New Zealand Partner Work Visa: Partner of a Worker

Start with the supporting partner's status:

The label “partnership work visa NZ” is often used for all three temporary work routes, but INZ assesses them under different supporting-partner rules. This page owns queries where the supporter holds a temporary work visa.

The supporting partner must hold an eligible work visa or be applying for one. The partner application can be filed at the same time, but it cannot be granted until the worker's application is approved.

A partner cannot normally support this visa if their work visa is valid for 6 months or less, unless they hold a Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa. Other excluded categories include Fishing Crew, Working Holiday, Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited, Supplementary Seasonal Employment, Domestic Staff of a Diplomat, Skilled Migrant Category Job Search, Global Workforce Seasonal, and Peak Seasonal visas.

AEWV and certain legacy Essential Skills or Specific Purpose cases have additional occupation and pay rules. Check the worker's exact eVisa conditions and the current INZ family-support page before applying.

Common current AEWV scenarios include:

These are support criteria for the worker, not an income requirement for the partner applying for the visa. Exact cases can differ, especially for sector agreements, legacy visas and Specific Purpose work visas.

You and the supporting worker must be living together in a genuine and stable relationship when you apply. Marriage or civil-union registration does not remove the living-together requirement.

Provide dated evidence across several categories: shared tenancy or property records, utility bills and official mail; joint accounts, transfers, insurance and household expenses; travel and communication records; shared children or caregiving; and statements from people who recognise the relationship.

Explain periods apart for work, study, family or immigration reasons and show how the relationship continued. This temporary visa has no blanket 12-month minimum, but INZ still considers the duration and credibility of the evidence.

Partner of a Worker Work Visas are in INZ's “any work” open-work group. Current conditions can allow employment for an employer, contracting, sole trading, or owning and operating a business in any legal occupation and location, subject to required occupational registration.

An open work visa holder cannot employ other people directly or indirectly through a business they operate. Commercial sexual services also remain restricted. Read the conditions on the actual eVisa because an older partner visa may carry different conditions; an eligible holder may need a variation of conditions.

The visa also permits study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

Most people apply online. For a paper application, use INZ 1198 — Partnership-Based Temporary Visa Application. The supporting partner completes INZ 1146 — Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-Based Temporary Entry Applications.

Include relationship evidence, the worker's current visa and relevant job/pay records, identity documents, and any health, character, funds, translations or onward-travel evidence requested by INZ. INZ 1017 and INZ 1015 are not the standard application/support pair for this route.

As of 17 August 2026, INZ lists the application from NZD $1,630 and reports 80% processed within 4 weeks. Location affects the fee and recent processing performance changes, so verify the live INZ page before paying.

The visa is normally valid for the same period as the supporting partner's work visa. A later extension or new worker visa does not automatically extend the partner visa; submit a new application before the current visa expires and recheck the support rules in force at that time.