Nemesis

You CAN enter as a tourist and then apply onshore for a Partner Visa. What's not allowed is entering on a tourist visa INTENDING to apply for a Partner Visa. When you enter as a tourist your intention should be to leave again - the way tourists do when their holidays end. If you decide, once you are in Oz, that you want to apply for a Partner Visa, thats different, because you didn't enter with the intent to apply.

Not in this case.....the OP is already in Australia and has said his wife (from the US) can't travel for health reasons.

Can I ask if they just said 'we want more evidence' or did they ask for specific things? Fingers firmly crossed for you.

They can set up things like a joint bank account straight away, even with her on a tourist visa, then that shows the start of it. Stat decs can include talk about hopes for the future of her getting a job, finances combining to buy a house, stuff like that. You can make wills in each others favour, she can show money moved from her home country intoan Australian account, all stuff like that helps. She would only get a two year provisional visa at first,and by the time PR is due in two years they will be expected to show more commitment, joint finances and ties between them.

Yes it's fine

Just to add - State public servants have compulsory superannuation schemes - not worked for the Feds but I imagine they would too. Some roles get 5 weeks leave - especially if shift working - plus sick leave which the Australian's seem to think is just extra holiday.

Not all utility companies will do it. I tried to get electric and gas put in joint names and the company won't do it, say its not their policy. How about wills, outlining who the property goes to in the event of death, that kind of thing? If the property s only in one name is there nothing to say what would happen to it? Legal documents like that show commitment, same as things like pensions and life insurance made out in favour of the partner.

Still much easier than getting an Aussie spouse a vsa for the UK these days.

You are supposed to keep your CO informed of your whereabouts and contact details throughout processing, and if you get the temporary spouse visa before the PR you need to do the same during that time too. You want the visa,they need to know where/how to contact you My CO told me that the first time round, alway keep her aware of my movements, and the same has come from the CO with my new partner's application.

So they have left it pretty much up to you what info you provide to prove the 'relationship is ongoing'? Reason for asking is that my husband and I have a relationship that involves a lot of time apart, for his job mainly,which takes him wrldwide for weeks at a time - similar to FIFO but further afield. We are really going to strggle with photos as we so rarely get together with friends, yet we have a mountain of financial and domestic links documented! Plenty of info, it just may not be what they ask for, so if there is plenty of discretion I might stop panickng so much!! Basic ID stuff and stat decs are no problem its the rest.....!

How things have changed. I remember the days when you could walk into Australia House with a pile of paperwork and about £300 and walk out half an hour later with a visa.

Once she has PR though DIBP don't care and don't want to know if she divorces. If the new partner applies for a visa they have to produce proof of the new relationship - with a divorce cert if she marries the new partner, but otherwise there is no need to tell DIBP about either relationship. Been there, worn that hat.

How did you manage to put an EOI on Skill Select? Have you got a valid Skills Assessment?

I reckon so, if the current timeline holds out.

Many tha ks for that Hopefully it won't increase, in which case we should be on for 6-8 months from the beginning of June.

Excellent! Did they give you any idea of the current processing time for a 100?

For which visa and applying through where - onshore/offshore? First stage or second stage?

They should contact you about 2 months before 2 year anniversary of the date you originally applied. If they haven't get in touch with DIBP - they might be using an old address or something?

Shockingly big jump, and with so little notice too

Just to add you should also apply for the Spouse Visa itself before the 9 months is up if you are in Australia, otherwise you may find yourself with no current visa.

Not saying that you are wrong, I'm just basing my answer on the info a well-known agent gave me last week. Ony a couple of photos, preferably with friends, the stat decs from us and friends. Aus police check, and if we are apart for any good length of time some proof of keeping in touch,like facebook screenshots. We can't get joint utility bills as the company doesn't do them, but I was told not to worry. No need for any work details or proof of income - compared to the heap we had for the first stage its like a molehill compared to a mountain!! I did mention reading on here about someone being asked for a mountain of photos, and was told not to worry - which is good as neither my partner nor I like having pics taken. I guess like the first stage there is a certain amount of difference between what one case officer wants compared to another?

No, you shouldn't have to submit everything again. In your shoes I would ring Immigration again, with the original case number and visa number handy, explain the mix up with addrsses and if they still say submit everything again ask for a supervisor. They should look at your original file, then tell you what they want-which could be as little as a couple of stat decs and a police check. You definitely don't have to do all the forms etc again, you are only proving that you are in the same relationship, and its ongoing.

Definitely Forewarned is forearmed

Does anyone going for the second stage of the spouse visa have experience of how DIBP are viewing social media links these days? Are they actively checking them out? Looking at facebook and twitter profiles etc?Or even (help!) searching forums like this!? Also, our utility compnay says it is 'not their policy' to put bills in both names.......arghh!

Over 12 years following spouse visas for Aus and never seen a photo request like that before, got me worrying a bit now as like others on here my partner and I don't go in for photos a lot, I actually hate having my photo taken at all. Have to get working on it and pretend I'm enjoying it I guess. They certainly seem to ask for a lot more now, a few years back it was just a request for a couple of Form 888s ad an Aussie police check.