2013-Mar 28: Dependent Child - Residence

Visa Pak 105- Information about dependent Child - Residence and assessing financial dependence based on F5.10.15

Visa Paks

28 March 2013

Dependent Child - Residence

Clarification has been sought on whether dependent child(ren) aged 17 or younger are required to provide evidence that they are totally substantially reliant on an adult (whether their parent or not) for financial support.

This query has arisen because F5.1(a)(iii) states that a principal applicant aged 17 years of age or younger must be totally or substantially reliant on an adult for financial support, (whether they live with them or not), to qualify for a resident visa under the Dependent Child Category. However this is not a requirement for a principal applicant aged 18 to 20, with no child(ren) of their own at F5.1(a)(ii)).

Assessing financial dependence

F5.10.15 Evidence of financial dependence clearly states that applicants up to and including 20 years of age, where a child is single and has no child(ren) of their own, is presumed to be dependent, and therefore evidence of actual dependence is not required.

Evidence of actual dependence may be required only for children aged 21 to 24 (as described at F5.1(a)(i)). F5.1(c) also only refers to determining financial dependence for children aged 21 to 24 years of age (as described at F5.1(a)(i)) .

Criteria for residence

Being totally or substantially reliant on an adult for financial support is only one aspect of dependency criteria. A principal applicant under the Dependent Child Category must meet all dependency criteria to gain residence:

  • To qualify for a resident visa as a dependent child, the age of the child at the time the application is made must be considered (see Visa Pak issue date 12 October 2012 and F5.1 How do dependent children qualify for a resident visa and R5.6 Age of applicant).
  • Other dependency criteria (as described at F5.1(a)(iii)) applies at the time the application is assessed:
    • to “be totally or substantially reliant on an adult for financial support, whether they live with them or not”
    • to be “single”, and
    • “their parent(s) is lawfully and permanently in New Zealand”.


Action:

  • Under the Dependent Child Category, determination of financial dependence is only required for children aged 21 to 24 (as described at F5.1(a)(i)).
  • Under the Dependent Child Category, evidence of financial dependence may be required only for children aged 21 to 24 (as described at F5.1(a)(i)).