BritInParis

Since subclass 600 visas are individually processed by a real live human being it will depend on your circumstances as to what your case officer deems appropriate but a British citizen is very likely to receive a multiple entry visa.

spouse of scouse

that tickled me - 'a real live human being'. As opposed to a fake dead one?

xizzles

- similar to the "filmed before a live studio audience". What, you mean there are other types of audiences!?

jazzys

Hi guys, further to the initial question i asked, my prospective partner is now here in Australia on holiday. It has allowed us to spend some time together and i can happily report that it has been just as wonderful as we both expected it to be.

Yesterday we visited a migration agent who recommended the Prospective marriage visa, subclass 300.

My question regards whether it is worth paying an agent 4 grand to do the application for us, or is it pretty straight forward?

I am an Australian citizen and she will be divorced with no dependants.
We intend to marry as soon as we can.

Thanks a million in advance

McDoosh

BritInParis

I'll do it for $2000. Seriously, unless one of you has serious criminal convictions or a poor immigration history, then there's absolutely no need to spend that kind of money on a migration agent, particularly not for a PMV.

A subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa ($7000) has to be applied for from outside Australia, you only have nine months once the visa is granted to enter Australia, get married, obtain a registry issued marriage certificate and lodge a subclass 820/801 Partner visa (another $1170). Or your girlfriend can simply return to the UK, finalise her divorce, come back on a subclass 651 visa ($0) to get married in your own time. Once married she can apply for a subclass 820/801 Partner visa and stay.

jazzys

Thanks for the reply, i have a question :-)

If it needs to be applied for from outside Australia, how on earth would a migration agent do it for me???

The plan is for her to return to the UK shortly and await the divorce to come through. She'd come back to Oz as soon as she could once the divorce is finalised and she is allowed to stay..... What ever visa allows that to happen.
The agent recommended applying for the subclass 300 followed by the 820..... Is that a long winded route or one that incurs unnecessary expense??

Cheers

BritInParis

That would depend on what they are planning to do for you. Most applicants doing all the legwork themselves. Even if the agent is applying on your behalf, you'll still have to scan your own documents and email them to your agent for them to upload.

Both. There's no advantage to a subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa if you are a British citizen unless you have a criminal convictions, health problems or a particularly poor Australian immigration history that prevents you from obtaining a subclass 651 eVisitor visa.

jazzys

I'm now scratching my head wondering why an agent would recommend that route if it was unnecessay? There are no criminal convictions or health problems either

McDoosh

BritInParis

I can think of 4,000 reasons.

jazzys

Are you suggesting she could come back on another 651 and then apply for the 820/801, and not even bother with the subclass 300 at all...?

Is there a way she could come back on the 651, get married and then stay beyond the 3 months the 651 allows you?

Cheers

moneypenny20

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/801- Once she has come back on the 651 and you marry and then apply for the 820/801 she will go onto a bridging visa until she gets approval for the 820/801. She won't have to leave.

Was the migration agent who wanted $4k MARA registered?

BritInParis

I am.

Yes, just apply for a 820/801 from within Australia after getting married. She will be given a bridging visa once her 651 expires until a decision is made in her 820/801. No need to leave.

jazzys

She was indeed Miss Moneypenny.

The fee was going to be $3850 to apply for the 300 visa plus another fee of just over a grand when the 820 was applied for.

Thanks

jazzys

The agent told me that the 300 has lower evidentiary requirements than the 820 and she thought it a little safer to do it that way as we don't have a lot of relationship evidence other than text messages or facebook contact for 14 months.

Having said that, is it really worth 4 grand for her to take us down the route she suggests (subclass 300 followed by 820) or could we easily navigate it ourselves.

Thanks

McDoosh

moneypenny20

That's the sort of shonky behaviour I'd expect from someone not MARA registered.