Hi all, very new to this site and a bit unsure on some info as there is a lot to take in, so I met my now English girlfriend who I met in March 2012 while on holidays overseas, she came to australia in November 2012 we are currently not living together but she is renting nearby which allows us to see each other 4-5 times a week (currently looking for a place to live together) She is on a 1 year working visa but we have both decided to try and get a permanent visa. I don't completely understand the 1 year relationship visa, just wandering if anyone has any Info at all as her visa runs out in November but I don't want time to slip away. Is it possible to apply and what are my chances ? Any Info or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

March 2013.. Sorry for the confusion

If you applied at the moment, then you would probably be rejected. You cannot get a visa for a girlfriend, i.e. someone you are dating. There is a partner visa which defacto couples can apply for, but you are expected to be man and wife in all but name. Husbands and wives do not typically live just nearby each other.

You would need to change your domestic arrangements or get married to have any chance of sponsoring her for a partner visa first of all. Even then you would not have met the 12 months relationship rule, apparently you can circumvent this in some states if you "register a relationship". I have not seen or read of many examples of people actually doing this though.

Thanks, this is what I thought however I'm still un sure on the rules if you register a relationship. I'll wait to hear from others

Does this help?

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sh...lationship.htm

Yeah I've read that before, just trying to find out more about the registered relationship in hope that it could speed things up, appreciated though !

Looking into my crystal ball I see a trip to the registry office in your future.

And no, registering your relationship will not speed things up. You're boyfriend/girlfriend, so not a defacto couple. You would still need to live together as man and wife to have a valid registered relationship.

True. It just removes the usual requirement to have 12 months cohabitation.

For the OP, registering a relationship is much the same as registering a marriage. Although there is no requirement to show you have lived together, you will be expected to show that after the marriage you are living as a married couple - especially as your girlfriend is in the same country as you - you will need shared finances and plenty of proof of a commitment to a life together.

have you read through the partner booklet on the immi site?

http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/801-820.aspx

Can your girlfriend do 3 months regional work and apply for a second WHV? You may then have time to become a genuine de facto couple and apply once you have the necessary evidence x

Chin up mate, almost the same situation with me, albeit 36 years ago and the gender roles reversed.

Back then they gave us a Engagement visa with us to be married at the end of 3 months. Too much pressure, So I went back to England, she came over after 8 months We lived together for about 2 years in the UK.... got married after 18 months, Then got a permanent spouse Visa for me in the UK for permanent residence in Australia.... 34 years later we are still together here in Melbourne.

More than one way of cooking an egg in other words. Plus it can work long term.

Good luck and hope it works out for you.

Own up. You only responded to this because you're hoping the poster is Mark Bright.

Now called Prospective Marriage Visa, gives you 9 months to marry and apply for a spouse visa onshore

I actually applied for another holiday visa about 2 months after getting back to the uk and basically got my passport back with a banned stamp in it. Which is why Sharon came to England instead.

But you persisted As you say where there is a will there is usually a way. Not always with Skills visas, admittedly, but partner visas are a totally different animal!