What Documents Do I Need for a Partnership Visa?

"We're married, so the visa should be straightforward, right?"

I hear this often—and I understand why people think this way. After all, you're in a genuine relationship, you have the marriage certificate to prove it, so what's the problem?

Here's the reality: partnership visa applications are among the most complex and heavily scrutinised visa categories Immigration New Zealand processes. A marriage certificate alone proves almost nothing about whether your relationship meets their specific immigration instructions. In fact in 2024, 70% of declined partnership applications did not have an Immigration Adviser helping them.

After processing hundreds of partnership applications during my nearly 20 years at Immigration New Zealand, I've seen excellent relationships declined because the evidence wasn't presented correctly, and I've seen questionable applications approved because they were documented perfectly. The difference isn't the relationship itself—it's how you prove it.

Why Partnership Visas Are So Heavily Scrutinised

Immigration New Zealand isn't questioning whether you love each other. What they're assessing is far more technical:

Is this partnership genuine? Not entered into primarily for immigration purposes, not a relationship of convenience, not a paid arrangement.

Is it stable? Will it endure beyond visa approval, or is this short-term?

Does it meet policy definitions? There are very specific requirements around what constitutes a "partnership" for immigration purposes. Your cultural or personal definition might not align.

Can you prove all of this on paper? Immigration officers don't meet you. They assess your relationship entirely based on documents. If something isn't documented, it doesn't exist.

Partnership visa fraud is real, which is why Immigration New Zealand has developed increasingly sophisticated methods for detecting relationships that don't meet their standards. Their assessment is detailed, multi-layered, and—frankly—quite subjective.

The Challenge: Proving Something Intangible

You're trying to prove something intangible (love, commitment, stability) using documents (bills, bank statements, declarations).

Immigration officers are trained to look for inconsistencies, gaps, and red flags. They're skeptics by training—they have to be. Your job is to provide such comprehensive, credible, well-organised evidence that even a skeptical officer cannot doubt your relationship is genuine.

This is where most self-prepared applications fail.

The example

I’ve seen firsthand a couple that I had interviewed answering differently to one simple question, “when did you meet”, it’s not a particularly difficult question but women and men have different versions of their love story. For women it might be the first time they ever saw him, maybe at a party or being introduced at a work function. For men it is when they first went out on a date when they “really met”. Immigration Officer’s can use this as inconsistent information.

Why DIY Partnership Applications Often Fail

Common issues I see in self-prepared applications:

1. Misunderstanding what "evidence" means - Documents provided don't actually prove what people think they prove.

2. Poor organisation - 300 pages of random documents with no index or explanation is worse than 50 pages of well-organised evidence.

3. Missing the officer's perspective - You know your relationship is genuine, so you assume it's obvious. It's not.

4. Not addressing weaknesses - Every application has weak points. Self-prepared applications often ignore these, hoping officers won't notice. They always notice.

5. Generic, unconvincing statements - Generic, formulaic statements from family/friends are obvious and unhelpful. Officers need specific, detailed, personal observations.

6. Inconsistencies - Dates don't match across documents. Timeline in your statement doesn't align with evidence. Small inconsistencies create doubt.

7. Insufficient evidence across all categories - Strong in one area (lots of photos) but weak in another (no financial interdependence) raises more questions than it answers.

The Value of Professional Guidance

What an experienced immigration adviser brings:

• Strategic assessment: Evaluate your relationship against Immigration New Zealand's specific requirements and identify gaps before you apply.

• Evidence selection: Understand what documents actually prove what you need to prove—not what you think they prove.

• Presentation expertise: Organize and present evidence so officers can quickly see your relationship is genuine.

• Addressing weaknesses: Identify potential concerns and develop strategies to address them proactively.

• Statement preparation: Guide you (and family/friends) in writing statements that are specific, credible, and compelling without seeming coached.

• Cultural context: Explain cultural practices that might be misunderstood.

• Risk management: Know what raises red flags and help you avoid common mistakes.

• Quality control: Review everything for consistency, completeness, and credibility before submission.

• Partnership applications are highly subjective. Two couples with similar relationships can have opposite outcomes based purely on how their cases are presented.

 What Happens in a Consultation

When you book with me:

Eligibility assessment: Do you meet the basic requirements?

Evidence review: What evidence do you have? What gaps exist?

Strategic planning: Best way to present your case given your circumstances.

Risk identification: Potential weaknesses and how to address them.

Timeline and costs: Realistic expectations about timeframes and total costs.

Next steps: Clear understanding of what you need to do.

No obligation, no pressure—just honest advice about your situation and options.

The Bottom Line

Partnership visa applications are complex, heavily scrutinised, and carry significant consequences if declined. While it's technically possible to prepare these yourself, the risk of getting it wrong—and the cost when that happens—often far exceeds the cost of professional guidance.

Your relationship is genuine. Let me help you prove that to Immigration New Zealand in a way that gives you the best possible chance of approval.

Ready to discuss your partnership visa? Book a free consultation. I'll assess your situation, explain what's required, and help you understand whether your case is straightforward or needs careful strategic handling.

After nearly 20 years of processing these applications from the inside, I know exactly what immigration officers are looking for—and what makes them doubt an application.