Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa

If your partner is studying in New Zealand under an eligible New Zealand Government scholarship, you may be able to apply for a Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa.

This visa allows eligible partners of scholarship students to live and work in New Zealand while the student completes their studies.

Who can apply?

You may be eligible if your partner holds an appropriate student visa and is studying in New Zealand under a qualifying New Zealand Government scholarship.

You must also be in a genuine and stable relationship with your partner and meet Immigration New Zealand’s partnership requirements.

You may be married, in a civil union or in a de facto relationship. Being married does not by itself establish eligibility. Immigration New Zealand will consider whether you are genuinely living together as a couple and whether your relationship is genuine and stable.

Which scholarships qualify?

The visa is specifically intended for partners of students studying under eligible New Zealand Government scholarship arrangements.

It is therefore important to check the particular scholarship held by the student. A private scholarship, university scholarship or other form of financial assistance does not necessarily make a partner eligible for this visa.

Evidence of the student’s scholarship and their New Zealand student visa will normally form an important part of the application.

Proving your relationship

You will need to provide evidence demonstrating that you and your partner are living together in a genuine and stable relationship.

Evidence can include tenancy agreements, household bills, correspondence showing a shared residential address, joint bank accounts, shared financial commitments, photographs, travel records and communications between you.

Immigration New Zealand may consider how long you have been together, the length of time you have lived together, your financial arrangements, shared household responsibilities and whether your relationship is recognised by family and friends.

The evidence should provide a clear and consistent picture of the history and development of your relationship.

Living together

Immigration New Zealand’s partnership requirements place considerable importance on whether a couple is living together.

If you have temporarily lived apart because one partner travelled to New Zealand first to begin studying, or because of work, family or immigration circumstances, this does not necessarily prevent an application from succeeding.

However, the reasons for the separation should be explained and evidence should be provided showing that the relationship continued during that period.

Can you work in New Zealand?

A major benefit of the Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa is the ability to work while your partner studies in New Zealand.

The visa can provide open work rights, meaning you may not need a job offer before applying and may be able to work for different employers.

You should always check the conditions recorded on your visa before commencing employment.

How long can you stay?

The duration of your work visa will generally be connected to your partner’s student visa and scholarship-supported period of study.

If your partner’s student visa expires or their circumstances change, you may need to obtain another visa to remain in New Zealand.

It is therefore important to keep track of both partners’ visa expiry dates and make any further applications before the existing visas expire.

Can children come to New Zealand?

If you and your partner have dependent children, they may be able to apply for appropriate visas to accompany the family to New Zealand.

The appropriate visa will depend on the child’s age, circumstances and the immigration status of the parents. School-aged children may have options that allow them to attend school in New Zealand.

Separate applications will generally be required for dependent children.

Health and character requirements

Applicants must meet the applicable health and character requirements.

Depending on your circumstances and intended length of stay, Immigration New Zealand may require medical information, a chest X-ray or police certificates.

Any previous immigration difficulties, criminal convictions or significant health matters should be addressed appropriately when the application is prepared.

Applying from overseas

You may be able to apply for the visa while outside New Zealand.

This can be useful where the scholarship student has travelled to New Zealand first to commence their studies and their partner intends to join them later.

Where the couple is temporarily living apart, the application should explain the circumstances and provide evidence demonstrating the continuing relationship.

Preparing a strong application

A Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa application involves two important elements: establishing that the student’s scholarship and immigration status qualify, and demonstrating that the couple meets Immigration New Zealand’s partnership requirements.

The application should therefore include clear evidence of the scholarship, the student’s visa and study arrangements, together with organised evidence of the couple’s relationship and cohabitation.

For eligible families, the Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa can provide an important opportunity for a couple to remain together while one partner studies in New Zealand and the other works during their stay.