Partner of Military Work Visa

This visa allows you to work in New Zealand while your partner is here on a military visa.

Apply online
  • Length of stay

    Same duration as

    your partner's military visa

  • Cost

    From

    NZD $1630

  • Processing time

    80% within

    5 weeks

To apply you must:

  • have a who has a New Zealand military visa and can support your application
  • be living with your partner in a
  • meet the other requirements of this visa.

This visa lets you:

  • join your partner while they are in New Zealand
  • work in New Zealand
  • study for up to 3 months
  • travel in and out of New Zealand.

You do not need a New Zealand job offer to apply.

You cannot include your dependent children in your visa application, but they can apply for visas based on their relationship to you.

If you have been told that you do not need to pay the fee for this visa, apply on paper.

Apply online

How long you can stay

You can stay in New Zealand for the duration of your partner's military visa. You must leave before your visa expires.

Who can apply

To apply for this visa, you must:

  • have a partner who has a military visa, is eligible for one, or is — and who is eligible to support your application
  • be living with your partner in a 
  • be in good health
  • be of good character
  • have genuine reasons for coming to New Zealand.

Eligible supporting partner

Your partner must be eligible to support your application.

They must complete the Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-based — Temporary Entry Applications.

Your supporting partner's visa

Your partner must have a New Zealand military visa, be eligible for one, or be .

Your supporting partner's identity

Your partner must provide proof of their identity.

They can do this by providing an original or of their passport or .

Relationship with your supporting partner

You must provide evidence that you and your partner are living together in a at the time you apply.

Your evidence should show:

  • how long you have been together in a relationship
  • how long you have been living together
  • you share finances and other responsibilities
  • you spend time together, for example photos together, emails and social media conversations between you
  • other people recognise your relationship
  • anything else you think shows you and your partner are living together in a genuine and stable relationship.

Health

You must be in good health. We may ask you to have a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both as proof of your health.
If you are staying less than:

  • 6 months, you do not normally need a chest X-ray
  • 12 months, you do not normally need a medical certificate.

When you apply, you must answer questions about your health. This helps to decide if you need to provide evidence of a chest X-ray or medical examination. Even if you do not need these when you apply, we may ask for them when we process your application.

Check the situations where we may ask you to have a chest X-ray or medical examination.

Note

Results of a chest X-ray or medical examination must be less than 3 months old when we receive them.

If staying for more than 6 months

If you will be staying in New Zealand for more than 6 months, you must have a chest X-ray if you:

  • are a citizen of a country that does not have a low incidence of tuberculosis (TB), or
  • have spent more than 3 months in the last 5 years in a country that does not have a low incidence of TB.

You must provide a new chest X-ray certificate, even if you have provided one to us previously, if you:

  • have spent 6 months in a row in a country that does not have a low incidence of TB since the date of your last X-ray certificate, and
  • are now coming to New Zealand for more than 6 months — if you are in New Zealand this includes any time you have already spent here.

Character

You must be of good character.

You may need to provide police certificates as proof of your good character.

If you have a criminal conviction, or are a security risk to New Zealand, we may not issue you a visa.

You must provide police certificates that are less than 6 months old when you apply, if:

  • you are aged 17 or older, and
  • your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer — this includes time you spent in New Zealand in the past on other visas.

Police certificates must be from: 

  • countries you are a citizen of, and
  • countries you have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.

You do not need to provide police certificates if you provided them with an earlier visa application and they were issued in the last 24 months.

If we ask for a new police certificate when processing your application, you will need to send us a new one.

Genuine intentions

You must have genuine reasons for visiting New Zealand and intend to leave at the end of your visit.

When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we will consider all the information that:

  • you provide to support your application
  • we have about your personal circumstances
  • you have previously given to us.

Documents you need

When you apply

When you apply, you will need to provide:

  • a copy of your passport or — if you apply on paper, you can provide a
  • 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you apply on paper
  • evidence of a chest X-ray, if required
  • evidence of a medical examination, if required
  • police certificates, if required
  • documents to show your relationship with your partner
  • a copy of the Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-Based — Temporary Entry Applications, completed by your partner
  • translated versions of your police and medical certificates if they are not in English.

Your passport or certificate of identity must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand.

Alert

You may not be allowed to check in to your flight if your passport is close to expiring. Check that it will not expire while you are in New Zealand or close to when you plan to leave New Zealand.

Before you travel to New Zealand

After you apply

After you apply, we may contact you and ask for:

  • evidence of a medical examination or chest X-ray
  • police certificates as proof of your good character.

How to apply online

Follow these steps to complete your application online.

Note

To help prevent delays with processing, make sure your application contains all the required documents.

  1. 1

    Step 1: Gather your documents

    The section 'Who can apply' explains the requirements for this visa and what you will need as proof.

    Our guide to applying can also help you.

    Get documents translated

    For your application you must provide:

    • certified English translations of police and medical certificates that are not in English
    • scanned copies of the original documents.

    Note

    If your other evidence is not in English, you can provide a translated copy to help prevent delays with processing.

    Documents must be translated by someone who meets our requirements for providing English translations.

    Organise proof of identity, citizenship and age

    If you need a new passport, allow yourself enough time to get it.

    When you apply, make sure you enter your identity details exactly as they appear on your passport or certificate of identity.

    Alert

    If there are any mistakes in your identity details, your application may be delayed. We may also decline your application or refuse you entry to New Zealand.

    Make sure your photos are acceptable for a New Zealand visa.

    Book medical appointments, if required

    If you have determined you need a chest X-ray or medical examination, you will need to book your appointment.

    To complete your application, you will need to provide the:

    • reference code from the clinic submitting your health information
    • name of the clinic submitting your health information, if there is no eMedical reference code, or
    • medical certificate, chest X-ray certificate, or both if the clinic gave these to you.

