Move from the US

[KiwiTek]

Hi team,

Newbie here with a question.

I've had a quick look through the forums and haven't found an answer.. but if there is an answer already, I apologies in advance.

OK... My Fianc?e (sp?) is ready to move out here from the US to get married and live.

My question is this.. Will the fact that we're married make her application easier? and whats the best way to go about it?

Should she come out on a 90 day visa, get married and then she can apply for residency as my wife?

Any advice on how we should go about this would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Peter

[MotherBear]

Hi Kiwitek,

Welcome to MoveToNZ. ?It's good to have you with us. ? 8-)

This matter of partners and spouses is a tricky one with NZIS. ?They tend not to accept a marriage certificate as proof of a stable relationship, which is what they are looking for. They insist on having visible signs that you have both been living together for at least 12 months. This includes bills with both names on, joint bank statements, letters and anything that will indicate that you have shared a home for this amount of time. I think this is to prevent people, who marry just to get residency in a country, from gaining entry i.e. what is known as a marriage of convenience.

If you don't comply with the 12-month rule, your fiancee could come to NZ on a visitor's visa, look for work, apply for a Work Permit which will allow her to stay and work long enough for you to set up home together for the requisite time. Then she can apply for Permanent Residency under the Partnership policy. ?

Of course, if she has work skills that are in demand in NZ, she could apply for residency in her own right under the Skilled Migrant Category. ?

[MotherBear]

Hi team,
My question is this.. ?Will the fact that we're married make her application easier? and whats the best way to go about it?

I read this article in the NZ Herald on the plane back from NZ and thought it might be relevant to this discussion.

Immigrant married to a Kiwi, but jailed for 36 hours
5:00AM Wednesday March 28, 2007
By Simon O'Rourke


Anita Moon back in her Patumahoe salon with husband Rangi after she was released from jail. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Two immigration officers, backed by two police officers, told a hairdresser to stop rinsing her client's hair before interrogating her about her marriage and residency status and throwing her in jail for 36 hours.

But the Department of Labour has defended its actions, saying the woman had been unlawfully in New Zealand for more than two years and was working illegally.

Last Tuesday, English-born migrant Anita Moon, 50, was washing colour out of a customer's hair in Patumahoe when she was accosted by the authorities.

It was not until Thursday morning that she was released, after Port Waikato MP Paul Hutchison made inquiries with Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove.

"I had a bit of a nightmare time," Mrs Moon said.

More here .