NZ Family Visas

Bringing families together through the Family Visa Process

I’ll help you navigate the visa requirements for your family and achieve your dream of living in New Zealand.

Family enjoying on the beach

What is a Family Visa?

Family Visas are any type of New Zealand visa issued to partners, children, parents and grandparents under Immigration New Zealand’s various family visa categories. Those visa categories cover both residence class visas and temporary visas such as visitor, work and student visas.

Eligibility Requirements

You may be eligible for a type of family visa if you are:

  • The partner or dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or resident

  • The partner or dependent child of someone that holds a certain type of work or student visa

  • The parent or grandparent of a New Zealand citizen or resident.

Types of Family Visa

The main types of Family Visa are:

  • Partnership Residence Visa, Partnership Work Visa and Partnership Visitor Visa for partners of New Zealand citizens and residents

  • Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa

  • Dependent Child Resident Visa for dependent children of New Zealand citizens or residents or people who are applying for New Zealand residence

  • Dependent Child Student or Visitor Visa

  • Visas for parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens and residents:

    • Parent Category Residence Visa

    • Parent Retirement Category Residence Visa

    • Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa

  • Visas for partners and dependent children of people who hold certain types of Work and Student Visas

  • Inter-country adoption

Helping You Avoid Common Family Visa Pitfalls

Each family visa category has its own specific set of requirements and complexities, and every family is unique.

Rarely is anything as straightforward as it might at first seem when it comes to immigrating to New Zealand. For example:

  • the fact you and your partner are married doesn’t, in itself, qualify you for a partnership visa;

  • whether your child is “dependent” and may depend on a number of factors besides their age, and there are strict consent requirements if you and the child’s other parent are separated or divorced.

As a qualified and highly experienced Immigration Lawyer (and not just an immigration consultant or adviser) and a specialist in Family Visas, you can trust me to navigate you through the complexities of the various family visa categories. I’ll help you to avoid the significant time, cost and stress resulting from mistakes made because you tried to apply yourself or received poor advice.

Problems With Your Application? Declined Application? In NZ Unlawfully?

Has Immigration New Zealand written to you to raise concerns about your family visa application or to decline it? Is your situation particularly complex, for example, because you are in NZ unlawfully or because your or a family member has a character or health issue?

As a specialist immigration lawyer, I can assist with:

  • Responses to PPI (“potentially prejudicial information”) letters

  • Character and medical waiver requests

  • Reconsideration Requests for declined onshore Temporary Visa applications

  • Section 61 Requests for people who are in NZ unlawfully

  • Special Direction Requests to the Minister of Immigration for people who are in NZ unlawfully or not eligible to apply for a visa

  • Appeals to the Immigration & Protection Tribunal when a person’s Residence Visa application has been declined or they have become liable for deportation.

Further information about my services for assisting with immigration problems can be found here.

I’m more than happy to chat about assisting you and your family.

Why Choose Me As Your Immigration Lawyer?

Passionate about reuniting couples and families, I hate seeing them forced to live apart and stuck in different countries because they received poor immigration advice or tried to apply for a visa themselves.

The various Family Visa categories are complicated, and mistakes can be difficult and costly to fix. Why take chances with one of the most important applications you’ll ever make?

I’ve helped hundreds of partners and families achieve their dream of living in New Zealand, and I’d love to talk about your immigration goals.

Protective of my high success rate, I only submit visa applications I believe I can win.

Recent Success Stories

“I’m super satisfied with James’ service. He did a perfect job on my work visa and permanent resident visa applications. I highly recommend James as your immigration lawyer. His professional and exceptional service will save you a lot of time and money. ”
— Sara Zhou
“If you need any help with your visa application, James is your go to person! He helped my partner and I with 3 visa applications and all 3 of them had great, smooth sailing results. It was an absolute pleasure working with you James, you are a great part of our journey and we are forever grateful!”
— Simone Meyers

I’m more than happy to chat about assisting you and your family.