Fijam

Sorry, just to clarify, did you receive an instant automated email with the details of the bridging visa? I just don't want to misunderstand you! Cheers

Hi all, does anyone know how one would be advised/notified of a bridging visa being granted? I am curious as my partner (on a WHV) will be applying for a de-facto partner visa in a few months...we are unclear as how to how the bridging visa comes into effect. Is it automatic when an application is submitted for a partner visa? How will we know? Bit nervous as we will be out of the country and in the UK a month before his WHV expires. We will have a few days back in Australia on the WHV before it expires. Thanks!!

Thanks for your reply, snifter. I noticed a typo in my thread - I meant to say we have a wedding in UK on the 23rd JULY* (not August!!) I think we will send everything off for our application a day or two before we leave for the UK, then aim to be back in Adelaide for a total of one week before his WHV expires. I just didn't know if this is risky - does notification of a bridging visa come through in an email? Or is it automatic once an application is sent off and we would therefore see that online? Sorry to ask what may be some silly questions...

Hi all! My partner's WHV expires on 8th August 2016 and our plan is to apply for a partner de-facto visa thereafter. I am wondering about the timescales for this? I understand at the time of applying for a visa your application should be decision-ready, but how late can the application be submitted before the current visa expires? The reason I am querying this is because we have a wedding in the UK on the 23rd August and my partner's fathers 60th in the same week. We plan on spending approx. 3 weeks in the UK, but this could potentially leave us with only one week between arriving back in Oz and the WHV visa expiring which I imagine is not enough time for our application to be received and a bridging visa then granted (if that's the process?). The other option is to apply for the de-facto visa earlier, in June/early July. However, we will then be away at the time of immigration receving the visa and therefore will not be available for an interview and won't be contactable in relation to the application. I am hoping that if we just inform them of our travel plans it will be okay! Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks vickyplum, that makes me feel a whole lot better! We have attended numerous holidays together over the past 18 months, have shared two tenancies (one of those was for only 6 weeks in the UK before i returned to Oz), car insurance and purchased a new very expensive bed which i believe is a good investment for the future I gave my partner my car and bought myself a new one. I hope we are okay! It is all a bit stressful!

Thanks so much for your reply and for your suggestions! that's a great idea and definitely something we could look into I know it is pretty irresponsible of me to not check my statements, they are emailed through and i hadn't had a reason to look at them any earlier! I wish I did!

Hi all, My partner is currently 6 months in to his WHV. Our plan is to apply for the de-factor partner visa when we are closer to the current visa expiring in August ‘15. When my partner arrived in Australia on his WHV, we headed straight to the bank a few days in to set up an account to be joined to my existing account. We both signed paperwork in relation to this. Recently, we have noticed our statements are sent to us separately and do not appear to reflect the accounts as being in both names. I went into the bank to ask about having this rectified today and it was explained that our accounts are joined and we merely have “access” to each other’s accounts, as opposed to joint ownership (which immigration requires as evidence). I am obviously very annoyed and disheartened by this as our intention all along was for the accounts to be joined. We both use each other’s accounts on a daily basis so they function as a joint account, but this is not reflected on paper. Similarly, I have noticed our electricity bills do not reflect my partner’s name and this account was also set up in both names in June ‘15. This has been rectified and the company have re-issued the bills as they have seen on their system that my partner is also the account holder. I am concerned, however, as the re-issued bills have a giant ‘copy’ stamp on them so anyone who is clever enough might think we have made a last minute change to the account name to support out partner visa application. So I have now lost most faith in anyone doing their jobs right at our risk! L We have other forms of evidence proving our de-facto relationship which we will be using however I know joint finances/accounts is good one and I am worried as we now only have 6 months of actual “joint” bank accounts. :arghh: Any advice/support would be much appreciated! :yes: