ramot Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 My daughter has just been contacted by CO as the 2 years is almost up since lodging her 820. is the following normal? She has been asked for at least 16 photos of her and partner together with others in the photos, to prove their relationship is ongoing since her 820 was granted last year. also proof of and details of employment since. as they have moved, proof of bills in both names from previous address plus for new address. new statements new police clearance partner has to confirm something about support? probably several other things, but I can't remember them Seems almost as much information as required for the original application. Just want to confirm this is the norm. hope I have used the correct visa number, for onshore partner visa. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Yep, lots of information is required, perfectly normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiegirlbay Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Yes this seems right as other than Form888, Statutory Declaration (Applicant/Sponsor-if apply by post) etc applicant has to provide Evidence of genuine & continuing relationship. Aussie Girl Bay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engaus Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Everyone who is on the 820 and wishes to get their permanent 801 visa needs to go through this process as they are getting their PR based on the relationship still being ongoing. So perfectly normal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I haven't heard of the photo requirement before. That sounds like a CO who tends to go to wild parties where people take lots of photos and assumes that everyone else does the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I haven't heard of the photo requirement before. That sounds like a CO who tends to go to wild parties where people take lots of photos and assumes that everyone else does the same. None of my clients have ever been asked to provide photographs, although some have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 None of my clients have never been asked to provide photographs, although some have. Yes it's the photos they are struggling with, but have over 10 now, so hope that will do. Lucky we have had a few family celebrations in the last year. It's amazing how many photos only have one of you in, in the middle of a crowd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I think it is a ludicrous requirement and I would be tempted to address it in a ludicrous way - i.e. both head out to a tourist location with a friend in tow (to take photos) and approach 16 strangers to stand next to them in 16 otherwise identical photos. I have been married for 4.5 years and in the relationship for 7 years. I could not meet this photo requirement because we don't live that kind of lifestyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 I think it is a ludicrous requirement and I would be tempted to address it in a ludicrous way - i.e. both head out to a tourist location with a friend in tow (to take photos) and approach 16 strangers to stand next to them in 16 otherwise identical photos. I have been married for 4.5 years and in the relationship for 7 years. I could not meet this photo requirement because we don't live that kind of lifestyle. Has been suggested, obviously they have no problem with the other requirements, perhaps it's to see if you are popular or not!! thank you to all who replied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engaus Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 From another forum I frequent, a few agents on there that do a number of partner visas seem to think that they are "clamping down" a little more on the evidence required for 801 visas - because of increased visa fraud...have no idea if that's anything to do with this CO asking for a little more information...either way - not a big deal for the sake of getting PR in my opinion! (a lot easier than the evidence I'm having to gather at the moment for a UK spouse visa) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 From another forum I frequent, a few agents on there that do a number of partner visas seem to think that they are "clamping down" a little more on the evidence required for 801 visas - because of increased visa fraud...have no idea if that's anything to do with this CO asking for a little more information...either way - not a big deal for the sake of getting PR in my opinion! (a lot easier than the evidence I'm having to gather at the moment for a UK spouse visa) It depends. If you don't go to wild photograph parties then finding 16 photos of you with your partner and other people could be an impossible ask. My idea of a social life is coming home, sharing the cooking and putting interesting food in front of the kids. For a treat, I will go out for a meal with my partner. We go on holidays, but in the photos, one of us will be missing because we will be taking the photos. On the other hand, if anyone questioned the genuineness of my relationship I could show common travel dates on multiple holidays with corroborating passport stamps, pooled frequent flyer points, shared credit card accounts, shared mortgage, statements from schools, cubs, gym and shops that we have a genuine relationship. IMO, not having 16 photos is not grounds for determining that a marriage is sham. COs should be flexible in the evidence they use because different people have different situations. Australian citizens are entitled to choose their partners and live with them. It should not be a challenge of demonstrating to DIBP that you have a great relationship and are God's gift to romance or socialising - only that you have some form of functional relationship. If anything, the onus should be on DIBP to prove that your relationship is not genuine, especially at second stage of partner visas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Just want to point out that the 16 photo requirement is from when the 820 came through last Aug/Sept. So just over a year to have socialised like mad and remembered to take photos as proof. Thank goodness we have had a family wedding, Christmas, and celebrations for my big birthday, but still struggling for 16 different social events in just over a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engaus Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 It depends. If you don't go to wild photograph parties then finding 16 photos of you with your partner and other people could be an impossible ask. My idea of a social life is coming home, sharing the cooking and putting interesting food in front of the kids. For a treat, I will go out for a meal with my partner. We go on holidays, but in the photos, one of us will be missing because we will be taking the photos. On the other hand, if anyone questioned the genuineness of my relationship I could show common travel dates on multiple holidays with corroborating passport stamps, pooled frequent flyer points, shared credit card accounts, shared mortgage, statements from schools, cubs, gym and shops that we have a genuine relationship. IMO, not having 16 photos is not grounds for determining that a marriage is sham. COs should be flexible in the evidence they use because different people have different situations. Australian citizens are entitled to choose their partners and live with them. It should not be a challenge of demonstrating to DIBP that you have a great relationship and are God's gift to romance or socialising - only that you have some form of functional relationship. If anything, the onus should be on DIBP to prove that your relationship is not genuine, especially at second stage of partner visas. I'm not saying that requesting photos is by themselves a solid way of deciding whether a relationship is genuine or not - as far as I was aware most IMMI offices give little weight to them. Thus far I haven't come across anyone denied a visa because they didn't include photos in their application? It's up to the applicant to paint a good overall picture of their relationship to the CO. My partner and I included 10 or so pictures for memory and they were all from a weddings and engagement parties we attended - not small social nights out or holidays. But I am thankful to