Evidence required for Partnership Visa?

[TJ-LJ]

Hello,

My partner, who is from England, and I are ready to apply for our De-facto Relationship Visa. However, we are both growing concerned about everything it entails to apply. We are worried we do not have enough "evidence" for the Immigration Office to consider as proof and accept the Visa. We are doing our best at keeping as much proof of our relationship as we can over the last 2 years, but there are some things that just aren't possible for us at the moment:

1: We do not rent or own our own home,

2: We do not have any mutual friends,

3: There are no bills in both of our names; the closest to this that we do have is a joint bank account.

Those are just some things, but the list that I have located online that shows all the evidence a couple need to have the best chance of approval is very long and I think only half can be achieved by us.

We are just wondering if there is any leniency to the application process, or if it as strict and specific as I've come to see? If we do not have everything they require, what happens? 

Thank you. 

[Marisawright]

No, there's no leniency in the process.  They are looking for reasons to refuse you, so you  need to have as much evidence as possible.

However, those online lists are only examples of the kind of proof they want, they're not compulsory.   You just have to find other ways to prove your relationship, if you don't have the usual things (like leases and bills).   For instance, even if you don't have a lease or own your home, you both live at the same address and can show the electoral roll, bills etc in your individual names with the same address on them. 

What do you mean by "we do not have any mutual friends"?   They don't have to be close friends with both of you, they just have to know both of you and know that you're a couple.  So for instance, if your best friend has met your boyfriend from time to time and knows you live together, that would qualify as a "mutual friend"- even if she doesn't like him much!  

Finally, if you have a relationship that's out of the ordinary, you would be very wise to hire a MARA registered migration agent to put your case together for you.  It will cost money, but if you don't and you're refused, you'll have spent the application fee for nothing.

Edited June 27, 2019 by Marisawright

[Nemesis]

3 hours ago, TJ-LJ said:

Hello,

My partner, who is from England, and I are ready to apply for our De-facto Relationship Visa. However, we are both growing concerned about everything it entails to apply. We are worried we do not have enough "evidence" for the Immigration Office to consider as proof and accept the Visa. We are doing our best at keeping as much proof of our relationship as we can over the last 2 years, but there are some things that just aren't possible for us at the moment:

1: We do not rent or own our own home,

2: We do not have any mutual friends,

3: There are no bills in both of our names; the closest to this that we do have is a joint bank account.

Those are just some things, but the list that I have located online that shows all the evidence a couple need to have the best chance of approval is very long and I think only half can be achieved by us.

We are just wondering if there is any leniency to the application process, or if it as strict and specific as I've come to see? If we do not have everything they require, what happens? 

Thank you. 

So where do you live? Yoiu can get parents, flatmates etc to do a Stat Dec to say that you live together as a married/de facto couple in whatever place you live in. You do not have to be the sole occupants opf the prperty, but you do have to live there together. You can also use documents sent to each of you at that address. So even if you have individual bank accounts, you can use both documents, one in the name of Ms X and one in the name of Mr Y, both going to the same address. Similarly you can use phone and utility bills in one name, sent to the joint address. 

Also think about hotel bills if travelling, flight itineraries, that kind of thing. 

You can get Stat Decs from the friends/family on one side, saying that they are a friend of Ms X, and see her regularly, and she keeps them updated with details of the relationship, and how she and her partner are planning to move to Australia and start a family  etc etc. Even if they have never physically met the partner they can still say what they know of the relationship and how their friend constantly talks about the partner and future plans etc - many people on a Prospective Marriage Visa have to do this if they are moving to marry a partner in oz, but have never lived there so have never met that partner's friends and family.

Family can also do a Stat Dec talking about stuff like being keen to welcome the new family member to Australia. . 

[TJ-LJ]

7 hours ago, Marisawright said:

No, there's no leniency in the process.  They are looking for reasons to refuse you, so you  need to have as much evidence as possible.

