Longer Visas for Partners of New Zealanders: A New Change from 1 October 2024

Starting from 1 October 2024, partners of New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders will benefit from a significant change in visa duration. The Government has announced an increase in the maximum length of work and visitor visas for these partners, extending the duration from 2 years to 3 years for those who have been living together for at least 12 months.

What Does This Mean for Couples?

This extended visa duration offers couples more time to save for the residence application fees, providing a more flexible timeline for transitioning to residency. Additionally, this change aligns the visa durations for partners of New Zealanders with those provided to partners of temporary migrants, ensuring more consistency across immigration policies.

Who Will Benefit?

The new rule applies to applications submitted on or after 1 October 2024. It will also cover applications submitted before this date that have not yet been decided by 1 October. However, visas that are already issued will not be automatically extended. If you hold a current visa, you’ll need to make a new application to take advantage of the longer duration.

Supporting a World-Class Immigration System

This change is part of the Government’s broader efforts to enhance New Zealand's immigration system, aiming to attract and retain the talent and skills needed to support the country’s economic growth. By extending the visa duration, the Government is providing more stability and flexibility to those planning a long-term future in New Zealand.

For those looking to make New Zealand their permanent home, this longer visa will help ease the financial burden and offer more time to plan for the next steps in the residency process.

Source: INZ website

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