IMMI for the type of evidence they do accept, my partner and I don't have children, we don't have a mortgage, we didn't have a shared bank account but that's not to say we aren't in a committed and genuine relationship. If they didn't accept more basic types of evidence like photos, joint flybuys accounts etc my partner and I would have struggled for evidence. And by the second stage you have had two years to gather evidence that you knew you had to provide for PR from the day you applied for the visa so it really shouldn't be difficult to come up with it IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I'm not saying that requesting photos is by themselves a solid way of deciding whether a relationship is genuine or not - as far as I was aware most IMMI offices give little weight to them. Thus far I haven't come across anyone denied a visa because they didn't include photos in their application? It's up to the applicant to paint a good overall picture of their relationship to the CO. My partner and I included 10 or so pictures for memory and they were all from a weddings and engagement parties we attended - not small social nights out or holidays. But I am thankful to IMMI for the type of evidence they do accept, my partner and I don't have children, we don't have a mortgage, we didn't have a shared bank account but that's not to say we aren't in a committed and genuine relationship. If they didn't accept more basic types of evidence like photos, joint flybuys accounts etc my partner and I would have struggled for evidence. And by the second stage you have had two years to gather evidence that you knew you had to provide for PR from the day you applied for the visa so it really shouldn't be difficult to come up with it IMO. Exactly, two years to save 16 photos is not a difficult task. It's privilege to be able to have a defacto visa, I can't think of many countries that even have such a thing. I always think 'suck it up' (sorry, that comes from my time in the US) and get on with it and provide the required evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 It's not two years to save 16 photos. It's a retrospective requirement to have had 16 photos taken. My point is that some people - probably young, gregarious people - will find this a doozy whilst others - older, more introspective people with families - may find this ridiculously difficult. People are different and the requirements need to recognise this. Plus, I resent 100% the suggestion that I or anyone else should enter a relationship with a view to collecting evidence. The evidence should flow naturally from the relationship or else it is an imposition. It is OK to put impositions on migrants, but never on Australian citizens who should be free to marry whomever they please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Exactly, two years to save 16 photos is not a difficult task. It's privilege to be able to have a defacto visa, I can't think of many countries that even have such a thing. I always think 'suck it up' (sorry, that comes from my time in the US) and get on with it and provide the required evidence. Please reread my post, the request is from when the 820 was given, just a little over 1 year ago, not from when it was lodged, 2 years ago. was not whinging about anything, merely asking for confirmation that what was requested was the norm. No more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engaus Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 It's not two years to save 16 photos. It's a retrospective requirement to have had 16 photos taken. My point is that some people - probably young, gregarious people - will find this a doozy whilst others - older, more introspective people with families - may find this ridiculously difficult. People are different and the requirements need to recognise this. Plus, I resent 100% the suggestion that I or anyone else should enter a relationship with a view to collecting evidence. The evidence should flow naturally from the relationship or else it is an imposition. It is OK to put impositions on migrants, but never on Australian citizens who should be free to marry whomever they please. I was 24 when we applied - I don't go around taking a ridiculous amount of photos. But we are young, I didn't have a mortgage or children....in my opinion someone with a family should have ABSOLUTELY no problems applying for a partner visa. If you don't have photos I don't see this as being an issue so long as you can provide an overall good picture of your relationship being genuine. IMMI in my opinion is great at accepting evidence that caters for ALL types of relationships - again coming from a young couple that have no assets together or any large commitments together apart from a lease and we managed to get a visa no problems at all (even with only 10 photos over a space of our 2 year relationship). On the other hand the UK border agency don't accept half the type of evidence IMMI do and my partner and I, despite being together for 3 years and living together for 2, will struggle to get a partner visa unless we get married. Being Australian I would love to just be entitled to bring my partner in easily - but at the end of the day that's not going to happen so I accept that they need this type of evidence and will always feel grateful and lucky that they are as laid back as they are because my partner feels pretty shut out by the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMay24 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I've been following immigration forums for almost two years, and as far back as then it was a requirement for the second stage to provide almost as much evidence as the first stage. I can understand how the original application can be a struggle if you weren't consciously thinking about having evidence of your relationship, but I'd think it logical to stow away paperwork, photos, etc. and even creating additional types of evidence to support the second stage. I don't see it as any kind of imposition on anyone, or at least no more than other types of applications (e.g. my ex-husband's tax returns for almost 20 years) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Please reread my post, the request is from when the 820 was given, just a little over 1 year ago, not from when it was lodged, 2 years ago.was not whinging about anything, merely asking for confirmation that what was requested was the norm. No more than that. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted November 22, 2014 Author Share Posted November 22, 2014 I've been following immigration forums for almost two years, and as far back as then it was a requirement for the second stage to provide almost as much evidence as the first stage. I can understand how the original application can be a struggle if you weren't consciously thinking about having evidence of your relationship, but I'd think it logical to stow away paperwork, photos, etc. and even creating additional types of evidence to support the second stage. I don't see it as any kind of imposition on anyone, or at least no more than other types of applications (e.g. my ex-husband's tax returns for almost 20 years) never said it was an imposition, have been a member since 2009 and followed plenty of posts about 2nd stage partner visas, as one does if a member of your family is applying for one. was merely confirming the requirements, but yes questioning the seemingly unusual request for 16 photos. Even Westley MA agent posted that none of his applicants had been asked for so many photos. So if nothing else any one at the same stage who read my post will be taking plenty of photos from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 never said it was an imposition, have been a member since 2009 and followed plenty of posts about 2nd stage partner visas, as one does if a member of your family is applying for one.was merely confirming the requirements, but yes questioning the seemingly unusual request for 16 photos. Even Westley MA agent posted that none of his applicants had been asked for so many photos. So if nothing else any one at the same stage who read my post will be taking plenty of photos from now. Definitely Forewarned is forearmed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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