# Spouse visa application



## chasingfearne (May 24, 2012)

Hi all!

I am originally from New Zealand, but have been living in London for the past 4 years. I have a 1 year old daughter with my fiance (who is British).

We plan on moving back to NZ in roughly 2 years time, and will be looking at applying for residency for fiance, via the partner/spouse visa process.

I am just wondering if anyone out there has any experience with this? I fear it will all end up being painfully long-winded and expensive, so am wondering as to when I should start to get things moving. Also, it appears that there is a one year expiry date on the visa, so I can't even start it early (thus having less hassle later on, when we are sorting out flights, selling household items, cancelling DD's etc).

If anyone out there has any advice, that would be great.

Thanks all.


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

It's expensive ($1500 for me), but not that long-winded. Once we had our documents together and submitted (my wife is a kiwi, we have a 2 year old), it took 3 weeks for me to get PR. Have you applied for NZ citizenship by birth for your child? Is your partner relatively healthy?


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## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

I know that a child is likely to be evidence of a long term relationship - but make sure you save any documentation you have going back as long as possible that proves the length of the relationship. Holiday receipts, bank accounts, photos, anything.


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

Yes, once the visa is issued you have 12 months to enter NZ, this is pretty standard immigration policy. That said, if you have been outside of NZ for 5 years and been in a genuine and stable relationship for 5 years your partner may qualify for permanent residence instead of just residence. If he receives PR he just has to enter the country within 12 months to activate the visa and can then come and go as he pleases, allowing you to return at your leisure. However, if he only gets residence, there are travel restrictions that require him to maintain a significant presence in NZ over the first 2 years once the residence visa is activated.


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

topcat83 said:


> I know that a child is likely to be evidence of a long term relationship - but make sure you save any documentation you have going back as long as possible that proves the length of the relationship. Holiday receipts, bank accounts, photos, anything.


I was pretty keen on getting my PR and not just residence (and having to apply for and pay for PR later), so we bombarded them with doumentation, including 10 years of photos, joint bank account statements, boarding passes, house purchase and sale documents, child's birth certificate, child's citizenship paperwork for NZ, car ownerships, car insurance documents and more... Besides the medical, this is what I stressed about the most.


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