Messages to others sank a partnership visa
A man's partnership work visa was declined, and his humanitarian appeal lost, after Immigration New Zealand and the tribunal found his relationship was not shown to be genuine, stable and exclusive. Explicit messages he had sent to others, along with work done in breach of his visa conditions, undid his case. He was ordered to leave.
What happened
- He applied for a partnership work visa based on a relationship with a New Zealand citizen he had met on social media.
- Immigration New Zealand doubted the relationship's genuineness, pointing to sexually explicit messages he had sent to others and to unauthorised work in breach of his visa conditions.
- The Immigration and Protection Tribunal dismissed his appeal, finding the couple had overlooked the need to show the partnership was exclusive, and he was ordered to leave.
As reported by Stuff, 30 December 2020: “Man ordered to leave NZ after messages to escorts cast doubt on relationship”.
The lesson
A partnership visa requires a relationship that is genuine, stable and exclusive, and officers do look at conduct that undercuts exclusivity. Breaching your visa conditions on top of that compounds the damage. What you do outside the relationship, and how it reads to a stranger assessing your file, can matter 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
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