Partner Visa Onshore - Not in Aus yet

[barry]

thanks for comments but you are making assumptions  which are not correct and using a stereotype of "asian bride "etc . That does not apply in our case as 

i am old ( very old to a young person like uou )  and my fture wife is old too and very easy to establish it is a genuine relationshipm to a young case officer 

hopefully . I assume some offshore partner visas submitted by applocants who are married but, because of circumsatances , can not live in same country 

ujntil after visa granted . In our case she could not live in UK because permanent visa would be needed and would come on a visitor visa . Even with a PMV ,. one question asks 

why  not living together which is a really silly question and my aussie friend's wife from Ukraine replied abruptly " because you have notyet granted the visa " ( smile ). a bit cheeky but 

it was an honest reply to a silly question. As you pointed out , MORALS come into it too but a young  visa officer would assume a fiancee must be in same bed with her or his partner ! 

I know exactly how PMV works as sadly I went through it 6 years ag0 . Being scrupulouslyt honest and being ultra careful in giving the right documents and evikdence normally works .

thanks again forcomments 

[barry]

sorry for typing errors as trading FX at same time !

[Nemesis]

9 minutes ago, barry said:

thanks for comments but you are making assumptions  which are not correct and using a stereotype of "asian bride "etc . That does not apply in our case as 

i am old ( very old to a young person like uou )  and my fture wife is old too and very easy to establish it is a genuine relationshipm to a young case officer 

hopefully . I assume some offshore partner visas submitted by applocants who are married but, because of circumsatances , can not live in same country 

ujntil after visa granted . In our case she could not live in UK because permanent visa would be needed and would come on a visitor visa . Even with a PMV ,. one question asks 

why  not living together which is a really silly question and my aussie friend's wife from Ukraine replied abruptly " because you have notyet granted the visa " ( smile ). a bit cheeky but 

it was an honest reply to a silly question. As you pointed out , MORALS come into it too but a young  visa officer would assume a fiancee must be in same bed with her or his partner ! 

I know exactly how PMV works as sadly I went through it 6 years ag0 . Being scrupulouslyt honest and being ultra careful in giving the right documents and evikdence normally works .

thanks again forcomments 

Your age is irrelevant, as is the age oif your case officer. It is just as easy to establish a fraudulent relationship at the age of 60 as it is at the age of 30. Case Officers do not work on assumptions such as 'a fiancee must be in same bed with her or his partner ! " they work on facts. 

If you are married, yes you can submit a Partner Visa application on those grounds, but you will still need evidence of a relationship that goes beyond just a marriage certificate. If you are not married, then the PMV would be the way to go - you cannot be de facto unless you are living together. 

In your shoes I would be consulting an agent, partly because they can give their undivided attention to the case and wouldn't be doing financial deals at the same time. 

Edited June 27, 2019 by Nemesis

[barry]

yes, if bringing in a lady of 25 when man is 70 ! that is a stereotype ! We would be married as I have stated and no intention of a de facto relationship. 

I will be returning to OZ later in year and my wife could apply for a visitor visa to come over for 3 month visits after she retired from her work . A lot 

of people do thatand it shows a genuine relationship. Somebody mentioned the moral aspect and therefore not necessary to sharesame housee ven as a fiancee ( religious reasons

for some people ). Obviously some complex planning needed !

[barry]

nemisis - just noticed your sarcastic comment and I bet you are an agent . Stupid comment as of course I would not be trading

when preparing the application for my  wife . statistics show that more chance of a visa refusal when using an agent and 

probably because they do NOTgive undivided attention to the task and understandably so- they have too many cases on their 

desk. It is for that reason that in last 40  years I have done own conveyancing when buying and selling a house after reading a 

book called " the conveyancing fraud" by the late Michael Joseph. Worth a read by anyone who would like to do own conveyancing. 

[Nemesis]

4 hours ago, barry said:

nemisis - just noticed your sarcastic comment and I bet you are an agent . Stupid comment as of course I would not be trading

when preparing the application for my  wife . statistics show that more chance of a visa refusal when using an agent and 

probably because they do NOTgive undivided attention to the task and understandably so- they have too many cases on their 

desk. It is for that reason that in last 40  years I have done own conveyancing when buying and selling a house after reading a 

book called " the conveyancing fraud" by the late Michael Joseph. Worth a read by anyone who would like to do own conveyancing. 

