Immigration 

How do I apply to migrate to New Zealand?
My partner from Germany wants to stay and live with me in New Zealand. Can I sponsor her?

How do I apply to migrate to New Zealand?

You can use Immigration New Zealand's Visa Options tool to help you decide which visa or category suits you best. The main options are :

• Skilled migrant category: this is based on your qualifications, work experience and job, or job offer
• Business and investment category: the category for people such as investors, entrepreneurs and business people
• Family category: for people who are sponsored by a family member who is already a New Zealand citizen and/or resident
• Samoan quota: for a number of Samoan citizens
• Pacific access category: for citizens of Kiribati, Tuvalu and Tonga
• Refugee family support category: to become a sponsored refugees in New Zealand
• Working towards residence: working in New Zealand temporarily as a step towards residency
• Studying in New Zealand: to gain qualifications that would help you find work here. 

Immigration New Zealand has a self-assessment guide that you can download to help find out what category applies to you.

You need to meet the specific requirements of the category, as well as health and character requirements. Specific information on how to apply is on the category’s webpage provided in the list above.  
 

My partner from Germany wants to stay and live with me in New Zealand. Can I sponsor her?

You’re likely to be accepted as the supporting partner if:

• You are a New Zealand citizen or resident, and you are eligible to sponsor him or her
• You meet the minimum requirements of a partnership and provide evidence of partnership
• You and any dependent children included in your residence application all meet the health and character requirements

Your relationship must fall within Immigration New Zealand's (INZ) criteria for a "partnership":

• the principal applicant and partner are living together in a genuine and stable partnership, and
• the couple have been living together in such a relationship for 12 months or more at the time the application is assessed, and
• the partnership meets the minimum requirements for the recognition of partnerships:
  o the couple were both aged 18 years or older at the time the application for residence was made, or if aged 16 or 17 years old have the support of their parent(s) or guardian(s), and
  o the couple have met prior to the application being made, and
  o they are not close relatives.

See the INZ website for how to apply for residency under the Family:Partnership category.