However, those online lists are only examples of the kind of proof they want, they're not compulsory.   You just have to find other ways to prove your relationship, if you don't have the usual things (like leases and bills).   For instance, even if you don't have a lease or own your home, you both live at the same address and can show the electoral roll, bills etc in your individual names with the same address on them. 

What do you mean by "we do not have any mutual friends"?   They don't have to be close friends with both of you, they just have to know both of you and know that you're a couple.  So for instance, if your best friend has met your boyfriend from time to time and knows you live together, that would qualify as a "mutual friend"- even if she doesn't like him much!  

Finally, if you have a relationship that's out of the ordinary, you would be very wise to hire a MARA registered migration agent to put your case together for you.  It will cost money, but if you don't and you're refused, you'll have spent the application fee for nothing.

 

4 hours ago, Nemesis said:

So where do you live? Yoiu can get parents, flatmates etc to do a Stat Dec to say that you live together as a married/de facto couple in whatever place you live in. You do not have to be the sole occupants opf the prperty, but you do have to live there together. You can also use documents sent to each of you at that address. So even if you have individual bank accounts, you can use both documents, one in the name of Ms X and one in the name of Mr Y, both going to the same address. Similarly you can use phone and utility bills in one name, sent to the joint address. 

Also think about hotel bills if travelling, flight itineraries, that kind of thing. 

You can get Stat Decs from the friends/family on one side, saying that they are a friend of Ms X, and see her regularly, and she keeps them updated with details of the relationship, and how she and her partner are planning to move to Australia and start a family  etc etc. Even if they have never physically met the partner they can still say what they know of the relationship and how their friend constantly talks about the partner and future plans etc - many people on a Prospective Marriage Visa have to do this if they are moving to marry a partner in oz, but have never lived there so have never met that partner's friends and family.

Family can also do a Stat Dec talking about stuff like being keen to welcome the new family member to Australia. . 

 

Thank you for your responses.

We live in Australia, both at my mother's house, we pay board but individually; my Mum keeps receipts of my partners board money. Our housing agency is aware of us living here. We also have bank transactions, so this could be another way to prove we pay board. We have receipts from travelling, such as hotel bills and flight itineraries. We have a lot of photos taken together, and with each others families. Also thank you both for clarifying the "mutual friend" situation. I have met/know of my partners friends and they can verify our relationship, so I feel less worried about this now. 

We contribute to the household bills, however the bills are in my mother's name. Would the bank transactions my partner and I have made together be enough proof that we do pay bills together, or do they have to be in our names to be considered? 

We were also considering using a MARA for the reasons you have mentioned. I think we will definitely do this now though, just to make sure we are doing everything correctly. 

[Nemesis]

1 hour ago, TJ-LJ said:

 

 

Thank you for your responses.

We live in Australia, both at my mother's house, we pay board but individually; my Mum keeps receipts of my partners board money. Our housing agency is aware of us living here. We also have bank transactions, so this could be another way to prove we pay board. We have receipts from travelling, such as hotel bills and flight itineraries. We have a lot of photos taken together, and with each others families. Also thank you both for clarifying the "mutual friend" situation. I have met/know of my partners friends and they can verify our relationship, so I feel less worried about this now. 

We contribute to the household bills, however the bills are in my mother's name. Would the bank transactions my partner and I have made together be enough proof that we do pay bills together, or do they have to be in our names to be considered? 

We were also considering using a MARA for the reasons you have mentioned. I think we will definitely do this now though, just to make sure we are doing everything correctly. 

You can use bank statements, with highlighting and/or annotations to indicate where you have transferred money to pay for bills, board etc. Then your mum can write a Stat Dec stating that you both live there, in a committed relationship, and you can include copies of some of the receipts as well. She can also say in the Stat Dec that you both contribute to the bills. They don't have to be in your name, or your partner's name. Its a fairly common situation. 

[Bella89]

There are other relatively easy things you include too, like nominating each other as the beneficiary on your supers, if not done so already. Making sure that ATO, medicare etc is registered to the same address and highlighting when payments are made, making sure your names are on things like car insurance, contents insurance, travel insurance, health insurance etc.