gippaloo

Hello everyone,

I am just wanting to get some help and advise if I could for my visa that I am applying for. It is the 820 defacto visa for Australia...

The only thing is that I am American not British, but the process seems to be similar between the two countries...I am just not really able to get any help at the American forum..

I just had a couple of questions,

We are getting ready to submit our application, but I am really worried that he and I do not have enough evidence...I have lived with my boyfriend since September 2011, we have our relationship registered in NSW so the 1 year requirement isn't an issue, my main concern is that since I came out here he and I have been living with his mother and we have been paying board to her, so we aren't on any leases together...

The only financial aspect we share is a mutual savings account, and the fact that we both pay board to his mother.

If I were to get a certified statement from her saying that we pay board, will the DIAC accept that as financial proof??

Also how many stat decs (form 888's) should I get? I was going to get three from his mother, father and sister but I didn't know if I should get any more.


Also what items should I get certified? Should I just get everything certified? (chat transcripts, cards he has sent me, photos, etc etc?)

Thanks very much for the help! And sorry for all of the questions, I just want to make sure we get everything right!!

moneypenny20

Regardless of the NSW registration there is no point in submitting your application before your 12 months cohabitation, it's only a few weeks away. Yes a stat dec from his mother will help support your application as it helps prove you live at the same place apart from the financial aspect. Three 888s are plenty, do you have any from anyone else not Australian?

You haven't said so just want to check that you do have other proof of cohabitation? It doesn't have to be joint, it can be simply that you both have official paperwork with your addresses as the same so your mobile phone contract has the same address as his car insurance for example. Have a look through the Spouse Visa Thread for many more examples of what others have provided in their applications.

Good luck.

gippaloo

Thanks so much for your response!! Yes I am pretty much going to wait until about a week before my WHV expires to submit the application, we pretty much got our relationship registered just to take that pressure off of having to wait until the very last day to submit the application...

And I don't have any statements from anyone outside of australia, as none of my family live here. Should I get my family to do some statements?? Would they need to get those certified in the states? Or can they just do the statements and send them to me?? Are those a requirement?

And we do have things with our addresses on them, we have a joint savings account, and the statements are always sent to our address in both of our names, we also both have NSW drivers licenses which I will copy and include in the application that show us both at the same address..

Thanks again for your help!

moneypenny20

Other statements don't have to be just family, they can be friends who know you BOTH well, who have shared events with you from the beginning of your relationship to now. It's always a good idea to get a balanced view ie not just his immediate family. If they are not Australian they don't need to be certified, just general letters/statements signed by themselves but if they are Australian then they do have to be certified 888s.

Edit: Just been told about the ruling re registration removing the 12 month requirement. Sorry if I've confused you in any way.

Bermudashorts

I agree with MP, to wait until you have a year. I have not come across anyone yet that has used this registering relationship thing in leiu of rpoper time co-habitating. I know the blurb suggests it is a replacement, but I have just never seen anyone doing that and there are many partner visa applicants that have posted on BE in the last 3.5 years!

Proof of address is key, a lot of people get preoccupied with photos and emails swapped and forget abut the address which is far more valuable.

Finally, hold some things back, so that if you are asked for further evidence you have something to give, rather than having to say "that's it sorry".

gippaloo

Ok thanks for the advice!

So should I wait till the last week or so until my visa expires to put in my application??

Also will our NSW drivers liscences and bank statements be enough evidence to show proof of co habitation together? Or should I try to find other things to put in with the application to show that we live together?

Dorothy

Do you have any bills sent to your mutual address? Letters or invitations?

Pollyana

The last time the registering of a relationship was mentioned it had been added to the Partner booklet and was quite acceptable. No one has yet come back and said they've used it for a visa but I think the subject has only come up twice. Check the booklet but i think its still in there. (I can't check, i'm on the move!).

Do not wait till your visa expires! You must apply while you still have a valud visa or leave the country before you become illegal!

Pollyana

OK, now home and dug out the link and booklet -

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1127.pdf

Check Page 18:

The 12-month relationship requirement at time of application lodgement does not apply if:....................at the time of application for the visa the de facto relationship was registered under a law of a state or territory prescribed in the Acts Interpretation (Registered Relationship) Regulations 2008 as a kind of relationship prescribed in those regulations. Relationship registration is not available in all Australian states or territories and eligibility for registration also differs depending on the state or territory. Prospective applicants considering registration of their relationship should check with the relevant state or territory Births, Deaths and Marriages agency for further information.

NSW and (I'm fairly sure) Victoria allow registration of relationships. Queensland doens't, don't know about the others.

gippaloo

Ok awesome, thank you so much for checking on that for me. We do definitely have our relationship registered with NSW, I have the certificate and everything and am going to include it in the application...I will definitely lodge the application a couple of weeks before my visa is set to expire now just so I know that it will go through ok

Thanks very much for your help everyone!!