Central Hawke's Bay couple's partner visa approved after six month struggle with Immigration NZ

Bridget Gibson and Cristobal Reveco Aros are pleased INZ heard them out and they can now move on with their lives. Photo / Paul Taylor

A Central Hawke's Bay couple who were given conflicting advice by Immigration New Zealand regarding a partner visa, and subsequently received an apology, are now ecstatic they have been granted the visa.

Hawke's Bay Today previously spoke to Bridget Gibson, a 36-year-old NZ citizen, born and bred in Waipukurau, and her Chilean partner Cristobal Reveco Aros, 34, on May 7.

Up until then the couple had been waiting seven months to get word from INZ about whether they were allowed to remain together in New Zealand.

Gibson said the attention garnered by the media coverage sped up the process.

"Without your help, this would not have happened in the time that it is has. Of that we have no doubt."

She said following the article, INZ contacted them on May 8, via email, requesting more information about financial arrangements and evidence of communication when the couple were physically apart for a period last year.

"They assigned us an immigration officer and we submitted the documents on May 10," she said.

"I didn't hear anything back by May 19, so I contacted them again via email on May 19 asking for an update on visa status and whether they required more documentation.

"The INZ immigration officer contacted us by phone on May 20 at 8.30am with the news that our visa had been accepted."

The visa's work condition is that Cris can work for one year in NZ, in any line of employment.

In nine months time the couple will apply again for another partnership visa, as they would have lived together in NZ for over 12 months, she said.

"Cris is getting back in touch with those organisations in Hawke's Bay that he applied to for work in the last two months, who came back asking if he had a work visa. Support worker roles within the disability sector, elderly care, or as a youth worker."

Aros was a qualified PE teacher in Chile. He has worked with at-risk youth, is a NZ qualified support worker and worked in NZ for four years on a work visa with vulnerable people in the mental health, and the disability sector.

"We plan to work hard, pay our bills, and save for what the next year brings and beyond," Gibson said.

"We would like to be able to visit his parents in Chile, but there is uncertainty when that will be possible due to Covid-19 (Santiago is in lockdown currently), so we save to have the means to see them when we can."

She said they were just grateful they could stay together in NZ and move in with their lives.

"We know other people are in a similar position, and in worse positions waiting for visas, and we hope for a smoother process for them and that they can all have some certainty soon, so they too can get on with making life decisions.

"I think it is important that people see that it is okay to speak up about their troubles with INZ, or any government agency, without the fair of being penalised. It made us so nervous. But the outcome was so worth it."