Partner visas: new age rules from 25 September 2026
From 25 September 2026, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has brought in new age and evidence rules for partnership-based visas.
What's changed?
There are two main changes:
Both of you must be 18 or older when you submit the application. That includes the person applying and the partner supporting them.
Only evidence from after you both turned 18 counts. Photos, joint bills, a shared lease and anything else from before then won't be considered when INZ assesses your relationship.
Which visas are affected?
The changes cover visas designed specifically for partners:
Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa
Partner of a New Zealander Resident, Visitor and Work Visas
Partner of a Worker Visitor and Work Visas
Partner of a Student Visitor and Work Visas
Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa
They don't apply if your partner is included in a residence application under another category, such as Skilled Migrant, Business or a non-partnership Family stream. They also don't apply to general visitor visas.
What does this mean in practice?
For residence: You already need to have lived together for at least 12 months to apply for partnership-based residence. That 12 months now only starts once you're both 18. In practice, neither of you can qualify until you're both at least 19.
For temporary visas (visitor and work): There's no set 12-month rule. However, you still need to show enough evidence that you're living together in a genuine and stable relationship, and that evidence has to come from after you both turned 18. Having an 18th birthday won't usually make you eligible straight away. You'll need time to build up that proof.
Already applied?
The new rules don't apply to resident visa applications submitted before 25 September 2026, or to visas that have already been granted.
A couple of things to keep in mind
You still need to meet all the usual requirements for the visa you're applying for. The age rule is an additional requirement, not a replacement for any of them.
Some of INZ's online forms may take a while to catch up with the changes, so check the latest requirements on the INZ website before you apply.
Not sure where you stand?
Partnership visas depend heavily on evidence, and these changes make it more important to get that evidence right. If you're unsure how the new rules affect you or your partner, get in touch with us. We're happy to talk through your situation and help you work out the best next step.
