Partner Visa Process
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Partner Visa Process
Here at Australian Partner Visa, we have designed our personalised checklists that have been based on the many partner visa applications that we have lodged over the past 12 years. You have the benefit of the years of experience that has come with the processing of such a large volume of partner visa applications, and our interactions and involvement with the immigration partner processing department.
We have lodged visa’s for people from all corners of the globe, and we are proud to say, all have been successful. Our record is perfect and we are proud of that, and not many firms that have been around as long as us, can claim that accolade, and we aim to keep our record in tack.
Broadly speaking there are 3 options for you and they shall be briefly explained as follows:
OPTION 1. Fiancé Visa: Your Partner is Overseas
- You must have met your partner in person.
- Must be lodged outside of Australia.
- Applicant must be outside of Australia when granted.
- After the visa is lodged the applicant can come visit Australia while the visa is being processed.
- Takes about 12 months to be processed.
- After the visa is granted the applicant has 9 months to come to Australia and get married.
- Similar processing to a married visa.
- Visa is processed in the country it was lodged in.
- If the applicant chooses this pathway, it is a 3 step process: (fiancé, temp partner, partner).
OPTION 2. Spouse/Partner Visa
There are three options from within the married partner guidelines.
A) You got married overseas.
B) You got married here in Australia, or maybe.
C) You want to get married here.
We can lodge your partner visa either from within, or outside of Australia.
Some considerations:
- If you decide to marry overseas, registration can be difficult.
- If you marry over seas you must be very careful of what marriage Act you are marrying under. For example a Hindu wedding involves the 7 step around the sacred fire, and if you don’t take 7 steps, you are not married, legally, and unless you can prove that, there may be a problem.
- If you marry in the Philippines, remember there is no such thing as divorce.
- If your family does expand and your partner gives birth to your child overseas, a citizenship by decent application is a delicate matter.
- If you marry overseas, it's hard to obtain a visitor visa for your partner to come to Australia.
- There are intending legal changes imminent that will make it very hard for a partner visa to be lodged here in Australia tipped to be introduced in 2018.
- If you are intending to marry here in Australia, you need to be aware of your partners current visa and if there are restrictions on that visa.
- There are more than 65,000 partner visa applications currently in the system, you will be 65,001.
- There are less than 100 case officers Australia wide, processing partner visas.
- Most case officers are juggling more than 100 visa applications at one time, they might appreciate a well put together one.
OPTION 3. De Facto Visa
De facto visas are our most common visa application.
De facto visas make up more than 87% of partner visa applications and are the hardest of the 3 partner visas to get over the line.
De facto visas have a tricky element to them as the 12-month rule is applicable. What that means is that the assessment period is the 12 month period PRIOR to the lodgement of the visa, what happens after you lodge, is not counted, UNLESS, yes there is always an unless.
Unless you have been in this industry for more than 15 years and know the ropes.