• Principal Applicant

• Spouse and De Facto Partner

• Dependent Children

• Custody of Dependent Children Under 16

• Adopted Children

Principal Applicant

The principal applicant is:

• The person declared to be the principal applicant on the residence application form;
  and

• The person assessed against the New Zealand policy criteria.

Spouse and De Facto Partner

Your spouse or de facto partner may be included in your residence application if you are legally married or your relationship meets the definition of a de facto relationship.

For the purpose of inclusion in an application, a de facto partner is a partner in a heterosexual or same sex relationship who has been living with the principal applicant in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 2 years immediately before the application is lodged.

Note: If you are in a polygamous marriage or relationship, you may include only one spouse or partner in your application for residence.

Dependent Children

You and/or your spouse or partner's dependent children may be included in your residence application if they are totally or substantially reliant on you and/or your spouse or partner for financial support (whether living with you or not) and they are:

• Aged 17 to 24 with no child(ren) of their own and single;
  or

• Aged 16 or younger and single.

Custody of Dependent Children Under 16

If you and your spouse or partner are divorced or separated, you may include your dependent child under 16 only if you have the right to remove your dependent child from its country of residence.

Such dependent children will not be granted residence unless satisfactory evidence of the right to remove the child from its country of residence is submitted.

Adopted Children

Children who have been legally adopted, or who have been adopted according to cultural custom are regarded as members of the family into which they have been adopted.