Wrong advice from Immigration left him unlawful
A New Zealand woman and her partner, together 18 months, applied for a partner of a New Zealand citizen visa, only to discover he had been left technically unlawful after acting on incorrect advice from Immigration New Zealand a few months earlier. It took official information and special-direction requests to untangle, after which Immigration New Zealand apologised and granted a temporary visa.
What happened
- The couple applied for a partner of a New Zealand citizen visa after 18 months together.
- Earlier incorrect advice had left the partner on the wrong visa, technically unlawful, through no fault of his own.
- Using official information and special-direction requests they established the error; Immigration New Zealand apologised, waived a fee and granted a temporary visa.
As reported by NZ Herald, 7 May 2020: “Immigration NZ apologises for Hawke's Bay couple's visa struggle”.
The lesson
Even official advice can be wrong, and acting on it can leave you unlawful without realising. Keep written records of every instruction you are given, and know that errors can be challenged and fixed, through the right official channels, rather than just accepted. Catching a status problem early, and pushing back when something looks off, protects you from a much bigger one later.
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.