Agents posting on this (and other) forums state their MARA number, and the fact that they ARE an agent, in their signatures. Read through some threads, you will soon see very clearly who the professionals are. 

I am at a total loss to see how you feel that using an agent increases your chances of refusal!

I am just a bitter old migrant, no way would I ever purport to be an agent, nor to give advice as if I were an agent, let me make that very clear. 

[Gbye grey sky]

6 hours ago, barry said:

thanks for comments but you are making assumptions  which are not correct and using a stereotype of "asian bride "etc . That does not apply in our case as 

i am old ( very old to a young person like uou )  and my fture wife is old too and very easy to establish it is a genuine relationshipm to a young case officer 

hopefully . I assume some offshore partner visas submitted by applocants who are married but, because of circumsatances , can not live in same country 

ujntil after visa granted . In our case she could not live in UK because permanent visa would be needed and would come on a visitor visa . Even with a PMV ,. one question asks 

why  not living together which is a really silly question and my aussie friend's wife from Ukraine replied abruptly " because you have notyet granted the visa " ( smile ). a bit cheeky but 

it was an honest reply to a silly question. As you pointed out , MORALS come into it too but a young  visa officer would assume a fiancee must be in same bed with her or his partner ! 

I know exactly how PMV works as sadly I went through it 6 years ag0 . Being scrupulouslyt honest and being ultra careful in giving the right documents and evikdence normally works .

thanks again forcomments 

You are the one making assumptions.

You assume almost everyone providing help and advice is an agent when they are not.

You assume that the person you are responding to in this post is young, when she is not.

You assume your age, and that of your partner, will help in obtaining a visa, it will not.

Your comment that you have previously applied for a PMV 6 years ago is an odd one and that could also have implications on your current application.

To save you responding as you have to other posters I am not an agent and I am not young.

[ali]

@barry all the members who have responded to your specific queries are not agents.  They are offering unprofessional advice and ideas, all the agents that post on the forum will have their registration numbers at the bottom of each post in their signature (it's a requirement of our site and their own code of conduct).

Gbye Grey Skye raised a good point in that your previous application for a PMV may cause any other sponsorship application to come under added scrutiny.  Your situation doesn't appear to be straight forward and I think having professional advice might be the best way forward.

[Marisawright]

9 hours ago, barry said:

thanks for comments but you are making assumptions 

I did NOT make an assumption.  I said the IMMIGRATION official is likely to start with that assumption and therefore they will be looking to pick holes in everything you supply.

From what you say, I am older than you, and I am not an agent. Ali is right - the moderators on this site are VERY quick to spot agents who join without disclosing they are professionals, we had an instance just recently.  So if there is no disclosure in the signature on a post, that person is not an agent.

As regards the PMV - we had a case recently on these forums where an individual had married his girlfriend before applying for a partner visa, thinking it would improve his chances.  It turned out he had made life more difficult for himself because of the different evidence requirements between a PMV and a spouse visa.  I So please do look into that thoroughly before you proceed.

I'm curious where you are finding statistics about the success rate of agented vs direct applications?   Are they also divided on the basis of MARA registered agents vs unregistered agents and lawyers?  I am highly suspicious of "immigration lawyers" as, from what I've seen on these forums, they seem to charge a great deal for bad advice.   Sadly there are also legions of so-called agents who don't know what they're doing.  We have a small band of agents who are generous with their advice on these forums and I would have confidence in using any of them. 

Edited June 28, 2019 by Marisawright

[Toots]

13 hours ago, barry said:

would be a waste of time and money and you are obviusly an agent . It is not a de facto situation as I explained ( smile ). An agent can   NOT change  

the dynamics as impossible for a foreign citizen to  get a bank account as would not pass the credit checks . a wife is not a de facto partner .

Jon the Hat gave you the best piece of advice you are likely to receive   ...........................  and he is not a migration agent.

