Bringing family if you have a work visa
Most work visas allow you to support visas for your partner and dependent children. Some do not and others must meet certain requirements before you can support a family member's visa.
Visas you can support for your family
If you have a work visa, you can normally support the following visas for your partner and dependent children:
- a visitor visa for your partner
- a work visa for your partner
- visitor visas for your children
- student visas for your children.
Visas for your partner and children will expire at the same time as your work visa.
We define partnership as 2 people, who live together in a
You must be able to show us that you and your partner are living together in a
Living together means sharing the same home as your partner. This does not include: Evidence showing you are living together can include: For some partnership applications – such as a Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa – evidence of living together must cover a period of 12 months prior to the application being submitted. Make sure you check the category you are applying under to see if we need this from you. You can provide us with items showing your shared address, dated every few months, to cover the full duration. These items can be addressed to you both jointly — or individually — as long as we can see that you have both been at the same address for the same period of time. Evidence of having a genuine and stable relationship needs to show that: Evidence can include: The way we want to receive this evidence depends on how you are applying. If you apply by paper for a residence visa, we must receive originals or certified copies. You can send electronically issued documents as we regard those as originals. If you apply online, we accept scanned images — so you do not need to send us originals or certified copies. You and your supporting partner must: When you apply for a visa based on your partnership with a New Zealand visa holder or New Zealand citizen, we call that person your supporting partner. Character requirements for New Zealand visas See also the requirements for supporting partners in the 'Eligible NZ supporting partner' and 'Your partner's' sections for these visas: When we assess your visa application, we consider things like: We will also look at your living and financial arrangements, including: If you and your partner have spent time living apart, you should provide information about your separation, including: We will use the information you provide to assess whether you and your partner have genuine and compelling reasons to have stayed apart. Note If you and your partner are coming together through a culturally arranged marriage, the rules are different.
Partnership and how to prove it
If you are applying for a visa based on your partnership, find out how we define partnership and what evidence you can provide to show your relationship is genuine.
How we define partnership
Providing evidence of your partnership
Living together
Having a genuine and stable relationship
How to supply this evidence
Applying by paper
Applying online
Minimum requirements
Supporting partners
How we assess partnership
If you have not always lived together
There are 2 ways that dependent children can apply for a visa. Note The definition of dependent children depends on age and whether they are applying for a resident visa or a temporary visa. Your child is dependent if they are: If they are 18 or over they must not have children of their own. If they are aged 21 to 24 they must also rely on you or another adult for financial support (depending on which visa they have applied for). Your child is dependent if they: If they are 18 or 19 they must not have children of their own. If your children are 20 or older: If they want to join you in New Zealand they need to apply for their own visa. If your children are aged 20 to 24 they may still be dependent if: Your children must have applied for, or have been included in your application for one of the following residence visas:
Bringing children
How to apply for visas for dependent children.
How your children apply for a visa
Dependent children are not eligible for work visas.
How we define dependent children
Resident visas for dependent children
Temporary visas for dependent children
Primary or secondary student visas and visitor visas
Child of a New Zealander or Worker visitor visas
Eligible residence visas
There are some work visas where you cannot support visas for your family. If you have an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV) there are extra requirements to meet.
When you can support visas for your family
You can support family on most work visas.
If you have an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or an Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV) your job must meet certain requirements before you can support a family member's visa.
If you have an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
If you have an AEWV, supporting a visa for your partner and dependent children depends on how much you earn and your job skill level on the
Bringing family if you have an AEWV
If you have an Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV)
If you have an ESWV, the type of visa you can support for your partner and dependent children depends on how much you earn.
When you cannot support visas for your family
You cannot support a visitor, student or work visa for your partner and dependent children if you have a:
- visa for 6 months or less — unless you have a Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa
- Fishing Crew Work Visa
- Working Holiday Visa
- Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa
- Supplementary Seasonal Employment Work Visa
- Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Visa
- Domestic Staff of a Diplomat Work Visa.
Your visa conditions will list if you can support a work, visitor or student visa for your family.
Check or change your visa conditions
If you cannot support your partner and dependent children to apply for a visa, they can apply for a visa in their own right.
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Bringing family if you have an Accredited Employer Work Visa
If you have an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), you may be able to support visas for your partner and dependent children, depending on your job and how much you earn.
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Bringing family if you have an Essential Skills Work Visa
If you have an Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV), you may be able to support visas for your partner and dependent children, depending on how much you earn.