eligible categories were narrower than expected.
- They were left out of the new pathway, their plans for the future suddenly uncertain.
As reported by Newsroom, 10 October 2021: “Residence visa hopes dashed: 'My future in NZ went dark'”.
The lesson
Special and one-off residence pathways come with precise eligibility rules, and being settled and genuine is not the same as fitting them. Couples who assume residence will always be available later, or who do not check the fine print of a new visa against their exact situation, can be caught out. Get your eligibility checked against the actual criteria before you count on a pathway.
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.