Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa

Visa details

This visa allows you to join your partner while they are in New Zealand on a work visa. 

Length of stay
Same duration

As your partner’s work visa

Cost
From
NZD $211
Processing time
90% within
5 months
With this visa you can
  • Join your partner.
  • Explore New Zealand.
  • Study for up to 3 months.
Things to note
  • Some work visa holders are not eligible to support applications for this visa.
  • You can't work in New Zealand on a visitor visa.

Bringing family if you have a work visa

Who can apply

The criteria and evidence below will provide you with the information you need to provide to meet the requirements of this visa.

View All Evidence

Identity

You must provide proof of your identity

  • 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you use a paper application form.
  • your passport or certificate of identity.

Acceptable photos

If you submit a paper application, provide your original passport or a certified copy.  We can usually process your application faster if you provide your original passport.

If you apply online, you must upload a copy of your passport when you apply. We will let you know if you need to send your passport after you've applied.

Sending your passport for online applications

Tips

  1. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand.

  2. If you are a citizen of China and you submit a paper application form in China, you must also complete a supplementary form.

    Supplementary form for Chinese citizens (INZ 1027) PDF 338KB

  3. If you are submitting a paper application form, you must provide a supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students.

    Supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students (INZ 1220) PDF 240KB

  4. Also provide a copy of your Identity card.

  5. Also provide your:

    • Hukou (household registration book)
    • Chinese identity card.

Character

You must be of good character

You may need to provide police certificates as proof of your good character.

If you are aged 17 or older and plan to stay in New Zealand for more than 24 months (including any time you have already spent in New Zealand), you must provide police certificates from:

  • any country you are a citizen of
  • any country you have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.

You do not need to provide police certificates if:

  • you have provided them to us with an earlier visa application, and
  • they were issued in the previous 24 months.

Good character

How to get a police certificate

Your partner’s identity

Your partner must provide proof of their identity

Your partner must provide an original or certified copy of their passport.

Your partner’s character

Your partner must be of good character

Your partner must meet our good character requirements or be granted a character waiver. We may ask your partner to provide a police certificate from any country they have spent 12 months or more in over the last 10 years. This applies whether the time was spent in one or more visits.

Your partner will not meet our character requirements if they have any convictions for domestic violence or sexual offences. If your partner does not meet our character requirements, we will consider whether they are eligible for a character waiver.

Who needs to provide police certificates

Your partner's character

Tips

  1. Your partner won't meet our good character requirements if, in the last 7 years, they have been convicted of any offence:

    • involving domestic violence
    • of a sexual nature.

Your relationship with your partner

You and your partner must be living together in a genuine and stable relationship

You must provide evidence that you and your partner are living together in a genuine and stable relationship.

Your evidence should show:

  • how long you’ve been together
  • how long you’ve been living together
  • that you share finances and other responsibilities
  • that you spend time together, eg photos together, emails and social media conversations between you
  • that other people recognise your relationship
  • anything else you think shows you and your partner are living together in a genuine and stable relationship.

Partnership

Your partner’s visa

Your partner must hold an appropriate work visa

We’ll check our records for evidence your partner has an appropriate work visa.

You will not be eligible for this visa, if your partner’s work visa was granted for:

  • for a working holiday
  • to work for a Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE)
  • for the opportunity to look for work as a skilled migrant.

There are some other work visas that will not allow your partner to support your application.

Work visa holder supporting family

Funds or sponsorship

You must have enough money to live on while you’re in New Zealand or have an acceptable sponsor

Per person per month: NZ $1,000 or NZ $400 if you’ve already paid for your accommodation.
If so, you’ll need to provide proof of pre-payment, like hotel receipts.
Evidence can include:

  • your partner’s employment agreement or payslips showing that they earn enough money to financially support you while you’re in New Zealand
  • bank statements
  • credit card statements
  • bank drafts
  • travellers’ cheques
  • a ‘Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry’ completed by an acceptable sponsor.

What sponsors must do – responsibilities and obligations

Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) PDF 414KB

Tips

  1. If you are pregnant, there are additional requirements.

    Paying for maternity care

Onward travel

You must have a ticket to leave New Zealand or enough funds to purchase one, or be sponsored for the cost of your onward travel.

Evidence can include:

  • your travel ticket
  • confirmation from a travel agency that you’ve booked and paid for travel 
  • proof you have enough money to pay for any travel you’ve booked 
  • a ‘Sponsorship for Temporary Entry’ form completed by your sponsor.

What sponsors must do – responsibilities and obligations

Sponsorship for Temporary Entry (INZ1025) PDF 414KB

Dependent children

Your children must meet the requirements for this visa

To bring your dependent children:

  • you must complete an ‘Additional Dependants for a Visitor Visa’ form
  • you must provide evidence of your relationship with them, like birth certificates or adoption papers
  • you must provide proof of their identity
  • they must be of good character
  • they must be in good health.

Dependent children
Additional Dependants for a Visitor Visa (INZ 1205) PDF 264KB

Tips

  1. We may ask for evidence your children have the right to leave their country of residence, eg custody or guardianship papers.

  2. You should provide copies of identity cards for family members included in your application.

  3. You should provide copies of family members Hukou (household registration book) included in your application.

Process and costs

The information below will help you understand the process, timeframes and costs involved in applying for this visa, so you can plan ahead and have the best chance of submitting a complete application.

Notes

We cannot display any process or costs information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

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How to submit

Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.

Notes

We cannot display any receiving centre or payment method information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

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Conditions

These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.

Entry permission

You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand. You can do this by completing an arrival card, which you are given on the way to New Zealand.

Arriving in New Zealand

Notes

  • You can be refused entry permission if:

    • you do not meet our character requirements
    • your circumstances have changed since you were granted a visa
    • you refuse to let us take your photo or to provide us with your fingerprints or an iris scan, if asked for them
    • you are unable to provide evidence of any onward travel or funds required by the conditions of your visa.

    If you are refused entry to New Zealand

    Before you travel to New Zealand

Travel

After you arrive, you can travel in and out of New Zealand as many times as you like before your visa expires.

Onward travel

You must have a travel ticket, enough money to buy one, or be sponsored.

Acceptable Sponsors

Notes

  • Unless your visa label or letter states “Return/onward travel not required” you must have a ticket to leave New Zealand whenever you travel here.

Study

You can study for up to 3 months.

Work

You cannot work in New Zealand on this visa.

Visa expiry

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

Notes

  • Visa expiry dates are printed on a visa label or included in a visa letter.