Mick Davidson

I've just got my visa and will be arriving in Melbourne in two weeks, so this info is very helpful. I am also grateful for everyone's input here. The point about not waiting for a year, and then getting loaded for it, is not something you'd ever guess would happen is it? Does anyone have any recommendations for a health insurance company? Cheers, see you in two weeks!

Leanne, Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! And thanks for your answer. This is something we considered, but not being experts, and not finding that info amongst the wealth of info on the Immi site, we were only guessing that that might actually be the problem. If I have to lodge and pay first, I presume that means I still have to get certified copies of her documentation to send in with my visa application? I.e., before she lodges hers? Thanks for the info, we're just about to talk on the phone, so at least I have some news to give her. Cheers, Mick. Cheers.

Hello, I'd be really grateful if someone could help us with a problem we're having with the online application forms. My fiancee and I are filling in our forms (47SP and 40SP) and have hit a wall. I had filled in my form up to page 18/19 without too much trouble, but when my fiancee started filling in hers, she got to page four and couldn't get any further. When she tried to save page, she got a message at the top saying: "The related application details provided cannot be verified, check the details and amend if necessary. The applicant will not be able to continue and should review the eligibility information on our website." We've gone through all the details that we've entered and cannot see any discrepancies between my form and hers, and the TRN that I gave her is correct. Also, I've been able to carry on adding data to my form since she's had this message, which the message suggests I shouldn't be able to do. I've looked up the meaning of 'applicant' and 'sponsor' so I know the message is talking about me and my details, and not her and hers. Question 1: Is the visa system sophisticated enough for her form to be reading my form as she fills hers in, and is therefore checking what we've both entered to make sure it ties up? Question 2: Can anyone clarify what this message means? Something that may be muddying the waters here is that she is in the process of getting divorced. That happens officially on the 14th Dec. She will get her documentation for that on the 14th Jan 2017. So technically she is still married and is not quite divorced. So is that the cause of the problem? If anyone can help us with this, we' be very grateful. Cheers, Mick.

Hello everybody, We're slowly working on our plans to get me out to Oz on a fiance/marriage visa, but what if... What if I was employed by a UK-based company, but actually living in Oz? What sort of visa would I need if I did this and didn't get the fiance visa. Would it be any easier to get or am I better off getting married as planned? Another question I have is, what happens when you arrive at the airport in Oz with your brand new hot-in-the-hand visa? If I was coming as a tourist, I know what happens. But do you get special treatment, are you ushered into a special room where a local dignitary bids you welcome? Or do you just queue up with all the tourists as normal? Obviously I'm anticipating a lot here. Thanks in advance for your responses, Mick.

Thanks to you all for your advice and thoughts etc. We've read the de facto info and we've never lived together apart from when I'm in Oz or she's over here. Then it's only for 2-3 weeks maximum. So that isn't go to fly. We've spoken to one agent about this and he was quite positive about the de facto visa, but less so once I pointed out that we have never lived together. Marriage is fine, I'm going to be very happy being married to Miss Fabulous. As for DIAC, sounds like we ought to get a move on then!

Rupert, I don't wish to sound over-dramatic, but nothing's going to stop me marrying the woman of my dreams.

k8bug79, And thanks to you for your response and info too. We do have some complications, but I'm not expecting these to be major hurdles, just some explaining. I've already been to Oz twice in the last 20 months, so am assuming that if they didn't like me, they would have said so by now.

Rupert, Thanks for the quick, and very positive, reply. I suppose, having gone through a few 100 pages worth of visa documentation (and having watched Border Security...) that I'm not expecting it to be easy. Also, getting a de facto visa is pretty tough, there's a lot of criteria you have to fulfill and prove. So that adds to my feeling that it won't be easy. I'd very happy to think that the process (bar the form filling, and gathering all the other paperwork) would be quite simple, but it's hard to imagine that it could be. You know what bureaucracy's like. Cheers.

Hello everyone, I'm British and live in the UK. My girlfriend is Australian born and bred and lives in Melbourne. We want to start a life together in Oz, initially living together, but the criteria for the de facto visa seems to exclude us. So we're looking at a fiancee/marriage visa. We've been going through the visa info together (online of course!) and although lengthy and involved, we think we can handle it ourselves. I know down the line we'll have to provide paperwork of various sorts and have an interview. I'm 55 and she's in her late 40s. I'm a technical author working in IT/software. Does anyone have any general advice about taking the DIY approach or what might happen in an interview. We're keen to be as prepared as possible, so want to avoid falling down holes we could have avoided had we been better informed. You know what it's like, everything's easier once you've made the mistakes! It's going to cost an arm and a leg to do this and take a lot of time, so we want to avoid wasting either. Thanks in advance!