Should I apply for a partnership visitor visa or a culturally arranged marriage visa?
The requirements and evidence are significantly different for the two visa types. A partnership visitor visa requires proof of a genuine and stable relationship – often this means evidence of living together, whereas the culturally arranged marriage visa requires evidence that the marriage was arranged by a third party, is according to traditions or customs, and will involve showing documentary evidence for the entire process, from the communication, wedding arrangements and support letters from relatives involved in organizing the union.
We recommend careful consideration to establish your eligibility and highly recommend getting assistance from a licensed immigration adviser to navigate the culturally arranged marriage visa. The threshold of evidence is high and per Immigration New Zealand’s instructions, the onus of proof is on the applicant. It is therefore your job to convince the case officer assessing your application that the marriage is genuine and not intended to be a means to securing a visa to New Zealand.
Culturally Arranged Marriage Visa:
The visa known as the Culturally Arranged Marriage Visa is intended for those who are coming to New Zealand to wed a partner in a culturally arranged marriage. It also applies to cases where the resident or citizen partner of New Zealand travels abroad to marry their significant other, as their partner would still be qualified to obtain the Culturally Arranged Marriage Visa to come to New Zealand.
Key benefits of the Culturally Arranged Marriage Visa:
- The visa holder can stay in New Zealand for 12 months.
- The visa holder can work, study, or enroll in a course for up to 12 months.
- The visa holder can apply for a Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa after the marriage.
Partnership Visitor Visa:
The Partnership Visitor Visa is applicable for relationships that were formed through partners who met organically, maybe while traveling, whereas the culturally arranged marriage visa requires that the marriage itself was organized by friends or relatives according to traditions and customs of one of the partner’s ethnicity.
Key benefits of the Partnership Visitor Visa:
- The visa holder can stay in New Zealand for up to 9 months in an 18-month period.
- The visa holder can study for up to 3 months.
- The visa holder can enroll in a course for up to 3 months.
- The visa holder cannot work on this visa.
