# Processing time for NZ partner visa (London Office)



## claudianz

Just waiting on hubby's birth cert from South Africa and then posting off the application. Just wanted to know roughly how long other people's applications took to be processed? I'm an expat Kiwi so I heard the will get priority over non expats?


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## Liam(at)Large

How long have you been out of New Zealand?

My kiwi partner had been out of the country over 2 years and we had been married over 5 years, so it took about 3 weeks, all in, but that was through Washington... I understand London is slightly slower.


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## claudianz

I've been out of the country for almost 10 years although I came back (to NZ) a couple of months ago to have our second child...now just waiting for him to get here. Both our children are kiwi's and we have been married 1 year (together 5) so I'm guessing it will be very straight forward?


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## Liam(at)Large

claudianz said:


> I've been out of the country for almost 10 years although I came back (to NZ) a couple of months ago to have our second child...now just waiting for him to get here. Both our children are kiwi's and we have been married 1 year (together 5) so I'm guessing it will be very straight forward?


It will absolutely not be very straight forward. Marriage, and children, are just some of the pieces of evidence towards proving a genuine and stable relationship. One of the key factors is that you have to have continually lived together for 12 consecutive months... The fact that you have now not been living together for a number of months makes your application significantly more complicated, further, the fact that you have already returned to the country and are not married over 5 years will, I believe, negate any priority.


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## claudianz

I am only on holiday here, am due to go back to UK in about 6 weeks or so. Only came back for family support while baby is so young as hubby works long hours. He has flown out twice to see me while I've been here. Just so happened he found a potential job on his last visit so that's why he is going to apply for a visa from the UK so we can be here permanently. 

I still 'live' as such in the UK...just here in NZ on holiday.


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## claudianz

I also have all the other standard evidence that we live together ie, bills, bank accounts, lease etc

In the notes section of the form it states...'If you have been living apart from your partner for any periods during your relationship, you must also provide evidence of the length of these periods and the reasons for them'

Surely if we just write a note explaining that I have come back here for family support ( I did the same with our first child a couple of years ago) that will be ok? Whenever I have come back here for a couple of months at a time he has always flown out for part of the trip anyway.


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## Liam(at)Large

I don't think you will have an issue, but I think you can see your application is not straight forward. Additionally, it does not appear as though you will qualify for any fast track processing, that said, at approx. 4 months processing time, family stream is quicker than Skilled Migrant.


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## claudianz

Hmmm, I see what you mean about the fast track issue. Maybe he should apply for a temporary partner visa first?


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## prussia7

Hey,


I applied for a partner visa as part of my husbands application. Both our professions were on the skilled shortage list and his employer was an accredited company (which might have sped things up). It took a week to turn around we are both from uk and were quite a straightforward case I think?! Hope that helps??


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## Liam(at)Large

prussia7 said:


> I applied for a partner visa as part of my husbands application. Both our professions were on the skilled shortage list and his employer was an accredited company (which might have sped things up). It took a week to turn around we are both from uk and were quite a straightforward case I think?! Hope that helps??


This thread is about Family Stream not Skilled Migrant.


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