489 visa - how do DIAC define first cousin?

[PaulSwann]

Hi All, having had bad experience of the DIAC website and guidelines I wondered if anybody can offer clarification on how DIAC define a first cousin?

 

My wife's cousin lives in wa and willing to sponsor us. They have the same grandfather but different grandmother. My interpretation and most definitions say that aunts/uncles are irrelevant and the main thing is they have one grandparent in common. However some research has shown that one grandparent would make them half cousins. My case officer from a previous visa app advised nothing seems to specify that they have to have same grandmother and grandfather but she can't be certain. If the case officers don't know how are we supposed to know?

 

Anybody got any personal or professional advice? Would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

 

Paul

[craigyboy]

Hi All, having had bad experience of the DIAC website and guidelines I wondered if anybody can offer clarification on how DIAC define a first cousin?

 

My wife's cousin lives in wa and willing to sponsor us. They have the same grandfather but different grandmother. My interpretation and most definitions say that aunts/uncles are irrelevant and the main thing is they have one grandparent in common. However some research has shown that one grandparent would make them half cousins. My case officer from a previous visa app advised nothing seems to specify that they have to have same grandmother and grandfather but she can't be certain. If the case officers don't know how are we supposed to know?

 

Anybody got any personal or professional advice? Would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

 

Paul

 

 

Hi Paul I have taken, copied and pasted below details from booklet 6, which outlines the criteria for identifying what is an eligible cousin.

 

Sonsorship by a relative

If you have a relative living in a ‘Designated Area’ who is willing to sponsor you, he or she will need to be

an Australian citizen, permanent resident or ‘eligible New Zealand citizen’ (see page 5). You or your

partner must be related to your sponsor as:

• a non-dependent child or non-dependent step-child;

• a parent or step-parent;

• a brother or sister, step-brother or step-sister;

• a niece or nephew, step-niece or step-nephew;

• an aunt or uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle;

• a first cousin; or

• a grandchild or step-grandchild.

If you are relying on sponsorship by a person related to your partner, your partner must also be included

in your application.

To ensure the processing of your application is not delayed, please include a diagram of your family

tree with your application. You will also need to include all relevant documents as evidence of your

relationship to your sponsor and their residential address.

If you are seeking an invitation for this visa on the basis of family sponsorship, when you submit your EOI

you will need to provide details of your sponsor. Your sponsor must be an eligible relative living in a

designated area.

 

Personally, I think it is irrelevant that your wife's cousin and her do not share the same paternal grandmother. You will notice above, step aunties, uncles, brothers, sisters and granchildren etc qualify as sponsoring relatives. Naturally, you wife and cousins parents' are step brother and or sisters. The issue is therefore: you cant be a a half cousin, there is no such thing, and a second cousin though not eligible would constitute the children of your sponsoring cousin. I hope this helps.

[wrussell]

At least one grandparent in common and different perents.

[PaulSwann]

Thanks Craig and Westly appreciate your help, confirms my understanding just annoying that DIAC case officer tells me it depends on the case officer I'm allocated. They say I don't meet their policy requirements for my work experience to be recognised, yet they don't seem to have a policy for what constitutes a first cousin!