New Zealand Partnership Visa: INZ-Style Chat and Communication Records PDF
New Zealand partnership visas allow partners of NZ citizens, residents, or work visa holders to live and work in New Zealand. INZ requires evidence that the partnership is "genuine and stable," typically including proof of living together for at least 12 months. INZ specifically accepts chat records, emails, and social media conversations as evidence of the relationship.
Visa Types
- Partnership Work Visa — Processing: ~3-6 months
- Partner of a Worker Visa — Processing: ~3-6 months
- Partner Resident Visa — Processing: ~6-12 months
Why Chat Evidence Matters
INZ explicitly lists "chat records, emails, social media conversations, cards/letters and other correspondence" as acceptable evidence for proving a genuine and stable partnership. Communication evidence is particularly important during periods of separation, which is common when one partner is already in New Zealand and the other is applying from overseas. Well-formatted chat records showing consistent contact across the 12-month cohabitation period strengthen your application significantly.
Evidence Requirements
- Communication Records: Chat records, emails, social media conversations, cards, letters, and other correspondence. INZ explicitly accepts these as evidence of a genuine partnership.
- Cohabitation Evidence: Joint tenancy agreements, utility bills, bank statements showing the same address, mail addressed to both partners. Must typically cover at least 12 months of living together.
- Financial Integration: Joint bank accounts, shared expenses, joint insurance, or evidence of financial interdependence.
- Social Recognition: Photos, joint invitations, declarations from friends and family, evidence of being recognized as a couple in your community.
- Commitment: Wills, insurance beneficiary designations, future plans (property, children), or other evidence of long-term commitment.
Step-by-Step: Create Your Evidence PDF
- Export your WhatsApp chat — Open your conversation in WhatsApp, tap menu > Export Chat, and save the .zip or .txt file.
- Upload to PartnerProof — Drop your file into PartnerProof. Processing is 100% local — your data never leaves your browser.
- Select New Zealand — Choose NZ from the country selector. PartnerProof applies A4 format, DD/MM/YYYY dates, and "Appendix" labels matching INZ expectations.
- Cover the 12-month cohabitation period — Use date filtering to ensure messages span at least 12 months. PartnerProof's timeline view shows communication gaps so you can address them in your application.
- Add photos and supporting documents — Upload photos from different occasions, travel bookings, joint documents, and statutory declarations. Everything is organized into labeled appendices.
- Download and submit — Download the formatted PDF (under 10 MB for INZ Online) and ZIP bundle. Upload as a single merged PDF per document type. Photos must be separate JPGs.
Evidence Checklist
- Partnership visa application form completed
- Communication records PDF covering at least 12 months
- Cohabitation evidence (joint lease, utility bills, bank statements)
- Photos from different occasions and time periods
- Financial integration evidence (joint accounts, shared expenses)
- Statutory declarations from friends/family
- Official translations for non-English documents
- Single merged PDF per document (under 10 MB)
- Photos as separate JPGs
Frequently Asked Questions
INZ asks for chat/communication records — what format is best?
INZ accepts scanned images for online applications. A professionally formatted PDF with clear timestamps, sender names, and chronological organization is ideal. PartnerProof creates a clean, labeled PDF that INZ caseworkers can easily review. Keep it under 10 MB and unencrypted.
Should I include call logs too for NZ partnership visa?
Yes. Call logs showing dates, times, and duration of voice and video calls complement text messages. They demonstrate a different type of communication and help fill gaps between text conversations. WhatsApp's export feature includes call entries in the chat log, and PartnerProof preserves them in the formatted PDF.
What other partnership evidence should I bundle for INZ?
Beyond communication records: cohabitation proof (joint lease, utility bills for 12+ months), financial evidence (joint accounts, shared expenses), photos from events and daily life, and statutory declarations from people who know your relationship. INZ may also ask for immigration history and character documents.
How do I prove we lived together for 12 months for NZ partner visa?
Combine dated cohabitation documents (joint lease, utility bills, bank statements showing the same address) with communication records that reference your shared daily life. Messages discussing household tasks, shared meals, or "coming home" demonstrate cohabitation naturally. PartnerProof helps by highlighting messages with domestic and household themes.
Does INZ accept WhatsApp screenshots or do I need full chat exports?
INZ does not specify a required format, but full chat exports formatted as clean PDFs are more credible than selective screenshots. Exports include unbroken timestamps, sender names, and context that screenshots may lack. PartnerProof converts raw exports into professional PDFs while preserving all metadata.
PartnerProof: Convert WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram chats into officer-ready PDF evidence packets for New Zealand visa applications. SHA-256 verified. 100% private. Try it free →