Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Hello,

My girlfriend and I are currently filling in the application forms for a de facto partner visa (309 and 100 I think it is). We both need to write statements about the history of our relationship and attach anything to it we think might be able to assist us. This is the bit we're struggling with. There's plenty of help on the immi website but it's all a little ambiguous and we could use some help.

Has anyone had experience with this who could offer some advice please? I know the relationship details are of a personal nature but what sort of things could we also attach to this section?

Many thanks,

John

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Hi.
The wife and I had to do the same thing for the spouse visa. I wrote about how we met, how the relationship developed (dating, contact, moving in together, getting married) then how things are now (joint house ownership, sharing of responsibilities such as bills, housework, looking after the kids, holidays). Then talked about how the relationship worked and how we feel about each other. Did seem odd writing such personal things for a complete stranger though.
I think my statement covered 2 sides of A4, just. I did some internet searching and found some posts where people have written over 10 sides! I took the attitude of keeping it brief, and if they wanted more they would ask.

All the best, :D

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Nice one, cheers for your help!
John

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Does partner visa really require to proof all this? I thought that if you're legally married, you don't have to write all this stuff. I thought it was only the case of "de facto" visa...

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Legally married doesn't equal continuing and genuine relationship, therefore yes you have to prove you have a genuine marriage with joint accounts, wills etc. I had to write a similar letter, and just wrote about how it all began, where we were with our relationship at the time of writing (married with a young son, husbands job, living circumstances etc) and what we were planning for future. Hope this helps the OP.

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

I've check DIAC website and to my surprise you're right. Practically the only difference in eligibility between "de facto" applicant and married (prospective) one is the 12 month relationship requirement.

Are you aware of any case when partner (married) visa were rejected based on, let's say, short relationship or something similar?

Edit: even the moderator (Pollyana) posted in one of my queries this:"Prospective Marriage Visa is for people who are engaged to be married, so there is no requirement for cohabitation, you just need to have met your partner, in person, before applying."

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

I would just about bet my house that visas would have been declined because of insufficient evidence. There is no point worrying about that, just focus on your own application. My top tip, stop referring to your partner as your girlfriend, this visa is not for girlfriends and boyfriends, it is for people who are married in all but name (all for the legal ceremony I mean).

And there is a massive difference between applying for a partner visa versus applying for a prospective marriage visa, for good advice, be clear about which one you are thinking of.

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Thats for the Prospective Marriage Visa, when a fiance is applying to marry an Aus citizen/PR. When they then apply for the Spouse Visa after marriage they will have to show evidence of a relationship, and a shared life.

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Generally, when applying for a Spouse Visa either on grounds of marriage OR de facto, if there is insufficient evidence supplied then the CO will go back to the applicant and ask for more evidence and information.
However if there isn't enough to prove that the relationship is genuine then the application will be rejected. it can and does happen.

If you need more info on the sort of evidence thart DIBP will look for, have a browse through this thread. Lots of Spouse applicants there.

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

First off all, thanks for you comments.

I apologize if my wording wasn't clear but I simply find the term "partner" (that DIAC uses in all relating visas) confusing. My dictionary tells me that it can be used both as a married partner and "girlfriend".

Anyway, from your valuable inputs I've just learned that basically "the safest" way to live with my (so far) girlfriend is to apply for prospective visa and get married after she gets to AU. I'm saying safest because we don't know each other very long and I'm afraid we would straggle to make DIAC happy with all the proving.

Can you please confirm that I see it the right way?

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

jimcz,

You'd have more success if you started your own thread. We're beginning to move away from the original question.

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

I've attached the list of documents to submit we used when compiling our Spouse visa application.
(It was taken from a previous thread from a couple of years ago. Apologise to the OP. I can't remember who they were).

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Have a look at my link in the post above, The Spouse Visa thread linked there has loads of suggestions for stuff uou can attach as evidence :)

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Very useful, thank you!

John

Re: Help needed with de facto visa statement
 

Thanks too. And I apologize to OP for hijacking the thread.