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A question of marriage!

A question of marriage!

Old May 27th 2005, 6:33 pm
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Default A question of marriage!

Hi, This is my first post and I have a question that perhaps some knowledgeble people could help me with.

I am English, 51 and single, Last year via online dating I met a Kiwi woman who has an Aussie passport and has lived in Queensland for 20 years. We finally met in January when I went to Brisbane and we spent 3 lovely weeks together and got on like the proverbial "house on fire". Since then we have talked about living together and of me moving to Australia. I have lived in Amsterdam for 20 years where I have my own small company that I am in the process of selling and am seriously thinking of moving over at the beginning of next year.

She is coming to Europe for a month in September and I am going back with her in October to do the family meeting (parents) thing as her mum and dad will be over from NZ,

Now my question is, what is the reccomended procedure if we decide we want to get married? Do we have to decide this from a distance and apply first or should I just go over there, and have us announce our impending marriage to the authorities?

Thing is I would have no job or anything organised and though I have some money behind me from the sale of my business and house, I rather like the idea of being semi retired and would like to know how I stand with the immigration people if we just went ahead and got married?

She's looking at the situation from her end without wanting to sound like this is arranged mariage because it isn't but I was just wondering if there was anyone around here who had maybe been this way before. I know there are no definitive answers so just a general idea would do.

Sorry to witter on!

Cheers
Tim
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Old May 27th 2005, 8:34 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Tim W
Hi, This is my first post and I have a question that perhaps some knowledgeble people could help me with.

I am English, 51 and single, Last year via online dating I met a Kiwi woman who has an Aussie passport and has lived in Queensland for 20 years. We finally met in January when I went to Brisbane and we spent 3 lovely weeks together and got on like the proverbial "house on fire". Since then we have talked about living together and of me moving to Australia. I have lived in Amsterdam for 20 years where I have my own small company that I am in the process of selling and am seriously thinking of moving over at the beginning of next year.

She is coming to Europe for a month in September and I am going back with her in October to do the family meeting (parents) thing as her mum and dad will be over from NZ,

Now my question is, what is the reccomended procedure if we decide we want to get married? Do we have to decide this from a distance and apply first or should I just go over there, and have us announce our impending marriage to the authorities?

Thing is I would have no job or anything organised and though I have some money behind me from the sale of my business and house, I rather like the idea of being semi retired and would like to know how I stand with the immigration people if we just went ahead and got married?

She's looking at the situation from her end without wanting to sound like this is arranged mariage because it isn't but I was just wondering if there was anyone around here who had maybe been this way before. I know there are no definitive answers so just a general idea would do.

Sorry to witter on!

Cheers
Tim
Hi Tim and welcome to the forum

The best place to pop any immigration questionsare in the imigration part of the forum rather than the lifestyle part as you have.

You need to look at www.dimia.gov.au to see whch visa suits you best, maybe the Prospective mariage visa is the best one for you guys.

I would not enter Australia on a tourist visa and try and apply here as on a tourist visa you are basically saying that you are a tourist and intend on goin home, if that is not the case hen you are better off getting the correct visa before arriving.

Good luck
Kala
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Old May 27th 2005, 8:52 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Kala

Thanks for the reply, I put the post in the right place!

Thanks
Tim
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Old May 27th 2005, 9:42 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Tim W
Hi, This is my first post and I have a question that perhaps some knowledgeble people could help me with.

I am English, 51 and single, Last year via online dating I met a Kiwi woman who has an Aussie passport and has lived in Queensland for 20 years. We finally met in January when I went to Brisbane and we spent 3 lovely weeks together and got on like the proverbial "house on fire". Since then we have talked about living together and of me moving to Australia. I have lived in Amsterdam for 20 years where I have my own small company that I am in the process of selling and am seriously thinking of moving over at the beginning of next year.

She is coming to Europe for a month in September and I am going back with her in October to do the family meeting (parents) thing as her mum and dad will be over from NZ,

Now my question is, what is the reccomended procedure if we decide we want to get married? Do we have to decide this from a distance and apply first or should I just go over there, and have us announce our impending marriage to the authorities?

