Nick Brighton Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Wow, I thought it was $3k max?! Went ahead and put a ton of work into our application. I didn't expect it to be free, but man, almost $7k to apply for the partner visa? Looks like we're screwed, after all this work we've put into the application. I feel sick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I just checked the visa fee calculator and it said "from 4630 AUD. Is that where you got your figure from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Thats the fee for applying onshore, its on the website [h=4]Applicant in Australia[/h]All charges shown below are in Australian Dollars. [TABLE=class: table-100 small, width: 622] [TR] [TH]Visa subclass[/TH] [TH]Note[/TH] [TH]Base application charge[/TH] [TH]Non-internet application charge[/TH] [TH]Additional applicant charge 18 and over[/TH] [TH]Additional applicant charge under 18[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Partner (Subclass 820/801)[/TD] [TD]17b[/TD] [TD]$6865[/TD] [TD]N/A[/TD] [TD]$3435[/TD] [TD]$1720[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telegraph Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Unfortunately they have changed the rules - Crazy prices now http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/department-of-immigration-cashes-in-on-love-20150630-gi0sl2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Thats the fee for applying onshore, its on the website [TABLE=class: table-100 small, width: 622] [TR] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] The fees for applying offshore go up tomorrow, July 1st, to the same as the onshore fee. http://www.immi.gov.au/pub-res/Documents/budget/VAC-increases-fact-sheet.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Wow, I thought it was $3k max?! Went ahead and put a ton of work into our application. I didn't expect it to be free, but man, almost $7k to apply for the partner visa? Looks like we're screwed, after all this work we've put into the application. I feel sick It has gone up a lot in the last year or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiegirl Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 We just put ours in and cost $4635 so was about £2350ish... But it goes up to the $6k ish mark tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I suspect this is a reaction to the numbers of unskilled applicants for partner visas - especially de facto visas - who are not in really marriage like relationships and are just trying to get a visa by the back door. I could be wrong on this, but if it is so, it is spoiling things for people in genuine partner relationships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I suspect this is a reaction to the numbers of unskilled applicants for partner visas - especially de facto visas - who are not in really marriage like relationships and are just trying to get a visa by the back door. I could be wrong on this, but if it is so, it is spoiling things for people in genuine partner relationships. Isn't that rather a large assumption? Are there any figures on how many Partner applicants would not qualify for skills visas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Was under 3k when applied Dec 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Isn't that rather a large assumption? Are there any figures on how many Partner applicants would not qualify for skills visas? Wonder if it would now be cheaper for them to do just that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Isn't that rather a large assumption? Are there any figures on how many Partner applicants would not qualify for skills visas? Don't know why anyone would collect such statistics. But Quinkla's suggestion is not so unbelievable, you see all kinds of people enquiring about it who are clearly dating and not in a marriage like relationship, living with mum because it is cheaper and so on (married people do not do that!). If I qualified for partner and skilled visas, then at the moment I would definitely go skilled on account of cost and speed of processing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazzarazza Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Isn't that rather a large assumption? Are there any figures on how many Partner applicants would not qualify for skills visas? 6 months ago I would have agreed with you. But in that time I have come across 4 Australian guys, with no connection to one another, who have married and brought across their new wives from the Philippines - one with 3 kids. Meanwhile our daughter has now been waiting since Oct 2008 for a skilled visa, which she was qualified for at the time of her application. Call me cynical but......... the whole immigration system sux! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Wow, I thought it was $3k max?! Went ahead and put a ton of work into our application. I didn't expect it to be free, but man, almost $7k to apply for the partner visa? Looks like we're screwed, after all this work we've put into the application. I feel sick Feel for you on this one. The VAC increases are quite a lot of money and although it's not any consolation but it's the same for all applicants. I believe that the idea is to make an attempt at dissuading the non-legitimate applications such as marriage visa scams and I agree somewhat with one of the earlier posters about this. Still it doesn't help genuine people to be with their Australian partners. Just a thought, would you qualify for a skilled migration visa? It may work out cheaper for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I could qualify for skilled also but I'd feel more secure having the partner visa , in