HannahandShaun Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Hello everyone! We are new to this forum and are in the process of getting our Defacto Partner visa done. Currently we have a case officer looking at our application and we are struggling for documentation for proof of our relationship. We currently have things like: -Pictures (facebook mostly but others taken on our normal cameras) -Bank statements (separate accounts but at the same address) with a transfer to her account in the time frame they want for a large amount of money for visa application -Flights receipts together to QLD -Invitations together to a wedding in Parkes, NSW which we attended together (along with pictures, texts inviting both of us, fb statuses of the event matching a hotel room booking in Parkes) -Various letters from her family back in the UK addressed to her here -Christmas cards with both our names -Stat declarations from friends and family confirming our relationship and time known to be in one -Receipts of electronic devices for birthdays -various other small things on fb/texts/photos Our current case officer says that we NEED documents with joint accounts/names/assets but as my partner cannot work being on a Bridging C class visa she is not able to put money toward anything and I am the main support financially for the two of us until she can work. The small things that she had brought with her originally she has sold to get me things for birthdays/xmas stuff where and when she can but nothing of this can be reflected in bank statements as she would sell them privately for cash. We have a Australian police check done, the UK police check is almost done, and the medical check (second time now seeing as they took 20 months to even get a case officer to look at our case so another $300 because they took so long) she is having trouble obtaining as you need a current passport and hers had expired but never renewed it because she couldn't leave the country anyway. Is there anything we can do otherwise? I don't understand how we can have a genuine reason for her to stay here and shes jumping through all the hoops, paid all the application fee, led to wait here for 20 months whilst being stuck in limbo yet we still aren't good enough! Surely a piece of paper with both our names isn't a true representation of a "genuine relationship" I could go open a bank account with my best friend, that doesn't mean jack that were in a relationship... Anyway, this is very frustrating:ssign10:, being from the UK I would have thought that it would have been easier to move here as it is really our "motherland" as Australians from the beginning really... Thanks for the replies in advance. Shaun and Hannah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Your evidence looks a bit lame to me, photos, party invites, presents and what not is really not sufficient and suggests dating not a defacto couple. A one of payment for a visa application is not great either, in fact if anything it looks like a business transaction! Do you not have ongoing regular shared finances that you can provide evidence of? Any shared vehicle insurance? A bit more joint address evidence? Anyway, this is very frustrating:ssign10:, being from the UK I would have thought that it would have been easier to move here as it is really our "motherland" as Australians from the beginning really... Wow. Just wow. Your self entitlement is breathtaking. Australia is an independent country, the UK is not the motherland and you would do well to remember that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Hello everyone! We are new to this forum and are in the process of getting our Defacto Partner visa done. Currently we have a case officer looking at our application and we are struggling for documentation for proof of our relationship. We currently have things like: -Pictures (facebook mostly but others taken on our normal cameras) -Bank statements (separate accounts but at the same address) with a transfer to her account in the time frame they want for a large amount of money for visa application -Flights receipts together to QLD -Invitations together to a wedding in Parkes, NSW which we attended together (along with pictures, texts inviting both of us, fb statuses of the event matching a hotel room booking in Parkes) -Various letters from her family back in the UK addressed to her here -Christmas cards with both our names -Stat declarations from friends and family confirming our relationship and time known to be in one -Receipts of electronic devices for birthdays -various other small things on fb/texts/photos Our current case officer says that we NEED documents with joint accounts/names/assets but as my partner cannot work being on a Bridging C class visa she is not able to put money toward anything and I am the main support financially for the two of us until she can work. The small things that she had brought with her originally she has sold to get me things for birthdays/xmas stuff where and when she can but nothing of this can be reflected in bank statements as she would sell them privately for cash. We have a Australian police check done, the UK police check is almost done, and the medical check (second time now seeing as they took 20 months to even get a case officer to look at our case so another $300 because they took so long) she is having trouble obtaining as you need a current passport and hers had expired but never renewed it because she couldn't leave the country anyway. Is there anything we can do otherwise? I don't understand how we can have a genuine reason for her to stay here and shes jumping through all the hoops, paid all the application fee, led to wait here for 20 months whilst being stuck in limbo yet we still aren't good enough! Surely a piece of paper with both our names isn't a true representation of a "genuine relationship" I could go open a bank account with my best friend, that doesn't mean jack that were in a relationship... Anyway, this is very frustrating:ssign10:, being from the UK I would have thought that it would have been easier to move here as it is really our "motherland" as Australians