Mark 1234 Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Hi all, My wife is Australian and she is returning to Melbourne on the 2nd of October. I will join her a few weeks later and apply for my spouse visa in Oz. The problem is that even though we have been married for 16 years, we have kept our finances seperate, so we have nothing in joint names. We have one or two photographs from over the years but nothing major. Do you think this will cause a problem? Thanks in advance. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandJon Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 They like a lot of evidence - what about Council tax bills, airplane tickets, electricity bills or rental agreements, car insurance with named drivers.... Hubby and I don't have joint bank accounts but fingers crossed (still waiting for his visa) haven't been told No yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 You've lived at the same address though surely? So you'll have bills in your own names but at the same address. What about invites to weddings/christenings etc addressed to you both? You have your wedding certificate and so on still also? My husband and I keep our finances separate but we ensure we both pay a share of the bills and DD's. I pay the phone/internet, TV licence, car and house insurance. He pays council tax, water, gas/electric and so on. So we can show we've both been at the same address as they are sent to us here. We also holiday together so have paperwork, booking documents with both our names on them. Also our son, our names are both on his birth certificate. Also I thought they preferred you to apply while still in the UK than going over on a tourist visa and then applying to change to a spouse visa. I've read some posts on here where they say it appears dubious if you go over as a tourist and then apply to change and they are more likely to question it. Also iirc its more expensive to apply there than in the UK if that is a possible concern. If you've been together this long with very little proof to show maybe it might be better to consider applying from the UK and waiting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrspotatohead Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 If you dont have many pictures from over the years, speak to friends and family and see if they have any from family events etc. Your wedding pics?? Do you have electoral roll documents, council tax as Joandjon said? Another good piece of evidence is travel documents. You must have been on a holiday in 16 years together, so a copy of the itinerary is useful. Is there a reason why you are travelling to australia separately? That also isn't going to support your application. I should also mention we sent lots of docs that were not in joint names, but showed the same address. If you are planning to return to australia on a tourist visa and apply onshore, it may be easier and safer to apply offshore and then ask your case officer if its ago to go out on a tourist visa till its granted. Means you'll have to leave australia for a couple of days in order to validate the visa when its granted, but probably less hassle. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandJon Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Jon's (hubby) CO has said it's ok to go to Oz on a Tourist visa and then she'll let him know when the proper visa is being granted and he can fly to NZ and back to be out of the country. But be warned - it takes AGES to prepare the visa application, I was shocked at how long it took us (~2 months!). We looked at doing an onshore application for Jon, but the processing times seem a lot more variable than the offshore - snifter's right too, onshore is more expensive. We figured out the offshore charge + cost of return flight to kiwi-land added up to about the same as onshore application. You'll be amazed at how much you actually do have when you look for it, MrsPotatohead is right about different stuff at the same address too. Plus if you pay money into your OH's account at all that will help. I have a regular transfer into OH's account (although I did explain the reference I'd put it under for the benefit of the CO or it might have been a little misunderstood :wink: - not everyone has the same sense of humour as me...) If you've got a good reason for being apart it won't be a problem, you more than meet the 12 month criteria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark 1234 Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Thanks everyone for the tips. I think I have found enough evidence now. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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