My (australian) Partner is starting a job in Sydney in December this year.

I am starting the visa application process - and am wondering how long this takes (on average) either for a defacto partner sponsored visa (probably a better route) or a skilled migration.

Any clues?

Also any ideas on the costs?

Thanks for the tips!

Keithyb

Hi Keithyb,
Just received an email yesterday saying that our visas have been granted
Spouse visa application and it only took 4 weeks. Cost 525GBP (sorry no pound sign). We didn't use an agent either .

Hope this helps a wee bitty
Shona

I wouldn't bother with the skilled migration unless you have little faith in your relationship

Have a look at austimeline.com - will get a good idea from there.

If you go for de facto, do you have plenty of documentation of proof of relationship and how long have you been together?

thanks for that - geez its not cheap hey - but at least its quite cheap.

Do you now have to enter Aus before a certain date - and did you have to provide all sorts of proof (joint bank accounts etc) and did they ask all your friends and rellies loads of questions?

kb

Been living together for 14 months - and had joint bank accounts for about the same, as well as car insurance etc....

When you get your visa it will have an enter by date. This will (normally) be within 12 months of medical or pcc (police check) whichever was earliest. If there was any medical complication you might have six months to validate. You have to have the visa stamped at Aus customs within that date. After that you can come back (if you want) but head back within another four years.

If you are going for a de facto, you need to provide loads of info on your relationship. You will need to get statutory declarations from friends and family and two from Aussie citizens stating how they see the relationship, what you have done together blah blah blah. You will also have to produce a joint statement from the pair of you about the relationship.

In visa terms, it is very straightforward and can be got in a couple of weeks. The first thing you need to do is download booklet 1 from the DIMIA site and read it front to back, left to right, inside out and back again

If you do a search on here for mlbonner, she did de facto and has posted everything she included as proof. You won't have things she did, but you might have most and other stuff but it's very useful.