For Natalie and Felipe, it was not love at first sight. In March 2018, they matched on a dating app while Felipe was in Wellington, New Zealand. But, they had no plans to meet until they bumped into each other at a party. Felipe saw Natalie standing at the bar and recognised her. He asked if she had tried a Chilean pisco and let her taste his drink. The next day, Felipe messaged Natalie that she was beautiful. They planned to meet for a drink. “It was weird because I didn’t like him on that first date, and he didn’t like me,” remembers Natalie, “I was making escape plans in my head”. Despite this, they chatted until morning, and, soon after, “something happened”.
They began to see each other seriously, and Felipe decided to stay in Wellington. But, his visa was about to expire. The pair found a visa they mistakenly thought would extend Felipe’s tourist visa. When it arrived, they were shocked to realise they had made a mistake: it was only valid for one day. That same day, Felipe's tourist visa expired, and he rushed to leave the country for Thailand. Natalie submitted a student visa on his behalf, but two months later, immigration declined it. “For two months, we were so happy while waiting for the student visa to be approved, planning and dreaming about a life together before we went to Chile to travel,” remembers Natalie. They were calm and carefree. “We had pinned all our hopes and happiness on that visa. I still remember reading, ‘We have declined your application’, crushing it all.”
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in September 2018, where they lived for several months and had a civil union. But, the trauma of immigration declining the student visa haunted them. “We didn't want to apply again for fear of experiencing that same crushing feeling; like a paralysis, and it made us anxious,” remembers Natalie. “It was stressful in Chile. Even though we were together, we still couldn't fully relax because we were concerned about what would happen after my tourist visa expired. Where could we stay together?” They were tired and frustrated.
Natalie returned to New Zealand for a new job in November 2019. The following January, the pair applied for a New Zealand partner work visa for Felipe to come and join her. “That feeling of dread and anxiety was the same in 2020 while waiting for the partner work visa to be processed,” says Natalie. “It was the uncertainty of the New Zealand government giving no timelines [...] It was not-knowing the endpoint, when, if ever.”
They began to see each other seriously, and Felipe decided to stay in Wellington. But, his visa was about to expire. The pair found a visa they mistakenly thought would extend Felipe’s tourist visa. When it arrived, they were shocked to realise they had made a mistake: it was only valid for one day. That same day, Felipe's tourist visa expired, and he rushed to leave the country for Thailand. Natalie submitted a student visa on his behalf, but two months later, immigration declined it. “For two months, we were so happy while waiting for the student visa to be approved, planning and dreaming about a life together before we went to Chile to travel,” remembers Natalie. They were calm and carefree. “We had pinned all our hopes and happiness on that visa. I still remember reading, ‘We have declined your application’, crushing it all.”
The couple reunited in Chile
Natalie returned to New Zealand for a new job in November 2019. The following January, the pair applied for a New Zealand partner work visa for Felipe to come and join her. “That feeling of dread and anxiety was the same in 2020 while waiting for the partner work visa to be processed,” says Natalie. “It was the uncertainty of the New Zealand government giving no timelines [...] It was not-knowing the endpoint, when, if ever.”
For Natalie and Felipe, it was not love at first sight. In March 2018, they matched on a dating app while Felipe was in Wellington, New Zealand. But, they had no plans to meet until they bumped into each other at a party. Felipe saw Natalie standing at the bar and recognised her. He asked if she had tried a Chilean pisco and let her taste his drink. The next day, Felipe messaged Natalie that she was beautiful. They planned to meet for a drink. “It was weird because I didn’t like him on that first date, and he didn’t like me,” remembers Natalie, “I was making escape plans in my head”. Despite this, they chatted until morning, and, soon after, “something happened”.
They began to see each other seriously, and Felipe decided to stay in Wellington. But, his visa was about to expire. The pair found a visa they mistakenly thought would extend Felipe’s tourist visa. When it arrived, they were shocked to realise they had made a mistake: it was only valid for one day. That same day, Felipe's tourist visa expired, and he rushed to leave the country for Thailand. Natalie submitted a student visa on his behalf, but two months later, immigration declined it. “For two months, we were so happy while waiting for the student visa to be approved, planning and dreaming about a life together before we went to Chile to travel,” remembers Natalie. They were calm and carefree. “We had pinned all our hopes and happiness on that visa. I still remember reading, ‘We have declined your application’, crushing it all.”
![]()
in September 2018, where they lived for several months and had a civil union. But, the trauma of immigration declining the student visa haunted them. “We didn't want to apply again for fear of experiencing that same crushing feeling; like a paralysis, and it made us anxious,” remembers Natalie. “It was stressful in Chile. Even though we were together, we still couldn't fully relax because we were concerned about what would happen after my tourist visa expired. Where could we stay together?” They were tired and frustrated.
Natalie returned to New Zealand for a new job in November 2019. The following January, the pair applied for a New Zealand partner work visa for Felipe to come and join her. “That feeling of dread and anxiety was the same in 2020 while waiting for the partner work visa to be processed,” says Natalie. “It was the uncertainty of the New Zealand government giving no timelines [...] It was not-knowing the endpoint, when, if ever.”
They began to see each other seriously, and Felipe decided to stay in Wellington. But, his visa was about to expire. The pair found a visa they mistakenly thought would extend Felipe’s tourist visa. When it arrived, they were shocked to realise they had made a mistake: it was only valid for one day. That same day, Felipe's tourist visa expired, and he rushed to leave the country for Thailand. Natalie submitted a student visa on his behalf, but two months later, immigration declined it. “For two months, we were so happy while waiting for the student visa to be approved, planning and dreaming about a life together before we went to Chile to travel,” remembers Natalie. They were calm and carefree. “We had pinned all our hopes and happiness on that visa. I still remember reading, ‘We have declined your application’, crushing it all.”
The couple reunited in Chile
Natalie returned to New Zealand for a new job in November 2019. The following January, the pair applied for a New Zealand partner work visa for Felipe to come and join her. “That feeling of dread and anxiety was the same in 2020 while waiting for the partner work visa to be processed,” says Natalie. “It was the uncertainty of the New Zealand government giving no timelines [...] It was not-knowing the endpoint, when, if ever.”
