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Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa: How It Works

The Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa lets the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident live and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years. INZ showed NZD 1,630 for an application made from New Zealand and 80% of applications completed within 6.5 weeks on 9 October 2026.

The Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa is a temporary visa for people whose partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident. It lets the holder work in New Zealand, and the page says it can lead to a resident visa. INZ itself says longer partner visas give couples more time to save for residence application fees, which is why people search for how long the visa lasts, what it allows and what the supporting partner has to do.

This guide explains how the visa works, using Immigration New Zealand's visa page, its news items of 23 September 2024 and 29 September 2026, its "Partnership and how to prove it" page and its fee finder, all read on 9 October 2026. It states the published rules. It does not say whether any applicant qualifies, which length of visa a couple would receive, or how to answer a question on the form. Applying the rules to a person's own facts is immigration advice, and in New Zealand only a licensed immigration adviser or a lawyer may give it.

One date matters for anyone applying soon: from 16 November 2026 INZ says new applications for this visa can be submitted in its enhanced Immigration Online system. The section on that change is below.

What the visa allows

INZ's summary: the visa lets the holder join their partner while the partner is in New Zealand, work in New Zealand, study for up to three months and travel in and out of New Zealand. The holder cannot include dependent children in the application, but INZ says the children can apply for visas based on their relationship to the parent.

The work right is wide. INZ says the holder can do any work, in any job, anywhere in New Zealand, as long as the work is legal, does not involve providing commercial sexual services or investing in or operating a business that does, and any occupational registration needed for the job is held. The holder can be a sole trader or own a business, but an owner cannot employ other people, whether directly (hiring someone themselves) or indirectly (for example through a business manager). Everyone who works in New Zealand pays tax on earnings and needs an Inland Revenue Department number.

Study is limited: up to three months in any 12-month period. After arrival the holder can travel in and out of New Zealand as many times as they like before the visa expires. INZ states that if the holder wants to stay longer, they can apply for residence as the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident, which is the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa.

How long the visa lasts: one year or up to three

INZ's page gives two cases. If the couple has lived together for less than 12 months, the visa will be for one year, and the holder can apply for additional visas to stay up to three years in total. If the couple has lived together for 12 months or more, the visa will be for up to three years.

The three-year maximum is recent. INZ's news item of 23 September 2024 says that from 1 October 2024 the maximum duration of work and visitor visas for partners of New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders who have been living together for at least 12 months increased from two years to three. INZ explained the purpose as giving couples more time to save for residence application fees. It said current visas would not be extended automatically and a new application would be needed for the longer duration.

The visa starts on the date the holder enters New Zealand if they are outside the country when approved, or on the date it is granted if they are already in New Zealand. INZ says the holder must leave New Zealand before it expires.

Who can apply: INZ's list

INZ says the applicant must:

  • have a New Zealand citizen or resident partner who is eligible to support the application;
  • both be at least 18;
  • be living with the partner in a genuine and stable partnership;
  • be in good health and of good character;
  • have genuine reasons for coming to New Zealand; and
  • have enough money to pay living expenses, or an acceptable sponsor.

Unlike the resident visa, the summary does not set a 12-month minimum for living together. The length of cohabitation affects how long the visa lasts, not (as the page lists it) whether an application can be made. The partner's plans matter too: INZ says the couple must be planning to live in New Zealand for the same period of time, and that it will ask about the partner's plans on the application form.

Evidence of the relationship follows the general rules on INZ's partnership page: it must be from after both people turned 18, and it should show how long the couple have been together, how long they have been living together, shared finances and responsibilities, time spent together, recognition by other people, and anything else showing a genuine and stable relationship. The guide to partnership evidence covers that page in detail.

The supporting partner: eligibility, limits and the form

The partner must be eligible to support the application. INZ says they must support the application and "be eligible to support a partnership-based resident visa application within 12 months". To be eligible for that, the partner must not have acted as a partner in more than one successful resident visa application, must not have acted as a partner in a successful resident visa application within the last five years, and must not be liable for deportation or have their deportation liability suspended.

