raecaw

I see, thank you for your insight! It's good to know that moving to the UK for a while is a possible option at least. Perhaps we'll look into a skilled worker visa instead and treat a partner visa as a last resort - We're well under 33 and he has a good education, so we've got a better chance at getting a skilled worker visa.

Doesn't the Prospective marriage visa also have proof of relationship requirements? You have to apply for the partner visa immediately afterwards anyway, right?

Yo! I'm an Australian Citizen and I'm in an LDR with my partner in the UK. We met online and have visited each other a couple of times (for 2-3 month stretches). We have decided live here in WA, and eventually get married. We've been together about 2.5 years now and due to the cost we'd probably be looking at moving him here in a couple of years at least. It's likely we'll have been together around 4-5 years before we can apply. Researching this Partner Visa (309) I realize that the government may not recognize online relationships as genuine. However, it feels like a catch 22 because the best way to prove a genuine relationship is to live together for 12 months. I don't have the funds to support us both so if he moved here for 12 months he'd have to work; we're limited on visa options. I would have no problem registering our relationship as De Facto with the govt, but WA is one of the two states that doesn't allow that. Does anyone have tips to start building up proof of this relationship while remaining in our respective countries? We have time on our side due to the cost, so if there are long paper trails to be made, I better get started! Alternatively, I have dual citizenship in the UK as well, so I could live with him in the UK for a year, but I'd rather avoid uprooting my career, car, etc if I can avoid it. Additionally, he would have to move house for that option to be viable. If getting married at a registry office in either country would give us an advantage, that's fine, but I wouldn't do that so soon if I can help it (We'd like to save up for a nice wedding event later on if we can help it lol) Anyone been in this scenario? Got any tips?