[barry]

I had assumed that this site was for people who might want clarification on a specific issue from applicants who had gone through

the process . Those who responded to me just used my honesty such as memtiioning a previous PVA as ammunition to show how 

difficult it would be without having a clue on the circumstances . Almost every post suggests using an agent but IMO it is unnecessary 

if one has a modicum of intelligence and can read and write . One comment was about the officer picking holes in everything . ie believing

nothing they are told by applicant and sponsor . that is nonsense as almost no application would be successful if it was so but in fact about 

90% are successful ! tell the truth about everything , read carefully the requirements on aussie GOVERNMENT site and that is all one can do .  presenting

info second hand through an agent makes that more difficult as proved ny statistics I saw . 

[barry]

the comment about agents having to declare themselves might be valid but , if so , why do so many mention using an agent

when they charge a huge amount and less chance of success based on statistics ? makes no sense to me . if one asks a question 

or needs clarification on forums like this one , eg any idea when new sponsorship assessment comes into force , an answer should 

be given and not about how difficult the process is and use an agent . Of course it is a difficult and stressful process as one can see 

from despairing comments on threads , eg time taken for grant to be issued . applications fail because of incomplete information but even 

then a case officer might just ask for further details or may not . One comment here about ages of applicant and sponsor was ridiculous with 

respect as was reference to ASIAN brides . Quite obviously a man of 70 trying to bring his 25 yera old asian bride to oz would make 

an officer suspicious as not "love " ! ( smile ) . but if his wife was 66 . it woudl be less suspicious even for an officer trying to PICK HOLES.

It is not officer's job to pick holes but to look at the facts and story presented . He or she is not supposed to be racist or a xenophobe 

either 

[Nemesis]

1 hour ago, barry said:

I had assumed that this site was for people who might want clarification on a specific issue from applicants who had gone through

the process . Those who responded to me just used my honesty such as memtiioning a previous PVA as ammunition to show how 

difficult it would be without having a clue on the circumstances . Almost every post suggests using an agent but IMO it is unnecessary 

if one has a modicum of intelligence and can read and write . One comment was about the officer picking holes in everything . ie believing

nothing they are told by applicant and sponsor . that is nonsense as almost no application would be successful if it was so but in fact about 

90% are successful ! tell the truth about everything , read carefully the requirements on aussie GOVERNMENT site and that is all one can do .  presenting

info second hand through an agent makes that more difficult as proved ny statistics I saw . 

So firstly let me repeat I AM NOT AN AGENT. 

In over 25 years dealing with migration and visas, and being on forums, I have never seen any evidence to suggest that using an agent makes your chances of success lower. Using some shonky person who clams they know it all but have no training and are not registered -yes, probably. But using a registered knowledgable agent, recommended by those who have gone before you - worth their weight in gold. 

Our last application was reasonably straightforward, we ticked all the boxes, we are intelligent people, knew how to fill in all the worms, had all the evidence and had years of experience between us - plus a lot of info gained from forums. We applied without an agent, mainly to save a few pounds. Given our time over again, I would be saying sod the money and beating a path to the door of one of the agents I have encountered on forums over the years. i would never do it alone again unless it was 100 % straightforward. Being able to tell the truth and read the instructions is one thing, but it does not cover everything. 

And if I were in your shoes, with the details you have described here, I would be listening to the posters on this thread and using an agent. However I appreciate the choice is yours and if you choose otherwise I do of course respect that - but do not tell others that they should never follow the agent pathway - there are many thousands of visa applicants out there who would never get anywhere near Australia without the help of a professional. 

[barry]

ok, you are not an agent of you say so . But why would you spend 25 years of your life dealing with immigration and visa matters and 

quite honestly that sounds like you are agent or allied to one . pushing all peoople towards an agent suggests this . Or are your 

motives purelty altruistic ? If so,  I would have preferred comments or answers on matters I raised . Odd comment by you about being ijn my 

shoes as the very briief detail I gave tells you very little about my situation.  Your whole text is pushing people towards an agent. No interest 

in a person's circumstances . I will send the info on why I said less chance with an agent than doing it yourself but I gave reasons why that 

should be obvious , eg giving UNDIVIDED attention to the matter whereas agents have many cases on their books . 

