A woman who faces abuse in Fiji because she married another woman has won a battle against deportation and can now remain in New Zealand.

The woman said she and her New Zealand-resident partner were deeply in love, but gay relationships were not acceptable in Indian culture.

Immigration New Zealand said it wasn’t satisfied they were in a stable relationship as they had married a fortnight after discovering the woman had been turned down for a work visa.

But the couple appealed her deportation, claiming they had been living together since 2010.

Radio New Zealand reports the 30-year-old woman said she feared being physically abused if family and friends found out about the relationship.

The Immigration and Protection Tribunal said if the woman was deported the couple would likely be separated as they could not readily live together for any period in Fiji.

The tribunal said the appellant has not declared her relationship to her family in Fiji.

She described them as ‘typical villagers and very religious.’

The woman claimed if she was in Fiji and the family knew of the true situation, she expects that they would treat her badly.