Specialists in Australian Visa & Migration Law

The NZ Relationship Visa – (Subclass 461) is an Australian Visa for people in a Partner Relationship with a New Zealand Citizen who lives in Australia or will be coming to Australia. Visa applicants must not be New Zealand Citizens.

The NZ Relationship Visa can be granted for up to 5 years. You can apply for additional NZ Relationship visas prior to the expiry of your Visa.

Your Partner (NZ Citizen), must hold a Special Category Visa – (Subclass 444) or be eligible for the grant of that Visa upon their arrival in Australia.

If your relationship breaks down i.e. you cease to be in a Partner Relationship with a NZ Citizen, you can still be eligible for further Subclass 461 visas based on being a previous holder of a NZ Relationship Visa and meeting additional legal requirements.

As part of your application you must demonstrate that you are in a genuine, married or de facto, partner relationship.

Assessment of your Relationship

When assessing your relationship a Case Officer from the Department of Immigration will seek to be satisfied that:

• Your relationship is ‘genuine’ and ‘continuing’
• You and your partner have a ‘mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others’
• You and your partner are living together (or at least not living apart permanently)

In determining the above, your Case officer will consider the totality of your relationship and in particular, the following four factors;

• Financial aspects of your relationship
• The nature of your household
• Social aspects of your relationship
• The nature of your mutual and exclusive commitment

 Processing Times

Current processing times as indicated by the Department of Immigration is published on their website here