[Howie]

Does anyone know if same sex parterns are treated the same as non married couples as far as NZIS is concerned? IE, do you just have to prove that you've actually been living together?

[anna_c]

Yes, they are treated exactly the same, at least in theory. You have to prove you've been living together and also that your relationship is genuine, stable and intended to last.

[Park City Partner]

As far as I am aware, partnership is partnership regardless of the make up of it. In my experience the financial component seems to be the biggest...joint bank accounts, bills going to the same address proving that you are living together etc. When we contemplated moving the first thing we did was establish a joint bank account. We established it in January and I applied for my visa in October as I recall. My case officer approved everything in principle but said he wouldn't issue the visa until the bank account had been in place for 12 months. So he just held the application until January and then issued the stickers.

My sister in law is in a same sex relationship and from what I can tell NZ is way hipper than the US on this issue! Shame on the US...

[urban78]

Does anyone know if same sex parterns are treated the same as non married couples as far as NZIS is concerned? IE, do you just have to prove that you've actually been living together?

Will have to agree with previous posters, same sex couples are exactly the same as de facto opposite sex couples for NZIS.

I am in a same sex relationship with my kiwi partner (for 4 yrs now) and our application went smoothly, the only financial commitment we had was bank transfers from one account to the other (for bill payments) and also our bank accounts were at the same branch at the bank (albeit not being joint accounts). Everything else is the same, must have been in a stable relationship for 12months at least.

Jen :)

[Stapleton-Gray]

Hi

Yes they treat same sex couples exactly the same. I guess it falls under the De Facto category.
Although we got married (Civil Partnership) earlier this year in England and have now arrived in NZ and am waiting for Job offer to be confirmed before we set everything in motion, but when the forms all get filled I'm wondering if we tick 'married'?!?

Any ideas?

[Migueliones15]

Hi

Yes they treat same sex couples exactly the same. I guess it falls under the De Facto category.
Although we got married (Civil Partnership) earlier this year in England and have now arrived in NZ and am waiting for Job offer to be confirmed before we set everything in motion, but when the forms all get filled I'm wondering if we tick 'married'?!?

Any ideas?
>>>Civil unions in NZ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_unions_in_New_Zealand)<<<

"Civil unions in New Zealand were passed into law on 9 December 2004 when Parliament passed the Civil Union Act to establish the institution of civil union for same-sex and opposite-sex couples."
As NZ has civil unions, I assume there will be a "Civil Union" box?