Are you currently dating in a foreign country or have fallen in love with some foreigner or want to settle up with your spouse in a foreign country? If yes, then let’s find out how you can move to live in that foreign country and get the partner VISA.
There are 3 ways to qualify for the partner VISA. Number one is that you are married. The second way is that you have been living together for a particular period before you apply. And the third way is that you have registered your relationship in the country before you apply. Thus, before you lodge your partner VISA, you need to take one of these 3 options to lodge the partner VISA.
What are the aspects of evidence supporting the relationship?
The migration department looks closely at the aspects of relationships to make sure that your relationship is genuine.
- Financial aspect. You can prove this by having a joint bank account. You should be sharing your finances other than that joint bank account. You must share finances with things like paying your rent, paying bills, everything from that joint bank account and also maybe transfer money to each other.
- Nature of your household. This is difficult for people who are lodging an application offshore. For example one partner is in the country but the other is overseas and they are waiting for actual visa approval before traveling to that country. But the department is a bit more relaxed about this. They don’t expect you to be able to provide all the evidence of how you share your household because they know you can’t physically live together because of the VISA.
But if you do live together in that country or overseas, it’s very important that you demonstrate how you operate as a household. That can be provided through statutory declaration, a statement talking about who does what. The second piece of evidence that can support your household is purchasing household items together. For example, if you buy a TV then make sure that the address on the invoice is your joint residence and get that in your joint name.
- Social aspect of relationship. What’s really important for the migration department is how you are accepted as a couple within your social circles. Pieces of evidence to prove that would be statutory declaration from your friends and family. They mostly have a special form for this.
- Nature of commitment. The department wants to see how committed you are as a couple. Pieces of evidence for this can be nominating each other for superannuation beneficiary or buying a house together. There can be little things as well like buying presents for each other or showing the receipt of a ring, etc.
Documents required for partner VISA
There is a standard set of documents considered by the immigration department that prove your relationship. First of all is the statutory declarations from people who are citizens of that country or permanent residents and they know you and the partner and know about your relationship.
Second is the proof that you and your partner have met face to face and know each other personally. If you have only met over the phone or online then you are not qualified for a partner visa.
Also written statements showing the history of your relationship describing how, where and when you first met, how your relationship developed, when you became married or when you moved together.
If you are married, you obviously need to provide your marriage certificate or you can show the de facto registration certificate. If you are a de facto partner, provide proof of the de facto relationship and this proof should show that you have mutual commitment with your partner.
Other documents that can be put forward to the department are things like joint mortgage or lease documents, joint loan documents, household bills that are in both names, joint invitations with the evidence that you go out together or things like these.
Make sure that you are very well aware of the relationship aspects and make sure to provide all the possible documents that evidence your relationship.
