Originally Posted by Rljacobs

Hi guys, more advice needed please lol

I'm hoping that OH will be able to get spouse visa 100 straight away as we will have been together over 3 years at time of application. Trouble is, I've only been able to get council tax forms stating our names and address from 2009. I've been sent one dated July 2009 and others dotted around 2009/10. So far these are the only 'official' forms I've got with both our names on, (electricity and gas have been useless) but they're all of the same kind, if you know what I mean. I'm really keen for him to get the permanent visa straight off as it will solve a lot of hassle 2 years down the line.
My question is, are these 4 council forms going to be enough to prove that we have been in a relationship/known each other since July 2009 and hence allow him to be considered for the 100 visa?

Thank you again

Originally Posted by jmm2905

Hi All
My Aussie fiance and I are almost finished gathering and compiling our application for the subclass 309 and 100 De Facto spouse visa. So far what we have put together looks like a novel due to be handed into the publishers, it's so thick!

So what we gathered up to date is as follows:

* Gas and electricity bills, both in joint names
* Joint current account statements
* Joint savings account statements
* Joint home insurance and other utility bills
* Heaps of stat decs (888) from Aussie friends and family and equal amount from non Aussie friends / family
* Certified copies of passports etc
* Photographs scanned onto A4 pages
* Completed forms from OH and myself

We're both yet to complete our statements detailing the history of our relationship. To be honest I am a little stumped with regards to what I should write, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
D

Originally Posted by daunted

I agree - submit a complete application - notime for playing games holdingvstuff back that may or not be needed! My sons defacto submitted everything they had in one go - 4 months later (to the day) visa granted! :-)

Originally Posted by daunted

i would be very surprised! (but stranger things happen!) Have u been together or living together for that time? my son and his partner been together for over 4 years (lived together for 2 1/2 years) and his partner still gotta wait out the 2 years!

Originally Posted by jmm2905

Hi All

This is my first post since I joined the forum and have been reading all the posts on the Spouse Visa Circle thread. I must say that I've found the forum very interesting and packed with very useful information, so thanks to everyone for your contributions.

My Aussie fiance and I are almost finished gathering and compiling our application for the subclass 309 and 100 De Facto spouse visa. So far what we have put together looks like a novel due to be handed into the publishers, it's so thick!

So what we gathered up to date is as follows:

* Gas and electricity bills, both in joint names
* Joint current account statements
* Joint savings account statements
* Joint home insurance and other utility bills
* Heaps of stat decs (888) from Aussie friends and family and equal amount from non Aussie friends / family
* Certified copies of passports etc
* Photographs scanned onto A4 pages
* Completed forms from OH and myself

We're both yet to complete our statements detailing the history of our relationship. To be honest I am a little stumped with regards to what I should write, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I've certainly spent a lot of time reading through the partner migration booklet, but was wondering if there's anything else that I might have missed out on or should submit with the application?

I've read on some of the threads that forum members have been advised not submit everything as DIAC may ask for more; however I would have thought that submitting everything would mean that DIAC don't ever need to request further information or am I wrong in assuming so?

Thanks again for all your advice and guidance

Originally Posted by Rljacobs

Mazza, did you get the 100 visa straight off?

Originally Posted by Mazza12

Yes I did! We had been living together for nearly 4 years at the time of application.

Originally Posted by Rljacobs

So it is possible then, thats great! Did you get a MARA agent to check your application over before submitting or did you do it entirely on your own also, did it take long from submission to grant? Thanks!

Originally Posted by jmm2905

Hi daunted

Thanks for the advice. I certainly would have thought the same. I'd rather provide DIAC with more evidence than with less, that way I don't need to be concerned about them requesting further info and if they did, I'd be somewhat miffed with them as I would've given them absolutely everyrthing they requested and possibly even a bit more!

Originally Posted by Rljacobs

So it is possible then, thats great! Did you get a MARA agent to check your application over before submitting or did you do it entirely on your own also, did it take long from submission to grant? Thanks!

Originally Posted by LizzieTYK

We submitted ours last week - woo-hoo! It sounds like you've got plenty of evidence, but if you can I'd also submit some more evidence to do with the 'social context' of your relationship rather than the pure financials - do you have any engagement party/wedding invitations addressed to the both of you, joint sports/season ticket/cinema membership?

The statements are difficult to begin with but just start writing - you can always edit them and cut out waffle later on. Use the visa booklet as a checklist of things you need to cover. Our statements were reasonably lengthy - 3 sides each (double spaced though). We each did one setting out how we met, when we fell in love, when we first moved in together, how we support each other emotionally, practically and financially (with examples), why we want to move to Oz, what we're planning to do when we get there etc. We wrote them ourselves so everything is in our own words, but then obviously checked them to eliminate any discrepancies

The joint one was also 3 sides, setting out how we split our finances, how we split the housework and general household 'admin', examples of different family and social events we've been to together over the years (ideally with cross-reference to evidence you've dug out e.g. wedding invitations), joint hobbies....

hope that helps a bit?

Originally Posted by Pollyana

My point is that many people on here have been asked for more info when they HAVE submitted everything - all their bills, lots of stat decs etc - then they come on here and are desperately seeking ideas of what more to send. years ago it was rare to see a "more proof of relationship needed" request, but in the last 2-3 years its become very common. All I suggest is that you send some bills, not all, get a couple of extra sta decs done, keeo back some of the invites and personal stuff.
Up to you of course, but it has become a common cry on here "we sent them everything, what do we do now?"

Originally Posted by jmm2905

Thanks for the advice Pollyana. I guess we could keep one or 2 bills back and a few stat decs and invites etc. Had it not been for the forumn, I'd have just submitted absolutely everything, but at the same time I feel like I don't want to keep anything back from DIAC. I guess it's also the CO you're assigned at the end of the day.