Guest Shadow Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 I'm thinking of moving to Melbourne to be with my partner of two and a half years and wondered if anyone has been through the experience of applying for a "Partner Migration" visa... not a spouse or fiance visa!? My partner came over to the UK in December 2005 (her visa took 2 weeks to get... I can't believe how long it takes to get one for Oz!!!!) but went back in March because of a couple of family bereavements and is now not sure if she wants to come back - for fear of something else happening to someone and her not being there I think; she has a large family - so I thought I would explore the possibility of me going down under as 99.9% of my family are no longer living it seems like an easier compromise! Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 not over sure on this one but i think you have to prove you have been together over a year ,by photos ,statements off friends etc ,im sure if you rang an agency they will tell you the best way to try for a visa ,hope this helps Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neil Meadowcroft Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Hi, We will be in a similar position later this year. I have applied for a visa on my own and will have to sponsor my partner when I hopefully get my visa. If you can prove that you have been in a committed relationship for over 5 years your partner will get a permanent visa, if however you have been together for less than this then they (dimia) will issue a 2 year visa and look at the relationship after this time. You will need evidence to substantiate this i.e.: Joint bank accounts, statements will both names on. If you have been on holiday together check if your passports have been stamped as this will partly prove. You will need to write statements showing your commitment to each other and may also need to get friends & family to also do this. This is usually asked for if your relationship is less than 5 years. Id speak with an agent to get the exact facts on this one as it can be a bit tricky trying to collate the exact details required. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shadow Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Thanks for the replies. We've only been together for two and a half years but have not lived together on a permanent basis for more than 8 months when my partner was over here in the UK firstly on a Visitor's Visa and then on a Proposed Civil Partnership Visa so we have no joint bank accounts or statements etc, we have only been on holidays here in the UK not abroad (the only time we went abroad was on a day trip to France!!). When you both have jobs and live on opposite sides of the planet it's a little hard to live together!!!!! We can get statements from friends and families as these were required when she applied to come over here and her application was dealt with by the Chief Immigration Officer in Canberra personally! We also have certificates from our commitment ceremony that was held in Melbourne last May when I was there which was conducted by a Government registered and approved marriage celebrant. It just all seems so very complicated and long winded trying to get anywhere in Australia - an ex-colleague of mine went to Perth at the end of last year and she had to wait just over 2 years (which to me seems a ridiculously long time to have to wait seeing as they only have to wait a few weeks to come here!) before anything was approved. I honestly don't know if we could cope with being apart for that amount of time, I think it would kill us both. We have a very strong and committed relationship but being separated for so long must surely put a huge strain on relationship? What kind of an agent would be best to contact? I have absolutely no knowledge of this kind of thing at all and really don't know which way to turn!!! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 HIYA ,MAYBE IF YOU RING AN AGENT AND EXPLAIN YOUR PARTNER HAS HAD A VISA FOR HERE AND WHAT PAPERWORK YOU PROVIDED THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHICH ROUTE TO TAKE ,THEY WONT CHARGE YOU FOR THE INFO AND THERE WOULD BE NO POINT GETTING THE 'WRONG' PAPERWORK TOGETHER ,I AGREE ON WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT IT BEING HARDWORK AND DRAWN OUT ,BUT ,MAYBE IF THE UK ADAPTED THIS IN DEPTH METHOD ,NOT AS MANY PEOPLE WOULD DESCEND ON US (and what did would be able to fend for themselves) AND THE COUNTRY WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE ??? Take Care Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neil Meadowcroft Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Unfortunate as this remark may seem i concur with the last posting. If we (UK) brought such stringent and robust test maybe we wouldnt want to leave this DUMP that is the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shadow Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 Thanks Cal, maybe I'll give that a go... anything that can save me some money will be most useful!! I agree with those sentiments! This country DOES need to be tougher with immigration laws - maybe that's why the number of Brits leaving the UK keeps rising year after year and is currently at it's highest rate!! Oh well onwards and upwards - or should that be 'down' wards?!?!? :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lholmes Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Hi Shadow Unfortunately without 12 months co-habitation evidence immediately before making an application, you won’t be eligible for a de-facto visa. They are very strict on these requirements. As an alternative, depending on your age and circumstances, you may be eligible for a Working Holiday visa (WHV) which is valid for 1 year and as of very recently, has been changed to allow you to work for the same company for 6 months at each time. This way you could live with your partner, collect all the required documents and then make an application for a de-facto visa at the end of this visa. Find out if you qualify for a WHV by visiting: https://www.visabureau.com/australia/assessment/workingholiday/default.aspx If you do not qualify for the Working Holiday, have you and your partner considered marriage? You would most likely be eligible for a fiancé visa which would allow you 9 months (from entry) to marry. I know it’s not a nice thought to marry purely for the sake of a visa so only go down this road if you and your partner are 100% sure that this is what you want. To receive a no obligations consultation with Visa Bureau, please visit: https://www.visabureau.com/australia/assessment/family/partner/default.aspx Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shadow Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Hi Lauren My patner is currently looking into the 12 month co-habitation requirement (which has always seemed daft to me cos if you live in different countries how on earth are you supposed to live together? It seems just another stupid rule to stop you from getting into Oz) with the Government department where she lives. I'm over 30 - too old for a WHV - so that's out the window! :roll: I would actually be applying for an Interdependency visa as we are in a same-sex relationship so marriage obviously isn't an option... yet! Until the laws in Oz are changed couples like us are still overly discriminated against which is why my partner came to the UK; under the Civil Partnership Act we are no longer discriminated against here and the co-habitation requirement no longer exists. We are 100% positive that we want to be together but Australia has a way of denying you anything at every turn! We'll soldier on though and get there some day, neither of us are the giving up and be beaten type!