Elderly couples applying for visas asked to prove marriages are real with WhatsApp chats

Navigation for News Categories WhatsApp is a messaging service owned by Meta. Photo: 123rf Lawyers say elderly couples married for more than 50 years and applying for visas are being asked to prove their relationship is real with WhatsApp chats. They want reform of partnership visas and a different approach to what evidence is requested by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). “They are asking for chat messages between 70-year-olds,” said immigration lawyer Pooja Sundar. “There’s no balance there, and there’s no actual holistic assessment of that individual application. And especially when you’re asked to provide such evidence for those who are in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and have lived together for the last 60 years of their lives. “They are asked, ‘Why is there no evidence of chat logs or messages or call logs between the two of you? If it’s genuine and stable relationship evidence, show me texts that you send each other.’ They don’t send each other texts, they see each other every day. It’s a relationship. They’re living the relationship.” Partnership visa criteria prioritised proofs such as shared assets and joint utility bills, which was also not possible for some applicants. “It’s a thought process that is both
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