 

[barry]

I now show link I saw a while ago giving statistics. Of course I would never say that nobody should use an agent 

and partners who are wealthy and can not be bothered might do so as might anyone not used to paperwork . Even 

wealthy folk could not escape most of the work as agent would bne asking them for a lot of info to pass on 

to immigration . Some people might find it less stressful to have hand held during the process and nothing wrong 

with that either . If agent fee was about $500 or maybe $1000 , I might even use an agent myself if it meant 

less time to spend. But nowadays , the fees are very high for something which is not rocket science . 

https://www.partnervisaguide.com.au/visa-applications-without-registered-migration-agents-success/?mc_cid=33a9384c04&mc_eid=fe9ade113a

 

[barry]

I also read that an officer trys to be understanding if an applicant explains that some requirements might be impossible for him or her . In  that 

situation , that condition would be waived as the rules are not set in CONCRETE . A case officer once told me that . If all conditions had to 

be aatisfied in a case where spouses lived in different countries , ies ponsor in OZ and partner lived abroad , no OFFSHORE partner visa 

applications would be granted . My aussie friend ( born in France) brought in his Vietnameese wife some years ago and his knpwledge of 

english is still not good .

[barry]

an officer understands that one can not do the impossibe . 

[Nemesis]

3 hours ago, barry said:

ok, you are not an agent of you say so . But why would you spend 25 years of your life dealing with immigration and visa matters and 

quite honestly that sounds like you are agent or allied to one . pushing all peoople towards an agent suggests this . Or are your 

motives purelty altruistic ? If so,  I would have preferred comments or answers on matters I raised . Odd comment by you about being ijn my 

shoes as the very briief detail I gave tells you very little about my situation.  Your whole text is pushing people towards an agent. No interest 

in a person's circumstances . I will send the info on why I said less chance with an agent than doing it yourself but I gave reasons why that 

should be obvious , eg giving UNDIVIDED attention to the matter whereas agents have many cases on their books . 

 

You have been told numerous times that agent posting on here have their qualifications in their signatures.

I have spent years on forums because I enjoy it. I have a job which allows me to spend time doing it, plus a lot of the time I am housebound and it is a good way to pass the time. And because the people on these forums have helped me in the past with visa issues stretching back many years. And it is because I have come across issues including my own, that I have learnt when it is appropriate to tell another poster that they really need a professional. It is also because of years of reading posts like yours that I know when I ought to comment, and when I would be using guesswork - and to guess is worse than not answering at all.

Its nothing to do with science, rockets or otherwise, its to do with consulting a professional with experience in the field, and who will know the best way to present unusual cases to the Immigration Department. 

 

Please don't waste your time answering me as I no longer intend to communicate with you. I am tired of your insinuations that I, and others on here, are agents in disguise, and as I am currently in Australia I do not need accusations of illegal activity, like giving advice without being a registered agent, being levelled at me.

[ali]

12 hours ago, barry said:

I had assumed that this site was for people who might want clarification on a specific issue from applicants who had gone through

the process . Those who responded to me just used my honesty such as memtiioning a previous PVA as ammunition to show how 

difficult it would be without having a clue on the circumstances . Almost every post suggests using an agent but IMO it is unnecessary 

if one has a modicum of intelligence and can read and write . One comment was about the officer picking holes in everything . ie believing

nothing they are told by applicant and sponsor . that is nonsense as almost no application would be successful if it was so but in fact about 

90% are successful ! tell the truth about everything , read carefully the requirements on aussie GOVERNMENT site and that is all one can do .  presenting

info second hand through an agent makes that more difficult as proved ny statistics I saw . 

Yes the site is for people to ask questions - as mentioned previously, the membership is made up of lay people who can not give professional advice.  I do wonder, if your application is so straight forward and you can sail through it why you're needing any clarity?  It does feel though, that you may have alienated any of the members who may be able to offer you any assistance though in your responses.  People tend to mention speaking to an agent when a matter seems complex or that their answers could be construed as being 'professional advice' (for which they're not licenced to give).  