Thing is I would have no job or anything organised and though I have some money behind me from the sale of my business and house, I rather like the idea of being semi retired and would like to know how I stand with the immigration people if we just went ahead and got married?

She's looking at the situation from her end without wanting to sound like this is arranged mariage because it isn't but I was just wondering if there was anyone around here who had maybe been this way before. I know there are no definitive answers so just a general idea would do.

Sorry to witter on!

Cheers
Tim


Sounds like to me that the fiance visa would be the way to go but your better half would have to sponser you. You would have to do this outside of OZ and then once granted a visa marry within 9 months and then move on to the next stage of visa and would be another 2 years before you would be a permanant resident of OZ.
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Old May 27th 2005, 9:59 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Thanks very much for the info. So are you saying that if I am in Australia on a tourist visa visiting and we decide to marry then we couldn't and I'd have to leave the country and apply while not in the country?

If thats the case, and idea how long the fiance visa takes to organise?

Thanks
Tim
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Old May 27th 2005, 10:06 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Tim W
Thanks very much for the info. So are you saying that if I am in Australia on a tourist visa visiting and we decide to marry then we couldn't and I'd have to leave the country and apply while not in the country?

If thats the case, and idea how long the fiance visa takes to organise?

Thanks
Tim
Yes. If everything is reasonably simple fiance visas usually get granted quite quickly. My wifes was 2 months I think and we had to go and organise a court judgement for DIMIA in that time aswell.
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Old May 27th 2005, 10:26 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

I'm from the UK and met my aussie husband whilst I was in Sydney on a working holiday visa. I returned to the UK when that visa expired and applied for the fiance visa and returned to Sydney when the visa was granted, we got married within the 9 month period (visa condition) and I've been a temporary resident for two years and have just applied for permanent residency I would have loved for us to get married in England however at the time it was much easier for us to follow the above route.

I was very nervous about applying for the fiance visa as you have to provide evidence that your relationship is 'genuine and continuing' to immigration, i.e. photographs of you together with friends and family, statutory declarations off those who know you both as a couple, letters/envelopes etc etc. Whilst we did have all of this, we had not lived together so we didn't have things like bills in joint names and joint bank account statements (these are the things you will need to provide sooner or later at the various stages of visas). Therefore I used a migration agent and paid them 500 GBP to check everything was OK. As it happened, the consultant I used had previously worked in 'Australia House' in London and my visa was processed within two weeks by an old friend of hers - so it did pay off for me to use them!

I would recommend checking out with immigration, however a migration agent is far easier and my agent cut their fee in half as I had already gathered pretty much all of the evidence (sometimes they offer their first consultation free).

I hope everything works out for you, when I met my hubbie we were only together for 6 weeks and we knew we would be married. That is now 3 years ago and I haven't looked back since.
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Old May 27th 2005, 11:08 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Peeper
I'm from the UK and met my aussie husband whilst I was in Sydney on a working holiday visa. I returned to the UK when that visa expired and applied for the fiance visa and returned to Sydney when the visa was granted, we got married within the 9 month period (visa condition) and I've been a temporary resident for two years and have just applied for permanent residency I would have loved for us to get married in England however at the time it was much easier for us to follow the above route.

I was very nervous about applying for the fiance visa as you have to provide evidence that your relationship is 'genuine and continuing' to immigration, i.e. photographs of you together with friends and family, statutory declarations off those who know you both as a couple, letters/envelopes etc etc. Whilst we did have all of this, we had not lived together so we didn't have things like bills in joint names and joint bank account statements (these are the things you will need to provide sooner or later at the various stages of visas). Therefore I used a migration agent and paid them 500 GBP to check everything was OK. As it happened, the consultant I used had previously worked in 'Australia House' in London and my visa was processed within two weeks by an old friend of hers - so it did pay off for me to use them!

