An eligible sponsor is a New Zealand citizen or resident who:
- meets the character requirement for partners supporting Partnership policy applications (see below)
- has not previously supported or sponsored more than one other successful principal applicant under Partnership policy
or
- has not supported or sponsored any other successful principal applicant under Partnership policy in the five years immediately preceding the date the current application is made
or
- was not the perpetrator of an incident domestic violence which has resulted in the grant of a residence permit to a person under policy for victims of domestic violence in the seven years prior to the date the application is made.
If a sponsor was a successful principal applicant under Partnership Policy they will not be considered eligible unless:
- at least five years has elapsed since the date they were granted residence under Partnership Policy
and
- they have not supported or sponsored any other successful principal applicant under Partnership Policy.
Character requirements for partners
Partners supporting a residence application under Partnership policy are not eligible if, in the 7 years before the date application is made, they have been convicted of any offence involving domestic violence or any offence of a sexual nature (unless they are granted a character waiver).
Evidence the partner meets character requirements
A partner (aged 17 and over) supporting a Partnership policy application must provide police certificates from all countries (except for New Zealand) he or she has lived in for 12 months or more in the 7 years prior to the date the application is made.
See how to Obtain a Police Certificate for information on what to do. If for some reason you cannot get a Police Certificate, contact the Immigration New Zealand branch at which the principal applicant will be lodging their application.
See also our questions and answers on character requirements for partners sponsoring residence applications.