Pollyana

47SP and 40SP are the actual application forms for the 300, 309/100 and 820/801. They are backed up by the evidence of relationship, police check, medical etc and other forms like Form 80 if requested.
When you apply online you will fill in an electronic version of 47 and 40 instead of the actual long forms.

The applicants name must match the name on the passport. She doesn't have to change her name after marriage, she can continue to be known by her maiden name if she wants to, but if she does choose to change the name by which she is generally known, then she needs to change her passport, and apply for the visa in the new name.
Otherwise apply for the visa in her maiden name and leave her passport unchanged.
Remember any flight tickets must match the name on the passport and thus the name on the visa (if you are thinking flying abroad for a honeymoon, take note!)

jazzys

Sooooooooooooooo, once we're married and she has my surname she'll have to VERY quickly apply for a new British passport in her new name.
Her current passport is in her old married name, not her maiden name.

I'm also a little unsure of whether her sons need to complete forms 47A.
One lived in the same home before she left it, he now lives with his stepfather, but he had his own income etc. The other left home a couple of years ago. Are either of these classed as dependants meaning they'd have to complete 47A

Thanks a million

McDoosh

Pollyana

To be honest she would be better to apply initially using her current name, as on her passport. Then once the application has been lodged she can apply for a new passport, when that arrives she uploads a copy of the new one, and advises the name change through her immiaccount. The visa will then be issued in her new name. There will be plenty of time to do that before they issue the visa.

How old are the children? If they are over 18 and have their own incomes then they are no longer dependent and aren't included as dependents on the application. Presumably they are not trying to migrate with her?

jazzys

Thanks Pollyanna, so its ok to apply in the name of her passport even though that wouldn't actually be her name at the time because we'll have been married?

Yeah the boys are both over 18, and both have their own incomes. They won't be migrating with her no.

Thats one less piece of paperwork to think about.

Thanks a million

McDoosh

Pollyana

Just because ou are married doesn't mean her name has changed. Her name only changes when she decides she wants to be known by the same name as her new husband. If she chose to, then she could remain known by her previous married name even though she has a new husband. Many women (including me) continue to use their former name for business/work reasons after marriage as its easier than changing it, yet in their personal lives they use their married name, and have that one on the passport (and visa, if they have one).

If her passport currently says Ms X YYY then apply as that. If she wants to be known as Mrs X ZZZ after her marriage then she can tell everyone that, its only on paper that her name remains Ms YYY.
Do the application as Ms YYY
Then get a new passport as Ms ZZZ and advise DIBP of the change of name and passport number.
Visa will be issued as Ms ZZZ

(I did exactly that, changed a passport name and number after application) and it worked)

As for the boys - there's somewhere on the form where she will fill in their details as being her children, but they aren't dependents, no need for medicals, 47A or anything else from them at all, she'll just need to put in their names and dates of birth.

jazzys

Awesome Pollyanna, thanks so much for the guidance.

Now just the task of pulling everything together for proof of our relationship.
This may be the biggest task of them all...... Not knowing exactly what satisfies their needs

McDoosh

Pollyana

good luck - and keep asking, no matter how minor any question seems, lots of us have been down the same path.

jazzys

Hi guys, regarding the 888 forms, can i get those completed by friends at any time? Someone on another thread was alluding to the fact they had a shelf life of only 8 weeks...

Thanks

McDoosh

Pollyana

They might not be acceptable after a year or so' but they will certainly be good for longer than 8 weeks. Some of mine were 3-4 months old at least.

moneypenny20

Don't forget that the 888 is only needed for Australian Citizens. If some of your 'witnesses' are different nationalities, then just a signed letter is sufficient and they don't need certifying.

Still Game

Regarding paper vs online - it's whatever you're most comfortable with however we just went through the spouse visa process and although it did require A LOT of documents (some certified, some not (but in colour)), it was so easy to open an immi account and just scan/upload the documents as and when you have them to hand.

jazzys

With regard to the partner visa, 820, would it actually make a difference whether we got married or not before we submitted the application?

Or can we just register the relationship?

Does a marriage count for anything?

Thanks

McDoosh

Pollyana

Registering the relationship has the same effect as marriage, in that it removes the need to prove 12 months de facto cohabitation.
If you get married, no need to register the relationship, and vice versa. You'll still have to provide all the same evidence of relationship.

jazzys

Thanks Pollanna, thats good news. It will just mean we have more time to plan a wedding.....I'm guessing once we're married we'd notify the immigration department as to our change of status...???

McDoosh

Pollyana

Yep, just upload the marriage certificate