I would recommend checking out with immigration, however a migration agent is far easier and my agent cut their fee in half as I had already gathered pretty much all of the evidence (sometimes they offer their first consultation free).

I hope everything works out for you, when I met my hubbie we were only together for 6 weeks and we knew we would be married. That is now 3 years ago and I haven't looked back since.
Thanks for the info. Peeper. I am sure it'll work out, neither of us are spring chickens any more and like you, it didn't take long for us to realise we wanted to get married!

Do e-mails count as "proof of relationship" We have hundreds of them going back to the first ones! Funny to read them now!

Cheers
Tim
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Old May 28th 2005, 1:09 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

They certainly do! I (the wife) kept heaps of them and simply selected one from each month that we'd known each other (to show continuity) a few choice PM's and records of our NetMeetings. (Camera and voice communications)
That with a few birthday, Valentines day and Christmas cards was more than enough to prove an ongoing relationship.
Don't forget a few pics of you together as well to show you've met in person.

The application booklet is pretty straightforward and outlines everything you could possibly need...have a good read and get sorting!!

Just be careful not to overload them! They HAVE to read everything you send and if you send HEAPS it'll take longer to process.

Siren
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Old May 28th 2005, 2:01 pm
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Siren & Brian
They certainly do! I (the wife) kept heaps of them and simply selected one from each month that we'd known each other (to show continuity) a few choice PM's and records of our NetMeetings. (Camera and voice communications)
That with a few birthday, Valentines day and Christmas cards was more than enough to prove an ongoing relationship.
Don't forget a few pics of you together as well to show you've met in person.

The application booklet is pretty straightforward and outlines everything you could possibly need...have a good read and get sorting!!

Just be careful not to overload them! They HAVE to read everything you send and if you send HEAPS it'll take longer to process.

Siren
Great, thanks for that!

Cheers
Tim
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Old May 30th 2005, 3:47 am
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Tim W
Thanks very much for the info. So are you saying that if I am in Australia on a tourist visa visiting and we decide to marry then we couldn't and I'd have to leave the country and apply while not in the country?

If thats the case, and idea how long the fiance visa takes to organise?

Thanks
Tim

Hi Tim,

Just wanted to say that although it's not reccomended it is possible. I was on a tourist visa when I got married (we met while I was here on a working holiday visa) They never questioned me on it at the interview.
But I reckon it would be best tpo go the Fiance Visa way as it's the 'correct' wy to do it. Good luck!
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Old May 30th 2005, 8:58 am
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Tim W
Thanks very much for the info. So are you saying that if I am in Australia on a tourist visa visiting and we decide to marry then we couldn't and I'd have to leave the country and apply while not in the country?

If thats the case, and idea how long the fiance visa takes to organise?

Thanks
Tim
Just a quick note that my fiance visa was processed within a month in the UK late last year. The paperwork is less cumbersome than proving you have lived together or know each other for a given amount of time too.

The contract is basically 'get married and then we'll see about letting you stay' not 'how long have you known each other and is this a genuine relationship'.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Matt
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Old May 30th 2005, 10:47 am
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Thanks for the replies and the info. Much appreciated!

Cheers
Tim
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Old May 30th 2005, 10:49 am
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Default Re: A question of marriage!

Originally Posted by Siren & Brian
They certainly do! I (the wife) kept heaps of them and simply selected one from each month that we'd known each other (to show continuity) a few choice PM's and records of our NetMeetings. (Camera and voice communications)
That with a few birthday, Valentines day and Christmas cards was more than enough to prove an ongoing relationship.
Don't forget a few pics of you together as well to show you've met in person.

The application booklet is pretty straightforward and outlines everything you could possibly need...have a good read and get sorting!!

Just be careful not to overload them! They HAVE to read everything you send and if you send HEAPS it'll take longer to process.

Siren
We did the same and I bet the Dept of Immigration get miles of laughs from all our proof of our undying love

Mind, they never once met my husband (the Aussie part of the application), he could have been a figment of an over active imagination!

M
 

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