INZ defines "acted as a partner" in the same terms as for the resident visa: supporting a successful resident visa application for a partner, being the principal applicant in a successful resident visa application supported by a partner, including a partner as a secondary applicant in their own successful residence application, or being included as a secondary applicant by a partner (with the exceptions for Permanent Resident Visas and Second or Subsequent Resident Visas).

INZ gives a note on the limits: New Zealand citizens and residents "can support only 1 partner for residence in a 5-year period, and support only 2 partners for residence in total". It adds that if the partner cannot support the applicant for residence now but will be able to within 12 months, they can still support a work or visitor visa now.

The partner completes the Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-Based Temporary Entry Applications (INZ 1146) and provides an original or certified copy of proof of status: a New Zealand passport, birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or residence visa, or, for those with residence through Australian citizenship or permanent residence, an Australian passport, Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa.

INZ also applies a character test to the supporting partner. They must meet the character requirements for supporting partners or be given a waiver. INZ may ask for police certificates, but does not need a New Zealand one because it obtains that directly. INZ states the partner will not meet its requirements with convictions for domestic violence or sexual offences, and that it then considers whether a character waiver is possible.

Money: enough to live on or an acceptable sponsor

INZ says the applicant must have enough money to live on while in New Zealand, or an acceptable sponsor. For this visa, the page asks for evidence of one of four things: a salary that supports the applicant for the length of the stay, enough funds for the length of the stay, an employer able to support the applicant for the length of the stay, or a Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) completed by an acceptable sponsor.

For people paying for themselves, INZ gives examples of evidence: bank statements or credit card statements, bank drafts or traveller's cheques. A sponsor is responsible for the visa holder while they are in New Zealand and may be an organisation or an individual; the sponsor completes the form and may add recent bank statements, pay slips, an employment agreement and ownership papers or rent receipts for the accommodation.

INZ adds that the visa holder or sponsor must pay for any health care or medical assistance needed, that INZ recommends full medical insurance, that there are extra requirements for pregnant applicants and that some people may be eligible for public health care. On arrival, a holder may be asked for proof of enough money.

Health, character and genuine intentions

Health. INZ says the applicant must be in good health and may be asked for a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both. Where the stay is less than six months an X-ray is not normally needed, and where it is less than 12 months a medical certificate is not normally needed. INZ asks health questions on the form to decide what evidence is needed and may ask for evidence later. For stays over six months a chest X-ray is required for citizens of countries without a low incidence of tuberculosis, or people who spent more than three months in the last five years in such a country; a new X-ray is needed if six months in a row have been spent in such a country since the last certificate. Results must be less than three months old.

Character. Police certificates, less than six months old, are required if the applicant is 17 or older and total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, counting past time on other visas. They come from countries of citizenship and countries where the person spent more than five years since turning 17. They are not needed again if given with an earlier application within the last 24 months. A conviction or security risk may mean no visa.

Genuine intentions. INZ considers everything the applicant provides, everything it knows about their circumstances and everything previously given to it. It warns that entry can be refused at the border for not having genuine reasons for coming, failing character requirements, a change in circumstances since the visa was issued, or refusing to provide a photo, fingerprints or an iris scan.

Fee, timing and documents

INZ's fee finder, queried on 9 October 2026, showed NZD 1,630 for an application from within New Zealand, with 80% of applications completed within 6.5 weeks. For a UK passport holder applying from the United Kingdom the finder showed NZD 767 and the same 6.5 weeks. Indian and Philippine passport holders applying from their own countries should check their fee in INZ's fee finder. Fees vary by passport and place of application, so INZ's finder is the reference. INZ states each cost is a processing charge that is not refunded if the application is declined, with a non-refundable immigration levy included.

Documents INZ lists: a passport copy or equivalent and a photo; X-ray, medical and police evidence if required; proof of money; documents showing the relationship; the partner's completed INZ 1146; the sponsor's INZ 1025 if there is a sponsor; and certified translations of police and medical certificates not in English. The passport must be valid for at least three months after the planned departure date. Applicants from China and from Hong Kong and Macao in some situations must add supplementary forms (INZ 1027 and INZ 1220). INZ's applicant guide is the Partnership-Based Temporary Visa Guide (INZ 1199).

A person already in New Zealand needs a valid visa while waiting; if the current temporary visa will expire first, INZ says it will normally issue an Interim Visa so the person stays lawful.

