BRINGING YOUR PARTNER & FAMILY
The people who matter most, here with you
A new life in New Zealand isn't complete on your own. Getting your partner and children here, and settled, is often the part that matters most, and the part with the most at stake emotionally.
Whether you're already here and missing your family, or planning your move and refusing to leave them behind, getting your partner and children here, and settled, is often the part that matters most. It can also be the part with the most at stake emotionally, which is why it deserves real care.
Partnership applications rest on showing that your relationship is genuine and stable, and that's not always simple to evidence, especially if you've spent time living apart for work, if yours is a culturally arranged marriage, or if your relationship is relatively new. These are exactly the situations we have deep experience with.
Partner visas, the options
The right partner visa depends on who your partner is joining, and on the nature of your relationship.
If you hold a work visa
Your partner may be able to get a visa based on their relationship to you. Whether they can also work here depends on your role and your pay, so the visa your partner can get is connected to decisions made about your own job. This is one of the reasons it pays to look at the whole family picture from the start, not one visa at a time.
If your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident
You may be eligible for a Partner of a New Zealander visa, which can let you live and work here based on your relationship, and, in time, can open a pathway to residence together.
Visitor, work, or residence
Depending on your circumstances and how long you and your partner have lived together, the right application might be a visitor visa, a work visa, or a residence application. We'll work out which fits, and what to apply for now versus later.
Whether your partner can also work depends on your role and pay, rules that change over time. Ask us and we'll tell you exactly where you stand, rather than relying on a rule you've seen described elsewhere.
Showing a genuine and stable relationship
This is where partnership applications are won or lost. Immigration New Zealand needs to be satisfied that your relationship is genuine and stable, and that you're living together, or have a credible reason why you haven't been able to.
A marriage certificate on its own is rarely enough. The evidence that works is the evidence of a shared life: how you live, how you support each other, how your families and communities recognise your relationship. We'll help you understand what counts, gather it in a way that tells your story clearly, and present it so an Immigration Officer can see what you already know to be true.
If your situation is less conventional, a culturally arranged marriage, time spent living in different countries, a relationship that's still relatively young, that's not a barrier, but it does call for care and experience. We have both.
Your children
Your dependent children may be able to join you here too, on visitor or student visas while you hold your visa, and as part of your residence application when the time comes.
We'll make sure each child is included correctly and that the relationship evidence is in order, so no one is left behind by a paperwork gap.
Your parents
If you're settled here, you may also want to bring your parents to visit or to stay. There are visitor options, the Parent Boost pathway, and parent residence categories, each with its own requirements.
We can talk you through what's realistic for your family.
What we'll do for you
Real care, not just a checklist, and a Licensed Immigration Adviser in your corner
A clear read on your options
Which visas fit your family and your timeline, explained honestly, not just listed.
Real help with your evidence
Not just a list of documents, guidance on what actually tells your story best.
A Licensed Adviser, on your side
Handling the applications and dealing with Immigration New Zealand, so you can focus on the reunion, not the forms.
A note on cost
Family visas are usually paid for by you rather than your employer, and the government's own application fees for a family can add up quickly, so getting each application right the first time matters, both for your peace of mind and for your wallet.
We'll be upfront about costs before we begin, and if your employer is a Neazor Brady client, ask about flexible payment terms that spread the cost over time.
PARTNER & FAMILY
Frequently asked questions
Can my partner work, or only visit?
It depends on who your partner is joining and on the details of their visa. If you hold a work visa, whether your partner can also work, rather than just visit, depends on your role and your pay rate. If your partner is joining a New Zealand citizen or resident, work rights usually come with the partner visa. Tell us your situation and we'll tell you exactly where you stand. Thresholds and rules change regularly, talk to us for the figures that apply to your situation today.
We're not married, does that matter?
No. Immigration New Zealand recognises marriage, civil union, and de facto relationships, including same-sex relationships. What matters isn't the label on your relationship but whether you can show it's genuine, stable, and that you live together. Plenty of successful applications are from couples who have never married.
We haven't lived together for long, can we still apply?
Possibly. For a partnership residence visa you generally need to show at least 12 months living together at the time you apply. If you haven't reached that yet, there may be a work or visitor visa that lets you be together and build that history first. We'll help you work out the right order of applications for your situation.
What evidence proves a "genuine and stable" relationship?
A marriage certificate on its own is never enough. Immigration New Zealand looks for evidence of a shared life, living at the same address, shared finances, communication, photos, and recognition of your relationship by family and community. We'll help you gather and present this so an Immigration Officer can see what you already know to be true.
Our relationship is unusual, an arranged marriage, or time spent apart, is that a problem?
Not a barrier, but it does call for care. Culturally arranged marriages, relationships where you've lived in different countries for work, and newer relationships all need to be presented thoughtfully, with the right context and evidence. These are exactly the situations we have deep experience with, and we know how to tell your story clearly and honestly.
Can my partner apply for Partnership Residence if they're not on a Partnership visa?
They may be able to if you have strong evidence of living together overseas or in New Zealand, and of how you've maintained your relationship during any periods of separation. We'll help make sure they meet requirements before lodging the application.
Can my children study here?
Yes, your dependent children may be able to join you on visitor or student visas while you hold your visa, and be included in your residence application when the time comes. We'll make sure each child is included correctly so no one is left behind by a paperwork gap.
Can I bring my parents too?
Possibly. There are visitor options, the Parent Boost pathway, and parent residence categories, each with its own requirements. If you're settled here and want your parents to visit or stay, we can talk you through what's realistic for your family.
Still have questions?
Let's get your family here, together.
Tell us about your situation, your partner, your children, where everyone is now, and we'll map out the right way to bring your family to New Zealand.
CONTACT
Neazor Brady & Partners Limited
Level 1, Panama Suites, 18 London Street, Hamilton 3204
0800 399 294 · 07 839 6666
info@neazorbrady.co.nz
For HR consulting and outsourced HR support, visit Pivotal People →
LICENSED ADVISORS
Catherine Neazor Brady
200900436
Connor Brady
201000334
Vanak Kit
201900947
Karen Baigent
202200812