As a site - we ask all agents to post their MARA number in their signature.  We have a handful of agents who are very reputable  posting - it is of course your choice if you decide to use one or not.  Good luck with your application - I hope it's as straight forward as you suggest.

[Skani]

13 hours ago, barry said:

, why do so many mention using an agent.....when they charge a huge amount and less chance of success based on statistics ?

The reason  for the difference in statistics is the bleeding obvious - that agents are asked to handle more complex cases which have significant problems, ie. it is not a level playing field of applications.

The real test would be how many agent managed cases are successful which would not have been if done by the applicant..... versus how many of the unsuccessful private applications would have been successful had they had an agent to guide them through.

[Marisawright]

13 hours ago, barry said:

One comment was about the officer picking holes in everything . ie believing

nothing they are told by applicant and sponsor . that is nonsense as almost no application would be successful if it was so

It is not nonsense.   It is the officer's job to be suspicious and take nothing at face value.   He/she is not going to say, "Oh they're old, so they must be telling the truth".  

The problem with long distance relationships is that it's very difficult to PROVE that they are genuine, and the officer will basically disregard any declarations you or your girlfriend make - what they are looking for is evidence. 

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by Marisawright

[Gbye grey sky]

16 hours ago, barry said:

I had assumed that this site was for people who might want clarification on a specific issue from applicants who had gone through

the process . Those who responded to me just used my honesty such as memtiioning a previous PVA as ammunition to show how 

difficult it would be without having a clue on the circumstances . Almost every post suggests using an agent but IMO it is unnecessary 

if one has a modicum of intelligence and can read and write . One comment was about the officer picking holes in everything . ie believing

nothing they are told by applicant and sponsor . that is nonsense as almost no application would be successful if it was so but in fact about 

90% are successful ! tell the truth about everything , read carefully the requirements on aussie GOVERNMENT site and that is all one can do .  presenting

info second hand through an agent makes that more difficult as proved ny statistics I saw . 

Are you trolling this site?

I ask this because you claim to be wanting advice but provide far too little detail for anyone to give any useful advice and then accuse people of making assumptions when they try to interpret the limited information you provide.

If you genuinely think that a visa application for a Russian resident ‘partner’ is straightforward when you are living in the UK and you state that in recent years you applied for a PMV (successfully or unsuccessfully you don’t say) either for this lady or some other then go ahead.  If you are looking for people here who agree with you that it should be straightforward then you are on the wrong forum because nobody will agree based on the limited information you have shared.  And I doubt that anyone will have identical circumstances to thoseyou describe either.

Applying for a visa is not cheap and, who knows, an agent might be able to save you from wasting that money entirely.

I certainly have no axe to grind as I did not use an agent but my application was genuinely straightforward.  An established marriage with a child.  If I was unmarried with a prospective bride living in Russia then I would definitely have wanted someone in my corner with full knowledge of our circumstances.

Best of luck to you Barry.......assuming you are genuine.

 

 

[Skani]

16 hours ago, barry said:

My aussie friend ( born in France) brought in his Vietnameese wife some years ago and his knpwledge of 

english is still not good .

A general observation relevant to this implication.  Immigration procedures and standards change and generally, over the last few years,  have tightened up.  An application which was approved some years ago is no guarantee that the same application would be approved today.

[Marisawright]

17 hours ago, barry said:

I also read that an officer trys to be understanding if an applicant explains that some requirements might be impossible for him or her . In  that 

situation , that condition would be waived as the rules are not set in CONCRETE . A case officer once told me that .

How long ago?   Things change.  The current government of Australia is anti-immigration.   They are not allowed to impose quotas on partner migration so they have resorted to delaying tactics - the waiting time for partner visas is now much longer than it used to be.  And far from being understanding, we've seen reports on this forum by people who've had their visas rejected because of a minor mistake - and the case officer didn't even give them a chance to rectify the error.

[barry]

my god ,

I have never seen such pessimism about prospects of an application succeeding ! And every response mentions using an agent which I doubt is pure coincidence ! ( wry smile ) .

The 5 year rule is in place for a reason as is the maximum 2 sponsorships . they could make a law that only ONE sponsorship allowesd in any circumstances !