The Government has made changes to the maximum duration for work and visitor visas for partners of New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders that have been living together for at least 12 months. This is now increasing from 2 years to 3 years.
This will give couples additional time to save for residence application fees and better aligns with the visa durations provided to partners of temporary migrants.
It will apply to applications received from 1 October 2024 and applications that have been submitted, but not yet decided, on that date. Current visas will not be automatically extended. A new application will need to be made for the longer duration.
This change supports the Government’s efforts to create a world-class immigration system that attracts and retains the skills and experience New Zealand needs to grow our economy.
News source: Longer visas for partners of New Zealanders | Immigration New Zealand
Image by Freepik