The change on 16 November 2026

INZ's news item of 29 September 2026 says that from 16 November 2026, family of New Zealand citizens or residents applying for temporary entry visas can submit new applications in "enhanced Immigration Online". The Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa is on the list, along with the Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa, Child of a New Zealander Visitor Visa and Child of a New Zealander Student Visa. After that date enhanced Immigration Online will be INZ's preferred system for receiving these applications. INZ says it is looking at changes to paper applications and to its old online system and will confirm them. Applications for residence visas are not affected.

The same item says INZ is updating the immigration instructions for these visas with effect from 16 November 2026. The changes it lists include clarifying the duration of partnership visas for couples who have lived together for less than 12 months, clarifying health instructions for medical certificates, and allowing some residence applications to be deferred where the outcome of court proceedings could affect a supporting partner's eligibility. INZ said the updated instructions would be published in the coming weeks. Anyone planning an application around that date should read INZ's page again close to the time.

Finding a licensed immigration adviser

Migratio lists licensed immigration advisers so you can compare them and contact one directly. Every listing shows the adviser's licence number, which you can check on the Immigration Advisers Authority's public register before you book. We don't assess cases and don't tell anyone which visa or pathway fits them; that is the adviser's job.

Questions people ask

How long is the Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa?

INZ says one year if the couple has lived together for less than 12 months, with further visas possible up to three years in total, and up to three years if they have lived together for 12 months or more.

How much does the Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa cost?

INZ's fee finder showed NZD 1,630 for an application from within New Zealand and NZD 767 for a UK passport holder applying from the United Kingdom on 9 October 2026. Fees vary by passport and place, and INZ does not refund the cost if an application is declined.

Can the holder work in any job?

INZ says the holder can do any legal work for any employer anywhere in New Zealand, subject to holding any needed occupational registration. A business owner on this visa cannot employ other people.

Can children be included in the application?

No. INZ says dependent children cannot be included, but they can apply for visas based on their relationship to the parent.

Does the couple have to have lived together for 12 months?

Not as a condition of applying, as INZ's page lists the requirements. The length of time lived together affects how long the visa is. The resident visa has a separate 12-month requirement.

What changes on 16 November 2026?

INZ says new applications for this visa can be submitted in enhanced Immigration Online from that date, and that updated immigration instructions take effect, including clarifying visa duration for couples who have lived together for less than 12 months.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa: How It Works — The Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa is for people whose partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident and who have lived with that partner in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months. INZ showed NZD 5,360 and 80% of applications completed within 7 months on 9 October 2026.
  • NZ Partnership Evidence: What INZ Says It Asks For — INZ defines a partnership as two people living together in a marriage, civil union or de facto relationship, and publishes lists of evidence of living together and of a genuine, stable relationship. For the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa, it also offers an optional timeline and checklist (INZ 11975).
  • Partner of a Worker Work Visa: Rules for AEWV Partners — The Partner of a Worker Work Visa lets the partner of an eligible work visa holder live and work in New Zealand for the same period as the worker's visa. For AEWV holders, INZ ties it to the job's skill level, pay and sector. INZ showed NZD 1,630 and 7 weeks (80%) on 9 October 2026.
  • Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa NZ: The Rules — The Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa lets a person come to New Zealand for up to 3 months to marry, or after marrying overseas, where the marriage was arranged by someone other than the couple within an identified cultural tradition. INZ showed NZD 441, including the NZD 100 levy, and 5 weeks (80%) on 9 October 2026.
  • NZ Interim Visas: When They Start and What They Allow — INZ normally grants an Interim Visa automatically, for no fee, if a temporary visa expires while a new temporary visa application is being assessed. It starts the day after the old visa expires, lasts up to 6 months, ends if the holder leaves New Zealand, and its work and study conditions depend on the old and new visa types.
  • Dependent Child Resident Visa NZ: How the Rules Work — The Dependent Child Resident Visa lets a New Zealand citizen or resident bring a single, dependent child aged 24 or younger to live in New Zealand. INZ showed NZD 3,230 and 80% of applications completed within 7 months on 9 October 2026; the child's resident visa carries the same section 49 conditions as the parent's.