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Spouse/De Facto visa

What is a Spouse/De Facto visa?

You must meet one of the following requirements to attain residency in New Zealand on this visa:

For the Spouse:

Be married to an living in a genuine relationship with a New Zealand citizen/resident

For the de facto (same sex and heterosexual relationship):

Be living in a genuine and stable de facto relationship of at least two (2) years' duration with a de facto partner who is a New Zealand citizen/resident.

18-month exception:

If you have been in a de facto relationship of at least eighteen (18) months, you can apply for residence, but a final decision will be deterred until the two years have passed.

Requirements for the NZ Spouse/ De facto Partner:

The NZ citizen/resident must have never done the following to be eligible:

Sponsored another de facto/spouse applicant in the last five (5) years and that relationship ended in divorce/separation
Sponsored more than one other spouse/de facto and the relationship ended in divorce/separation.
Has a record of domestic violence with the NZ Police and this/these incidents resulted in the granting of a residency permit to another person under the special policy for victims of domestic violence.

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