    Note

    Results of a chest X-ray or medical examination must be less than 3 months old when we receive them. Allow yourself enough time to get these.

    Apply for police certificates, if required

    Check what you will need to include for this visa. 

    If you have determined you need police certificates, you will need to provide them with your application.

    Use the tool to find out how to get police certificates from different countries.

    Note

    Your police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you submit your application. Allow yourself enough time to get these certificates.

    Organise proof of your relationship with your partner

    Collect information to show your relationship with your partner and proof of their identity.

  2. 2

    Step 2: Submit your application and pay the fee

    To apply online, log in to your account, or set up an account if you do not have one already.

    You can then fill in your application, upload your documents and pay the applicable fees.

    Check the 'How to pay and submit' section for fees.

  3. 3

    Step 3: Wait for our decision

    We will let you know if we need more information to process your application.

    Waiting for a visa

    Check the 'How to pay and submit' section for timeframes.

    Note

    If you are already in New Zealand, you must have a valid visa. If your current temporary visa is going to expire while you are waiting for our decision, we will normally issue you an Interim Visa to let you stay in New Zealand lawfully.

    Interim Visa

  4. 4

    Step 4: Check your application status

    Log in to your account to check the status of your application.

    Checking your visa application status

    We will email you when we make a decision.

    If we approve your application, we will give you an eVisa and send you a copy.

    Using Visa labels and eVisas

    Check the 'While you are in New Zealand' section to find out what you can and cannot do when you come to New Zealand.

How to apply on paper

Follow these steps to complete your application on paper.

Note

To help prevent delays with processing, make sure your application contains all the required documents.

  1. 1

    Step 1: Gather your documents

    The section 'Who can apply' explains the requirements for this visa and what you will need as proof.

    Our guide to applying can also help you.

    Get documents translated

    For your application you must provide:

    • certified English translations of police and medical certificates that are not in English
    • scanned copies of the original documents.

    Note

    If your other evidence is not in English, you can provide a translated copy to help prevent delays with processing.

    Documents must be translated by someone who meets our requirements for providing English translations.

    Organise proof of identity, citizenship and age

    If you need a new passport, allow yourself enough time to get it.

    When you apply, make sure you enter your identity details exactly as they appear on your passport or certificate of identity.

    Alert

    If there are any mistakes in your identity details, your application may be delayed. We may also decline your application or refuse you entry to New Zealand.

    Make sure your photos are acceptable for a New Zealand visa.

    Book medical appointments, if required

    If you have determined you need a chest X-ray or medical examination, you will need to book your appointment.

    To complete your application, you will need to provide the:

    • reference code from the clinic submitting your health information
    • name of the clinic submitting your health information, if there is no eMedical reference code, or
    • medical certificate, chest X-ray certificate, or both if the clinic gave these to you.

    Note

    Results of a chest X-ray or medical examination must be less than 3 months old when we receive them. Allow yourself enough time to get these.

    Apply for police certificates, if required

    Check what you will need to include for this visa. 

    If you have determined you need police certificates, you will need to provide them with your application.

    Use the tool to find out how to get police certificates from different countries.

    Note

    Your police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you submit your application. Allow yourself enough time to get these certificates.

    Organise proof of your relationship with your partner

    Collect information to show your relationship with your partner and proof of their identity.

  2. 2

    Step 2: Complete the application form

    Complete the application form and attach all your supporting documents.

  3. 3

    Step 3: Submit your application and pay the fee

    Check the 'How to pay and submit' section for fees and where to submit your application.

  4. 4

    Step 4: Wait for our decision

    We will let you know if we need more information to process your application.

    We will email you when we make a decision.

    Checking your visa application status

    Check the 'How to pay and submit' section for timeframes.

    If we approve your application, we will give you an eVisa and email you a copy.

    Using Visas labels and eVisas

    Note

    If you are already in New Zealand, you must have a valid visa. If your current temporary visa is going to expire while you are waiting for our decision, we will normally issue you an Interim Visa to let you stay in New Zealand lawfully.

    Interim Visa

    Check the 'While you are in New Zealand' section to find out what you can and cannot do when you come to New Zealand.

How to pay and submit

When you get your visa

Your visa is valid from:

  • the date you enter New Zealand, if you are outside New Zealand when we approve your application, or
  • the date you get your visa, if you are already in New Zealand.

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

When you arrive

Entry permission

You must apply for permission to enter New Zealand. You do this by completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) form.

You can start your digital declaration any time, but the earliest you can submit it is 24 hours before starting your travel to New Zealand.

A paper declaration form is available for travellers who cannot complete it online.

New Zealand Traveller Declaration

New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.

Arriving in New Zealand

Alert

You can be refused entry permission if you:

  • do not have genuine reasons for coming to New Zealand
  • do not meet our character requirements
  • have had a change in circumstances since we issued your visa
  • refuse to let us take your photo, fingerprints or an iris scan.

While you are in New Zealand

Your visa conditions are recorded in your eVisa.

Travel

After you arrive, you can travel in and out of New Zealand as many times as you like before your visa expires.

Work

You can work in any employment you like, as long as:

  • the work you do is legal
  • you do not provide commercial sexual services
  • you do not invest or operate in a business that provides commercial sexual services
  • you have any occupational registration that is needed to do that work in New Zealand.

Check if you need occupational registration for your job

Paying tax

Everyone who has a job in New Zealand pays tax on what they earn. To pay tax, you need an Inland Revenue (IRD) number from Inland Revenue — the New Zealand Government department that collects tax.

IRD numbers — Inland Revenue

Study

You can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.