Partner of a Worker Work Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Partner of a Worker Work Visa
Purpose	Join worker partner in New Zealand
Stay	Same as partner’s work visa
Cost	From NZD $1,630
Processing	80% within 5 weeks
Eligibility timing	Living together when applying
Work rights	Open work, with restrictions
Job offer	Not required
Study	Up to 3 months yearly
Public healthcare / Medicare	May be eligible
Travel facility	Multiple travel before expiry
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	No dependent children included
Visa record	eVisa
Supporting partner	Eligible NZ work visa required
Application methods	Online or paper

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Purpose

This visa lets you live with and work in New Zealand while your partner holds an eligible New Zealand work visa.

You may apply at the same time as your partner applies for their work visa. Your visa can only be granted after their visa is approved.

Eligibility

You must:

• Have a partner with an eligible work visa who can support you.
• Be living together in a genuine and stable relationship when applying.
• Have enough money for your stay, or an acceptable sponsor.
• Be in good health and of good character.
• Have genuine reasons for coming to New Zealand.
• Intend to leave New Zealand when your visa expires.

Your supporting partner must complete the Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-Based Temporary Entry Applications (INZ 1146).

Supporting partner’s visa

Your partner cannot support your application if they hold:

• A visa for 6 months or less, unless it is a Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa.
• Fishing Crew Work Visa.
• Working Holiday Visa.
• Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa.
• Supplementary Seasonal Employment Work Visa.
• Domestic Staff of a Diplomat Work Visa.
• Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Visa.
• A lower skilled Accredited Employer Work Visa or Essential Skills Work Visa.

Extra wage and job requirements apply where the supporting partner holds an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV).

For example:

• AEWV holders in ANZSCO level 1–3 jobs must earn at least NZD $28 an hour.
• Certain ANZSCO level 4–5 AEWV holders must meet specified wage, sector, or Green List requirements.
• Partners already supported by an ANZSCO level 4–5 AEWV holder on 26 June 2024 require earnings of at least NZD $26.85 an hour.

Your partner must meet good-character requirements. A partner with convictions for domestic violence or sexual offences does not meet these requirements unless granted a character waiver.

Stay and travel

Your visa will normally have the same duration as your supporting partner’s work visa.

You must leave New Zealand before the visa expires.

After arrival, you may travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you like before expiry. Each time you travel, you must have onward travel or enough money to buy a ticket, unless your visa says “Return/onward travel not required”.

If your eVisa includes a first-entry date, you must enter New Zealand before that date.

Work rights

You can work in any job, anywhere in New Zealand. You do not need a job offer to apply.

You must:

• Do only legal work.
• Hold any required occupational registration.
• Not provide commercial sexual services.
• Not invest in or operate a business providing commercial sexual services.

You may be a sole trader or own a business, but cannot employ people directly or indirectly through that business.

You need an Inland Revenue Department (IRD) number to pay tax on New Zealand earnings.

Study

You may study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

Health care

Some visa holders may qualify for public health care. If you are not eligible, you or your sponsor must pay for health care or medical assistance. Full medical insurance is recommended.

Health and character requirements

You may need a chest X-ray, medical examination, police certificates, or all of these.

Health evidence

Chest X-ray or medical results must be less than 3 months old when received.

If staying more than 6 months, you must provide a chest X-ray if you:

• Are a citizen of a country without a low tuberculosis incidence; or
• Spent more than 3 months during the last 5 years in such a country.

Police certificates

You must provide police certificates if:

• You are aged 17 or older; and
• Your total intended time in New Zealand is 24 months or more.

Certificates must be less than 6 months old when you apply. Provide certificates from:

• Countries where you are a citizen; and
• Countries where you have spent more than 5 years since turning 17.

You may not need new certificates if those provided for an earlier application are less than 24 months old.

Relationship evidence

Provide evidence showing that you and your partner live together in a genuine and stable relationship. This may include evidence of:

• How long you have been together and lived together.
• Shared finances and responsibilities.
• Time spent together, such as photos, emails, and social-media conversations.
• Recognition of your relationship by other people.
• Parent or guardian support, if you are aged 16 or 17.

Funds, sponsorship and departure

You must have enough money to live on, unless you have an acceptable sponsor. Evidence may include bank statements, credit-card statements, bank drafts, or traveller’s cheques.

A sponsor must complete the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) and is responsible for you while in New Zealand.

You may be asked to show onward travel, or sufficient funds to buy a ticket to a country you can enter. These funds must be additional to living-expense funds.

Required documents

Provide:

• Passport or certificate of identity.
• One acceptable photo online, or two paper photos.
• Relationship evidence.
• Completed INZ 1146 from your partner.
• Health evidence, if required.
• Police certificates, if required.
• INZ 1025, if sponsored.
• Certified English translations of non-English police and medical certificates.

Your passport or certificate of identity must be valid for at least 3 months after your intended departure date.

Paper applicants may also need:

• INZ 1027 if a Chinese citizen applying from China, Hong Kong, or Macao.
• INZ 1220 for specified Hong Kong or Macao document holders applying within China, Hong Kong, or Macao.

How to apply

Apply online

1. Gather required documents and translations.
2. Create or log in to an Immigration New Zealand online account.
3. Complete the application, upload documents, and pay the fee.
4. Check your account for updates and respond to any requests.
5. If approved, receive an eVisa by email.

Apply online: Immigration New Zealand application portal

Apply on paper

1. Gather required documents and translations.
2. Complete the Partnership-based Temporary Visa Application (INZ 1198).
3. Submit the application and pay the applicable fee.
4. Immigration New Zealand will email its decision.
5. If approved, receive an eVisa.

Arrival and ongoing obligations

Before travel, complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration. Air travellers may submit it from 24 hours before their journey; sea travellers may submit it from 24 hours before departure from the last overseas port.

You may be refused entry permission if you:

• No longer have genuine reasons for travel.
• Do not meet character requirements.
• Have changed circumstances since visa grant.
• Refuse biometric collection.
• Cannot provide required onward-travel or funds evidence.

If you are already in New Zealand while the application is processed, you must hold a valid visa. Immigration New Zealand will normally issue an Interim Visa if your current temporary visa expires while a decision is pending.