Applying for Defacto visa.

[Rich Wayman]

Hi everyone. So I'm currently here working in south Australia on a TSS 482 Visa after 2 previous WHV. I'm coming up to my third year in Australia and have been with my.aussie girlfriend for tnearly two years. We currently live together and rent a property. 

How difficult is it to apply for the defacto Visa for me? 

Is there a lot involved? 

It's a pricey visa at $7700 so I'm trying to gather information on it first.

Thanks in advance for the help. 

[Marisawright]

Yes there's a lot involved but I'd say it's your best bet if you want to stay in Australia long-term.

Even if you are eligible to apply for a 189 visa in your own right, the problem is that it's a competition.  Applicants with the highest scores get cherry-picked while anyone with lower scores languishes in the queue until they expire. So unless you can get a high score, you could have a long wait and potentially even be wasting your time and your fees.

The de facto visa is a lot of work to apply for - you need to gather a lot of evidence to prove your relationship - but if your relationship is genuine and you've submitted a good application, your application will go into a queue and be considered in strict order - no cherry-picking.  So it's much less of a lottery than the 189.

Note that you're required to show that you've been together in the equivalent of marriage for at least 12 months.    Time spent dating, even if it's a committed relationship, don't count.

Edited August 29, 2019 by Marisawright

[Rich Wayman]

Thanks so much for the reply Marisa. It does seem like a lot of hoops to jump through, have you applied for it yourself at anytime or know anyone who has? 

I've been told it's best to go through an agency to apply for this Visa.but they want like $4500 to help you apply, that's over $12,000 all in

I've applied for all my previous visas on my.own including my TSS 482 and have never had any troubles.

I'm guessing the trick is to just bury them in paperwork that prooves we've been together for two years.

I will get new police.check from UK and Aus before applying and will be including all tenancy agreement, joint bills ect. 

Do you have to write a huge essay about how we met ect? Also, do I have to include pics.of us at events together like weddings and parties also pictures of us off on adventures together ect? 

I was told by an agency that Last year only 46% of people who applied without a agency helping them, failed and had to apply again, is this true.

[Marisawright]

43 minutes ago, Rich Wayman said:

Thanks so much for the reply Marisa. It does seem like a lot of hoops to jump through, have you applied for it yourself at anytime or know anyone who has? 

I've been told it's best to go through an agency to apply for this Visa.but they want like $4500 to help you apply, that's over $12,000 all in

I've applied for all my previous visas on my.own including my TSS 482 and have never had any troubles.

I'm guessing the trick is to just bury them in paperwork that prooves we've been together for two years.

I will get new police.check from UK and Aus before applying and will be including all tenancy agreement, joint bills ect. 

Do you have to write a huge essay about how we met ect? Also, do I have to include pics.of us at events together like weddings and parties also pictures of us off on adventures together ect? 

I was told by an agency that Last year only 46% of people who applied without a agency helping them, failed and had to apply again, is this true.

Get quotes from other agencies, that sounds excessive. You can even do most of the work yourself then pay an agent a fee to check it. There are several good agents on these forums

[MacGyver]

6 hours ago, Rich Wayman said:

Thanks so much for the reply Marisa. It does seem like a lot of hoops to jump through, have you applied for it yourself at anytime or know anyone who has? 

I've been told it's best to go through an agency to apply for this Visa.but they want like $4500 to help you apply, that's over $12,000 all in

I've applied for all my previous visas on my.own including my TSS 482 and have never had any troubles.

I'm guessing the trick is to just bury them in paperwork that prooves we've been together for two years.

I will get new police.check from UK and Aus before applying and will be including all tenancy agreement, joint bills ect. 

Do you have to write a huge essay about how we met ect? Also, do I have to include pics.of us at events together like weddings and parties also pictures of us off on adventures together ect? 

I was told by an agency that Last year only 46% of people who applied without a agency helping them, failed and had to apply again, is this true.

We applied with one of the agents that posts regularly on this forum and didn't pay anywhere near that amount for agent fees. They were also very honest and upfront regarding the application without any pressure or stats to try to entice us to sign up.

I would recommend an initial consultation with some of the agents that post on here. The initial consultation should be free of charge and give you an idea of their costs and fees to enable you to make a decision. I'd look to pay a few thousand less in agent fees than you were quoted, depending on the complexity of your circumstances of course.

I can personally recommend @wrussell who was excellent for us

 

Edited to add - it is still a very expensive process but as Marissa says it can be preferable for some when compared to the lottery of the 189 

Edited August 30, 2019 by MacGyver

[wrussell]

If you go to my website pinoyau.com and use the contact form, I shall undertake a free preliminary assessment of your case and let you know what I recommend. 

[Marisawright]

On 30/08/2019 at 09:12, Rich Wayman said:

I was told by an agency that Last year only 46% of people who applied without a agency helping them, failed and had to apply again, is this true.

The failure rate for partner visas is extremely high.  It's because so many applications are fraudulent, trying to fake a relationship to stay in the country - nothing to do with whether an agent submitted them or not.   However, it does mean the department sets a ridiculous standard of proof because they are SO suspicious of people like yourself, who've been here on a temp visa and looking for ways to stay on.  It means you've got to be certain you haven't given them the slightest excuse to reject your application, and that's where the value of an agent comes in - they know what will satisfy the department.