Immigration New Zealand Updates Partner Visa Age Rules

Immigration New Zealand announced changes to age and evidence requirements for partnership-based visa categories, effective September 25, 2026. Under the new rules, both the visa applicant and the partner supporting the application must be 18 or older at the time of submission.

Evidence of the relationship must be collected from the time both partners turned 18. The nine visa types affected include the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa and the Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa, among others.

Couples seeking partnership-based residence must demonstrate they have lived together for at least 12 months, with this period starting only after both individuals are 18 years old. Consequently, applicants will generally need to be at least 19 to qualify for partnership-based residence.

For temporary partnership visas, while there is no formal 12-month cohabitation requirement, applicants must provide sufficient evidence of a genuine relationship post-18. Existing applications submitted before September 25, 2026, will not be affected by these changes.