from the beginning really... Thanks for the replies in advance. Shaun and Hannah The 'Motherland'? How funny, I thought Indigenous Australians were the traditional landowners. Your partner may not be able to work, but it is extremely simple to open a joint bank account and to add her name to bills, so that they become joint bills. You have had plenty of time to do this and it is extremely clear in the paperwork for the visa what is needed. Be proactive and do it now as a few facebook photographs will not cut it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 As others have said, your evidence is a bit woolly: -Pictures (facebook mostly but others taken on our normal cameras) -- Proves that two people had some pictures taken together, not when -Bank statements (separate accounts but at the same address) with a transfer to her account in the time frame they want for a large amount of money for visa application -- proves her bank thinks she lives with you -Flights receipts together to QLD -- Got on a plane together -Invitations together to a wedding in Parkes, NSW which we attended together (along with pictures, texts inviting both of us, fb statuses of the event matching a hotel room booking in Parkes) -- two people had some pictures and some texts, doesn't prove an ongoing defacto relationship -Various letters from her family back in the UK addressed to her here -- proves she has received some letters at your address, not that she lives there -Christmas cards with both our names -- you could have written all the cards yourself, do you have postmarked envelopes that show dates? -Stat declarations from friends and family confirming our relationship and time known to be in one -- this is good -Receipts of electronic devices for birthdays --proves you've bought some stuff, not a relationship -various other small things on fb/texts/photos -- pointless as evidence, as is so easy to fake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 The 'Motherland'? How funny, I thought Indigenous Australians were the traditional landowners. Your partner may not be able to work, but it is extremely simple to open a joint bank account and to add her name to bills, so that they become joint bills. You have had plenty of time to do this and it is extremely clear in the paperwork for the visa what is needed. Be proactive and do it now as a few facebook photographs will not cut it.. Yep, having a joint bank account shows commitment even if only one of you has wages going into it. What about wills? They are excellent as they are legal documents? Next of kin/super beneficiary documents from the one who is working? Are you living together? If so, proof of rental contract, stat dec from the landlord? Why on earth has taken 20 months to get to this point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxboz Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Hi there don't know what state you are in but can you register your relationship? 20 months is a long time - you must have something else - where have you been staying? Or is that covered in the stat decs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Other than the visa application fee, do you have proof that you can provide to show that you are 'keeping' her due to her not being able to work - regular transfers into her account etc. Regarding the medicals and having to re-do them, if you front loaded then unfortunately that is one of the risks (along with front loading police checks), and why it's best to wait until they're requested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMay24 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Unfortunately they typically put most weight on evidence that was in place at the time you applied, so putting things together now may not help. But some suggestions: - beneficiary on each other's superannuation, life insurance, wills, etc. - evidence of any joint purchases together or other ways you've shared finances. Can be separate bank accounts but showing he paid the rent and she paid the phone bill, etc. - joint account/credit cards. Even if only one of you is putting money in, the fact that you both have access to the funds is what counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby122 Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Me and my partner have never had a joint account, and he didn't work for a long time while we were living together (so there were no transfers to my account) Not in each other's wills etc. But surely if you have been living together for a couple of years... You can provide something? We had both our names on the car insurance, gas, electric, water bills etc. Our landlord wrote a statement to say we both lived there. Our situation was explained in both our statements (forgot what the forms called) We had proof of holidays together, our dog ownership papers, each other's 3 month personal bank statements highlighting certain stuff etc etc. So how long have you lived together? And why 20 month wait for a CO? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pommekate Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I can see why immigration would want more evidence from you, and it will be frustrating for you as you know that you are in a genuine relationship. However, everything you have provided i could have provided this information with a male aussie friend of mine. It made me think, when I moved to Australia I made some great friends and for a couple of years we all lived together. Now one of my male friends (we have never been in a relationship with each other) we lived in a shared house (4 of us in total) we all had our own bank accounts but same address. Lots of photographs of him and I together, even pictures of me at his house for Christmas with his parents, they took me under their wing because they knew my family were in the UK and I was on my own. He and I got a joint invitation to another friends kids christening. We even all went to melbourne together for a weekend, now I was at work when the other 3 housemates decided we should all go so they rang me at work to confirm I wanted to go, so my male friend said he