Family Sponsored Stream

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Changes to the Family Sponsored Stream will come into effect from 5 November 2007.

Residence

• People who have been convicted in the last seven years of an offence involving domestic violence or of a sexual nature will not be eligible to sponsor a partner for residence unless granted a character waiver. This seven-year period will also apply to the existing sponsor character criterion.  
• People sponsoring a partner for residence will need to undergo character checks.
• A sponsor under Parent policy and/or their partner must meet a minimum income requirement to show that they can support the applicant(s), unless the sponsor obtained residence in New Zealand as a refugee, or the sponsor is aged 65 years or older. The current minimum income figure is $29,897.92 gross per annum. The income must be obtained from:
  • sustained paid employment; and/or
  • regular self-employment; and/or
  • regular investment income.

 

Temporary Entry

• People who have been convicted in the last seven years of an offence involving domestic violence or of a sexual nature will not be eligible to support a partner/intended partner for a temporary permit unless granted a character waiver. This seven-year period will also apply to the existing sponsor character criterion.
• Partners/intended partners of temporary permit applicants will be required to declare that they meet character criteria. The requirement for partners to provide a letter of support from the principal applicant will be replaced by a requirement for partners/intended partners to complete a new form (Form for partners supporting partnership-based temporary entry applications (NZIS 1146) PDF)).
• The new form is required for temporary entry applications that are ‘partnership-based’. ‘Partnership-based temporary entry applications’ are applications made under the following policies (except where the principal applicant is a dependent child):
  • Entry to New Zealand for the purpose of a culturally arranged marriage
  • Partners of New Zealand citizens or residents
  • Partners and dependent children of student or work visa or permit holders
  • Work policy for dependants
  • Student policy for dependants
  • Visitor policy for dependants.

 

Parent and grandparent multiple entry visitor’s visa policy

A new multiple entry visitor’s visa allows multiple visits by parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens or residents.

• The visa will be valid for three years, authorising a permit for a visit of up to six months for each visit from the applicant’s date of arrival.
• The permit cannot be extended.
• The holder may remain in New Zealand for a maximum of 18 months in total during the visa’s currency.
• Applicants must apply offshore for the visa, and for any subsequent visa under this policy.
• Only in exceptional circumstances will a subsequent multiple visitor’s visa be issued under this policy if, during the currency of the previous visa, the sponsor was not in New Zealand during the period(s) of the parent’s or grandparent’s visit(s) to New Zealand.
• Only in exceptional circumstances will a subsequent multiple visitor’s visa be issued under this policy if the applicant has overstayed the 18-month maximum stay during the currency of the previous visa.
• Only one person, and their partner, can be sponsored at any one time by an individual sponsor.

 

The applicant must also:

• meet normal bona fides policy and character criteria
• undertake a full health and disability check
• be fully sponsored (maintenance, accommodation, repatriation and healthcare costs if required) by their New Zealand citizen or resident child or grandchild aged 17 years or older, and
• provide evidence of the relationship between the applicant and the child or grandchild.

 

In cases where a child or grandchild is less than 17 years old and therefore cannot sponsor the applicant(s), a parent of a child or grandchild may act as a sponsor. 

 

Our Amendment Circular 2007-15 PDF [125KB] will provide you with more information on the new policy.