Hey guys!

I'm new to this site and have a query about the one-year relationship requirement. Our situation is as follows: I am an Irish citizen and have been in a defacto relationship with my Australian boyfriend since April 2009 (we met while I was on a 1-year working holiday visa). We lived together in Australia from April until the end of July 2009 but have no paper evidence of that (bills, mail etc.).

I left Australia at the end of July to return to Ireland to begin a Masters at the end of August. We have maintained a genuine exclusive relationship while apart (telephone, emails, Skype) and he stayed with me in Ireland for the month of January. My partner is 34 and thus is too old to qualify for the ‘Working Holiday Visa’ in Ireland so we do not have the option to live together in Ireland at the moment. As I am currently enrolled in a Masters course in Ireland and my partner works on the Royal Australian Navy Patrol Boats (he must give 9 months notice to leave his job) we have not been able to live together for the majority of the year. I’m wondering if we will meet the one-year relationship requirement in April? It says in the FAQ section of the department’s website that “It is recognised that it is possible for the parties to be physically apart for periods of time, due to work or travel commitments, yet committed to a shared life. In assessing a relationship, a number of factors other than periods of physical cohabitation are taken into account.”.

My partner will put my name on his apartment’s lease and any bills in prepartion for me moving over to live with him in Australia; we hope that will strengthen our application and help prove that we would love to live together permanently when given the chance. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!