I have a sister who is in Ecuador, she went to study an MBA un Australia and applied to a Skilled Visa for Permanent Residence. Then she went to Ecuador and she is there now waiting for the visa. The problem is that her Australian boyfriend was so inloved that 3 months after my sister went back to Ecuador, he travelled for 1 month to Ecuador to visit her and asked her to marry, so now they are engaged.

Now they are desperate, she is waiting in Ecuador for the skilled visa and he is waiting in Australia, it is taking too long and they havent even begun reviewing the application. Now they are thinking in applying to a Prospective Marriage visa. How should they proceed with the other application? withdrawal? can they get their money back

Thanks for any input !!

She can't get her money back and she probably should proceed with the skilled visa as it means a quicker route to Permanent Residence.

She may be able to proceed with the Prospective Marriage visa in the meantime. There is no obligation normally to withdraw one application in order to lodge another. However she needs to be careful - advise both DIAC offices of the other application, and immediately withdraw the fiance visa application if the skilled visa is granted sooner.