Partner Visa Submission Advice (submitting tomorow)

[supermatt]

Hi all,

 

For the last couple of weeks/months I've been collecting all the documentation and getting everything in order for a defacto partner visa application and I am going to be submitting my application tomorrow (I'm making the submission myself).

 

There's a good 1.5 to 2 inch heap of paperwork and I was just wondering how people arrange their paperwork for the actual submission? They say not to place the submission in plastic sleeves or anything (because the sleeves won't be returned) but surely it's easier to assess if I group documentation?

 

Also, do people provide a cover letter or a key to the documentation submitted with a number on each document or anything?

 

Any ideas or experience appreciated.

 

:? Matt

[Peach]

Hi, this is what Australia House advises:

 

How Should I Put My Application Together?

Please do not make complex collations of your application papers. We waste a lot of time (and risk injury to life and limb) deconstructing applications which have been extensively stapled or artfully put together in complex folders with indexes, dividers and tabs. Do not use plastic inserts. Please leave the papers, loosely divided by slide-on paper clips if you feel it is absolutely necessary, in a simple stack. Application form on the top; sponsorship form next; key personal documents next (birth and marriage certificates etc); formal statutory declarations next; and other supporting documents last.

 

Please do not send us video tapes or photograph albums. If you would like to support your claims with photographs, please choose a representative selection and make a photocopy.

 

Please do not send us phone cards at all as they can tell us nothing. If you wish to send examples of correspondence, please be very selective and send copies only.

 

Full email is here: The Joy of Emigration: A Useful Email

 

I wouldn't bother with a covering letter, but it might be worth explaining what the evidence is if it isn't obvious to whoever reads it.

[Guest GeorgeD]

Your instincts are telling you that a pile of loose paper is just wrong...but that's exactly what they want! Not only do your folders, etc not get returned, DIAC have to spend time removing everything fro folders and disposing of them...the first thing that happens is that every inch of your application will be scanned to an electronic file - and you can't scan things in folders, stapled together, etc. If you can't resist the temptation to make it look slightly neater (like I did!) then just put an elastic band round the pile so it doesn't fall apart. Fortunately no injuries were reported the day I sent mine in, so I got away with it,

 

You don't need a covering letter or a table of contents. I did, however, use both! The letter simply said, "here's my application for visa x, thanks" and that's all. My table of contents was a single page with a list of each document enclosed. You don't need to number them as Case Officers are highly trained individuals who can tell a birth certificate apart from a bank statement! I enclosed it so they knew which evidence documents were included (and how many.) There is a checklist you need to complete which should be at the front too, so they can see you have ticked off all the requirements.

 

Fight every urge you have to make it look pretty...it will all get ripped apart in seconds when it gets there! Loose sheets in an appropriate sized envelope are all they are looking for.

[supermatt]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I guess I'll stick to paperclips and a big envelope then...

 

Matt

[Guest christinenpete]

We used paperclips to keep certain documentation seperate from each other (stat decs, application forms, other evidence etc) and a huge envelope to send it all in. So you should be fine :biggrin: