When it comes to a Residence Class Visa application for Immigration to New Zealand, the principal applicant is permitted to include secondary applicants. These secondary applicants include partner/spouse and biological or adopted dependent children. In our previous article, we enlightened you about who can be termed as a Principal Applicant.

Similarly, when it comes to a partner, the applicant must qualify under any one of the following points in order to be eligible as a secondary applicant.

• A partner must either be legally married to the principal applicant.
• Someone who is in a de facto relationship with the principal applicant. This can either be an opposite or a same sex relationship.
• A civil union partnership with the opposite or the same sex person (principal applicant).

However, there are certain terms and conditions based on which a partner who has been included as a secondary applicant is granted a New Zealand residence class immigration visa. The most important factor being that the visa officer should be convinced of the partnership instructions being met by the couple. These instructions include the following:

• The couple in question must have been living together in such a relationship for the last one year or more when the application was being evaluated.
• The relationship between the couple must be genuine and a stable partnership.
• The minimum requirements of the partnership for its recognition must be satisfied. The criteria for this includes the following:
  When the application for residence visa was filed, the couple should have been atleast 18 years or older in age.
  The couple should have met in prior before filing their application for residence visa.
  Both in the couple should not be related closely.

Another important aspect here is that if the couple has been living together for more than a year, the immigration official may include the duration before the marriage. This would be when they the officer would be convinced that the couple has been living together in an interdependent partnership similar to that of a marriage.

To know more about New Zealand Residence visa application, write us at ajay@abhinav.com. You may also send the following details for us to review your case:

• Your updated resume
• If married, provide the resume for your spouse as well
• If applicable, please provide information on children and their age
• Information on any blood relatives residing in New Zealand. This is not a compulsory requirement to qualify for immigration to New Zealand but serves as additional positive assessment and suitability factor.