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neil Meadowcroft Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 Hi, I don’t really think the Australia Government are discriminating against same sex relationships, after all that’s why there is a specific visa to apply for. Its like any other visa, there are certain criteria that you need to meet irrespective of the relationship type. Why would you want to move to a county that you feel will unduly discriminate against you and your partner, why not stay in the UK where you feel more accepted. I found Australia to have a very liberal attitude, moreover they are very strict on the people who they want into the County, if you are willing to graft and don’t mind contributing to the County then your sorted. Unlike this place we take everyone in. (my own personal view) P.S I'm in a same sex relationship and feel this visa is an excellent way to move to OZ . Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shadow Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 Neil It's not the Australian Government or Australians in general as such more John Howard's inability to treat homosexuals as equal to heterosexuals! My reason for the possible move to Oz is as stated in my original post - my partner came here but went home for family reasons and realised how homesick she had been, how much she missed her family and Australia and said she had felt hemmed in here because of the lack of open space... we haven't got much of that left because of all the new houses being built everywhere cos of all the nice people our Government is letting in! I visited Melbourne last year and also found most people (not everyone) to be very liberal too and backing a change to the laws to give equality to all but most stated that the laws would be unlikely to change under Mr Howard's leadership. I feel the discrimination is in the 12 month living together condition - other visa's don't seem to require this and I just think it unfair to those who aren't married or don't want to marry or aren't ALLOWED to marry! Before the CPB was passed we had a 2 year living together condition to get into this country for same sex partners... thankfully that was removed when things came into force last December 5th!! How can you live together for 12 months if you can't be in either country for more than a couple of months? With job commitments and not being able to afford constant plane fares back and forth how can you physically do it?? :? Perhaps it's just me seeing the negative side of things :roll: Anyway good luck with your application, hope it all works out for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lholmes Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Hi Shadow Are you 30 or over 31? If you are under 31 you can still apply for a WHV. I don’t blame you for seeing the negative side of things when you’re stuck in such a difficult situation. Unfortunately, each individual visa has certain requirements though, the de-facto route having the 12 months cohabitation evidence requirement. It’s not necessarily discriminatory, but definitely frustrating for people who do not qualify under the designated requirements. There may be other options for you but it really depends on what you and your partner are willing to sacrifice. The main alternative is for your partner to return to the UK and for you guys to live together for 12 months. The other option is for you to go on your own accord either through the skilled route or employer sponsorship. Neither of which are easy or guaranteed, but may be worth your while if you are serious about getting out there. If you would like to find out more about the Australian immigration system and what visa may be available to you, please visit our website and complete an online assessment for a no obligations consultation. I think Australia is slowly but surely changing their policies to accommodate same sex relationships. The de-facto visa is the main way for same sex couples to migrate together and skilled visa applicants are now allowed to include same sex partners on their applications. I have a feeling that the same sex marriage subject will next be approached. All the best shadow and keep an eye out for any legislation changes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shadow Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Lauren Unfortunately I've just turned 38 so way over the age limit I'm afraid! It is a very difficult situation when you CAN'T live together because of being in different countries, something I wish that Governments would take into consideration where these things are concerned!! We have discussed my partner coming back to the UK for 12 months but she really does feel that she would not be able to cope being away from her family for that amount of time. If that turns out to be our ONLY option then we're going to have to discuss it further or we're totally stuffed!!! I've looked into other ways of getting down there but my occupation is not on any of the skilled or in demand lists and having filled in one of the online forms to check my points I don't qualify - I don't appear to be winning at the moment :roll: The Australian people I know are all of the opinion that the laws should be changed but, as previously stated, they don't think Mr Howard will EVER change things under his adminsitration. There are many marriage equality groups in Oz and my partner has been in contact with them for quite a while now but things seem to be progressing relatively slowly unfortunately for people in a situation like ours. I'll visit your website and see what information I can find. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shadow Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 It's been a while since I was last on the board and things haven't progressed much! There's been good news and bad news : the good news is that having spoken to a contact at the Australian High Commission in London and explained our situation he stated that as we have lived together for 8 months and have done this by travelling each way it should not be a problem when it comes to my visa application as it counts as proof that our separation is only temporary. The bad news is my partner was made redundant from her permanent job about a month ago and now is having to do casual work (for the same company strangely enough and earning good money!) which, from what I've read, will be another setback as your sponsor needs to have a permanent job to qualify!! It seems every time something positive happens something negative then happens and you end up back at square one!! Some days I wonder if it's all really worth the effort???!!!! :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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