would pay for my flight and accommodation on credit card but on my way home from work I got the cash out to pay him back. So I could have provided information that appeared we were in a relationship. But far from it, what he and I can't provide as the relationship doesn't exist is joint assets, beneficiaries of wills or super, joint bank accounts, joint insurances. So I can see how with the information you have provided is not adequate. on another note, I find your last comment very embarrassing, I am so relieved that Australians are aware that not all Brits think the way you do that we have an automatic right to be here. When I got my Australian citizenship, an aboriginal elder gave an amazing welcome speech, stating that Australia is a great country big enough to welcome us all and asking us to respect the land and the people of the land and in return the land would provide for us all. It made feel a real privilege to be here not an entitlement to be here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Since you are opposite sex, the solution is blindingly obvious: get married. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robfromdublin Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Since you are opposite sex, the solution is blindingly obvious: get married. This will make very little difference. Proving the relationship is more important, and simply getting a marriage cert doesn't help a great deal. As suggested by others, joint insurances, a joint account, and naming each other as beneficiaries is a good plan of action. Does she not have a bank account with a bank card? If you pay for everything, either you have a joint account or you send her money regularly. Proving those things would make life easier for you in the application. If not, how do you give her money to live? The key is to show that you support each other so give them something to show that you support her financially and she supports you buy helping out around the house, doing groceries, etc. while you work (I presume this is how you work things?). First port of call is name her as your binding beneficiary on your Super account. It's as easy as filling in a form and asking your Super fund to send back confirmation. Get her to do the same if she has one. And it is much easier for UK people to get residency, at least compared to high-risk countries, so be thankful for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonrbh Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Hello everyone! We are new to this forum and are in the process of getting our Defacto Partner visa done. Currently we have a case officer looking at our application and we are struggling for documentation for proof of our relationship. We currently have things like: -Pictures (facebook mostly but others taken on our normal cameras) -Bank statements (separate accounts but at the same address) with a transfer to her account in the time frame they want for a large amount of money for visa application -Flights receipts together to QLD -Invitations together to a wedding in Parkes, NSW which we attended together (along with pictures, texts inviting both of us, fb statuses of the event matching a hotel room booking in Parkes) -Various letters from her family back in the UK addressed to her here -Christmas cards with both our names -Stat declarations from friends and family confirming our relationship and time known to be in one -Receipts of electronic devices for birthdays -various other small things on fb/texts/photos Our current case officer says that we NEED documents with joint accounts/names/assets but as my partner cannot work being on a Bridging C class visa she is not able to put money toward anything and I am the main support financially for the two of us until she can work. The small things that she had brought with her originally she has sold to get me things for birthdays/xmas stuff where and when she can but nothing of this can be reflected in bank statements as she would sell them privately for cash. We have a Australian police check done, the UK police check is almost done, and the medical check (second time now seeing as they took 20 months to even get a case officer to look at our case so another $300 because they took so long) she is having trouble obtaining as you need a current passport and hers had expired but never renewed it because she couldn't leave the country anyway. Is there anything we can do otherwise? I don't understand how we can have a genuine reason for her to stay here and shes jumping through all the hoops, paid all the application fee, led to wait here for 20 months whilst being stuck in limbo yet we still aren't good enough! Surely a piece of paper with both our names isn't a true representation of a "genuine relationship" I could go open a bank account with my best friend, that doesn't mean jack that were in a relationship... Anyway, this is very frustrating:ssign10:, being from the UK I would have thought that it would have been easier to move here as it is really our "motherland" as Australians from the beginning really... Thanks for the replies in advance. Shaun and Hannah Hi Shaun & Hannah I'm the reverse of you and I'm here in Qld on a 309/100 Partner Migration Visa as my OH is an Aussie. We did ours from the UK and started it about 2 years ago and it took about 7 months to get it cleared. Bullet Points of our visa application:- We had lived together for 6 years Mortgage in both names Joint Bank Account Utility bills in both names Cars insured for both of us to drive Travel/holiday bookings in both names Hotel bookings in both names Wedding/Birthday Invitations in both names Personal declaration of support may by my OH Personal declarations of our relationship made by both of us Personal declaration made by OH's best friend that it is a genuine relationship (She is also an Aussie) Greetings cards in both names Christmas letters in both names Main beneficiaries in each others Wills and death in benefit schemes from work I hope these are of some use to you. Good luck. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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