If you want to obtain a partner visa for your spouse there are a few flexible requirements for it though most of the eligibility requirements are very strict. Ideally, there are three types of partner visa offered. As for the Partner Marriage Visa you will need to be together but if you do not want to be together for the required 12 months period if you are married, you can follow the other two paths for recognition. These two specific partnership visa programs are:
- De facto partner visa and
- The prospective marriage or fiancé visa.
While the de facto visa may require a 12month relationship, there is no such time requirement for the prospective marriage visa path. However, in both the situations you will have to prove with strong evidence that your relationship is a genuine one and is ongoing.
Exceptions and need for scrutiny
There are a few other exceptions in the rule as well which you need to know before you apply for a spouse visa. These are:
- The married path visa is not offered to same-sex couples even if they are married abroad and
- The 12-month de facto wait period is not applicable to those couples who are registered with any federally recognized relationship register of the state or territory.
These relationships registries, however, have specific territories of operation.
Therefore, the evidence is very crucial to obtain AIA Spouse visa as on it will depend on whether you will get a temporary or a permanent visa. It will be unwise on your part to believe that the immigration department issuing such visas will think that your relationship is genuine no matter how strongly you believe in it.
You may even need a qualified immigration lawyer’s service to prove your point. This is because the Immigration Department has made it very clear and also has stated openly that they target the partner visas especially and strictly because there is a large number of false applications made. Hence proper scrutiny is required with substantial and documented proofs.
The range of evidence
All partners will need to provide a lot of evidence to demonstrate their relationships. This range of evidence is wide and varied and is extended in different areas. It includes:
- All financial evidence including income and expenses shares
- Co-habitation evidence including division and sharing of different jobs and responsibilities and
- Social evidence that will reflect the acceptance of the couple in the society and neighborhood.
Apart from the above, the immigration department may also require a few more evidence such as:
- Any co-owned assets including cars and property
- Jewelry
- Joint bank accounts having few months of activity
- Leases
- Joint utility bills
- Photos
- Joint travel records and
- Any detailed statements from family members and friends as well.
The more accurate, precise, consistent and highly detailed will be the evidence, the more weight the personal statements will carry. Therefore, when you prepare your statements make sure that nothing is vague. Check through your emails and Facebook records so that all dates, photos and other details are true and checked for cross-reference for more consistency.