case I couldn't get a Job in my skill or had some other employment issue. Ill health etc... I didn't know about the December price increase at the time but I sure as hell made sure we applied before the July one . I think they need to made the application esp for defacto more rigorous rather than more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I could qualify for skilled also but I'd feel more secure having the partner visa , in case I couldn't get a Job in my skill or had some other employment issue. Ill health etc...I didn't know about the December price increase at the time but I sure as hell made sure we applied before the July one . I think they need to made the application esp for defacto more rigorous rather than more expensive. A skilled migrant visa is every bit as secure as a partner visa and is more secure if the provisional stage of partner visa has to be completed first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I assumed you would have to do the job they assessed your skills in but perhaps you don't? Anyhoo I'd still rather be there on a partner basis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 A skilled migrant visa is every bit as secure as a partner visa and is more secure if the provisional stage of partner visa has to be completed first. Ditto....what Bungo said. The provisional stage is where I was a few years ago and had to move back to the UK because things broke down with my ex. (Not saying that will happen to you, but I didn't expect it to happen either). Also, you know that you don't have to take a job in the occupation you select for skilled migration. You could be a trained brain surgeon and still go for a job at McDonald's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Ditto....what Bungo said. The provisional stage is where I was a few years ago and had to move back to the UK because things broke down with my ex. (Not saying that will happen to you, but I didn't expect it to happen either). Also, you know that you don't have to take a job in the occupation you select for skilled migration. You could be a trained brain surgeon and still go for a job at McDonald's. No, I didn't know that. Seems a bit silly on Australia's immigration policy to allow in skilled migrants that could then decide not to fulfill that role. I should be ok for the PR 100 class straight away as we more than satisfy the criteria but I hear where you are coming from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 No, I didn't know that. Seems a bit silly on Australia's immigration policy to allow in skilled migrants that could then decide not to fulfill that role. I should be ok for the PR 100 class straight away as we more than satisfy the criteria but I hear where you are coming from. Unfortunately the skilled occupation list doesn't necessarily reflect where there are actual shortages. Some people really struggle to find work regardless of their occupation being on the list. I'm sure the migration planners have a reason for this, most of us will never really understand it though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Brighton Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 I guess it's like it or lump it then. I see it as a bit of an unfair hike. Incremental increases is understandable, but that's just a ludicrous jump. Anyway, I guess there's no point in debating it, but thanks for confirming I'm not going mad and it really is going to cost a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Partner visas aren't as easy as some make out. I really can't see how people would "fake it" when you see what's involved in the application. They are not easy, but if you have no option to get a visa any other way then persuading your current dating partner to claim you are defacto is your only option. We get heaps of people on PIO who ask for advice on how to dress up a three month holiday romance as a defacto partnership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Brighton Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 They are not easy, but if you have no option to get a visa any other way then persuading your current dating partner to claim you are defacto is your only option. We get heaps of people on PIO who ask for advice on how to dress up a three month holiday romance as a defacto partnership. Wow, that's ridiculous. I hope you tell them where to go! I can't see how they would stand a chance in hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Really you should direct your anger at the previous Labor government. It is just another measure necessarily introduced to help pay off some of the huge debt and deficit bequeathed to us Australians by the ALP. It is forecast to bring in an extra $300 Million a year with the increase. Last year almost 50000 people took up the visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Really you should direct your anger at the previous Labor government. It is just another measure necessarily introduced to help pay off some of the huge debt and deficit bequeathed to us Australians by the ALP. It is forecast to bring in an extra $300 Million a year with the increase. Last year almost 50000 people took up the visa. Its still a lot easier and less financially onerous than trying to move an Aussie spouse to the UK. And people want to be with their partners so we will keep paying it. As the price for skills visas rise, less people will take them up, because they are already in a family unit and would be moving together. But when the Spouse price goes up, what choice is there in most cases? Pay the money or lose your lover? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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