kschils

Hello expats,

Does anyone has more information on the criteria of a spouse?

The thing is, 3 months ago I applied for a Skilled Independent visa and at that time I didn¡¦t mentioned anything about a spouse. Nowadays I¡¦m wondering when my partner will be officially a spouse. (In case she also wants to apply but as my spouse)

„« Can I just inform the DIMIA about my new partner and can she apply too?
„« I suppose you have to live (officially) together, but is there any criteria for this?
„« Do I have to prove I have a relationship? By bank account or...?

Maybe someone has experience with this kind of problem and can help me¡K

Thanks in advance !

Keith

Natbat

Don't know if this will help but with the spouse visa you have to have 'cohabited' for 12 months or more.

Don't know if this is the same for skilled?

Sorry couldn't be of more help

saraliz

I've just added my partner to my skilled application as my spouse...

Essentially, I think you have to have cohabitated for 12 months in order for them to be included in your application as your spouse.

My partner & I didn't have 12 months cohabitation when I sent off my skilled application, so now that we do have 12 months living together I have sent off a letter informing DIMIA about him, along with his details and proof of our relationship. The proof I sent was pretty much the same sort of things that people send for de facto visa applications - statutory declarations, various correspondence to the both of us at the same address.

Hope this helps!

kschils

Saraliz, when have you sent your application?
Did you informed the DIMIA a few weeks/months after you've sent your application?
Any tips on what to do if I have my visa granted?
Can I sponsor her or is it better that she applies independantly?

saraliz

I sent my visa app in May 2003. I informed DIMIA after I had submitted the application (once we had been living together 12 months). If you already have a visa, I believe you can either sponsor her (once you have settled in Oz) or she can apply herself through skilled independent (if she qualifies).

kschils

Hey saraliz,

Do you have any idea about 'the conditions' before you can sponsor someone from overseas? Do you have to be in Oz for like 12 months or are there any other criteria?
Thanks

Keith

saraliz

To be honest, I don't know any of the details - I 'think' you can sponsor her once you're settled, but I'm not positive about that. You might want to try posting to the Immigration forum, I'm sure someone there will know!

kschils

That's what I hoped...
I'll post this question on the Immi forum!
Thanks for your help mate !

Keith

avocado

I'm in the position whereby with the rush of the 13/04/04 for 115 points I submitted a 136 application with my defacto spouse but although we have been living together at our 2 properties since march 2003 we can only find proof of that since aug/sep 2003. I have already included my spouse on the form and we continue to live together and now save all mail! should i remove him and then reinclude him in august/sept when we are sure of our documented proof? what do you think?

JAJ

The criteria is legal marriage *or* 12 months cohabitation as de-facto spouse.

To the original poster, form 47SK has already asked if you are in a de-facto relationship and you should have answered truthfully.

Once you reach 12 months cohabitation, you *must* declare your partner to DIMIA as a spouse. Normally you would add her to the application at this point. Regardless, the partner would then need to do medicals and police checks.

Jeremy

avocado

Thanks Jeremy for the reply. we have been living together since March 2003 as I have a home in the city where my mail is sent to and my defacto has a home in the country. Defacto rented out his house to family friends as he decided to return to full time education and we decided to move to my city home to cut costs & hence changed all his mail to show my address since sept 03. We have now rented out both houses and have bought another so we have changed all mail & address again for us both. We requested aspc to forward all correspondence to my mother's home as we are renovating the new property. As you can see we are in and have been in a defacto relationship since March 03 and have just received our acknowledgement from ASPC showing my defacto as part of the family unit. So I am now wondering if the migration regulations will allow me to remove defacto and reinstate him in say aug/sept or a time closer to grant when we are more confident of the evidence that we have. This issue is an oversight on our part but we were in such haste to get all docs certified and couriered (and they arrived on 13/04/04) that we didn't think. Please help with your experince Jeremy. it is very much appreciated!