Guest rorster Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Hi to everyone. New to the fourm, just found it on line and it seems like a great place to get some friendly advice on all things Oz from fellow Poms. I've been in Australia since the start of June on a working holiday visa. I met my partner (an australian citizen) when working in America in June 2008. After our work stint ended, she came to stay over in the UK. As I was contracted to living in university halls, she moved in with family in Cardiff, and we commuted to stay withe ach other at weekends. My partner came back to Oz in March 09, and I followed her out on my visa on 1st June 09. We've decided that, as she has a large family and I don't, and because I love this country so much, that we are going to apply for a de-facto relationship visa so that we can live here together permanently. We've looked through all the paperwork and started to put our application together, and I was just wondering if anyone who has been through this process could offer some advice. Although we have been together since June 08, the working of the conditions seems to indicate that you must live together for 12 months prior. We obviously didn't in the UK, but will have by the end of my visa. We're not sure when would be best to apply, because we obviously don't want me to have to leave and come back, and are hoping to be granted a bridging visa in the interim. We're also a bit concerned because, as we are lving in an extension of her parents house, we have no utilityu bills in our names, although I have paid for the internet and phone since June, and it is in my name. If anyone has any advice, stories, anecdotes or suggestions that might help us, I'd love to hear them. Thanks for reading this loooonnnnggg post! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Hi just wanted to say welcome to PIO, there have been a few members in a position similar to yours so hopefully they will advise you soon. Good luck with the application. Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom and laura in oz Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Hey, I'm new to this too and my partner and i are getting everything together to apply for our defacto visa. we met on australia day in cambodia - and we're just short on the 12mth defacto requirements so he's off in the country packing fruit to be eligible for his 2nd year WHV, while i'm in melbourne getting everything ready for our 820/801 application. we too live at mums so no lease in our name etc. but simply had mum write a stat dec explaining how long we ahd been living in a defacto relationship, the our relationship was genuine, and we constantly make plans for the future, together, which involve each other. In terms of having things in both your names - its actually really simple. The utilities that are in your name, just ringing the provider and asking them to put an additional name on the account is normally enough - we have done this with phone bills, insurance, internet etc. we also opened a joint bank account. and had an additional card made up for my credit card in his name - then had the bank manager write a letter saying we were both card holders of the one credit card and had been since whenever. (guess you have to trust your partner on this one!!) One thing I would recommend you do is transfer her license into an australia drivers license - this is really cheap and easy to do in victoria - she wouldnt even have to do a driving test!) it just means whenever you need id for anything - they dont even question it if you hand over an aussie driver license this means for evidence in terms of merging with society or whatever the say is easier!! library cards, video hire memberships, store cards.... etc etc oh and qantas freq flyer's in free for non aussies too! and i'll make this the last one so you're not bored to tears!! make sure all your friends etc send mail addressed to both of you at your home address! we keep everything that has both of our names on it, invites, letters, postcards etc. hope that helps!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rorster Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 that does help - thanks! We're getting all kinds of statemetns together from family, and I'll make sure that anyone from the UJ who post things to us does so in both our names. We've been living together from the first day of my WHV, and the dep. of immigration have said that i i apply for my de-facto one in april/may, i'll probably be given a bridging visa while they make a decision, so i don't think i'll have to take the 3 month rural option. cheers for the advice :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom and laura in oz Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 no worries! all the best for it - and if you find out how you need to present it when you lodge it let me know ok? :biggrin: ps youre lucky you dont need the rural work!! hard slog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.