[JackTz]

I am British and my wife an Australian citizen. I recently applied for a 309 off-shore visa and got it in just over a month. Admittedly, we have married for over thirty years, but if you can document ten years together convincingly, then I hope that you would stand a fair chance of getting both the 309 and the permanent 100 visa granted together, as we did. I was surprised at the cost, but you only have one life. See the recent post from “Fat Kangaroo”, which suggests to me that applying within in the UK is faster than onshore, since onshore Australian processing offices appear to have their hands full.

Hello Simon

Good luck for you - well done. Quick question for you as you have just recently filled out the 309 forms on line -- are the questions online something we need prepare information for or is it just filling out a bunch of questions. I just don't want to pay and then be told I need to complete the application by X date - as my wife and I travel a lot for work and I can image filling out 27 pages [apparently] will take us a month or 3

 

[Simon M]

Hello Simon

Good luck for you - well done. Quick question for you as you have just recently filled out the 309 forms on line -- are the questions online something we need prepare information for or is it just filling out a bunch of questions. I just don't want to pay and then be told I need to complete the application by X date - as my wife and I travel a lot for work and I can image filling out 27 pages [apparently] will take us a month or 3

Hello Simon

Good luck for you - well done. Quick question for you as you have just recently filled out the 309 forms on line -- are the questions online something we need prepare information for or is it just filling out a bunch of questions. I just don't want to pay and then be told I need to complete the application by X date - as my wife and I travel a lot for work and I can image filling out 27 pages [apparently] will take us a month or 3

Hi Jack

Yes it is vital that you document your relationship as comprehensively as possible. The officer picking up your application won't know your relationship from a couple who have merely met on-line or during a brief holiday romance--one question even asks you to confirm you have actually met in person!

I spent maybe two months assembling 30 yrs of photographs of us together and with each others' families, scanned copies of our property deeds with both our names on them, our wills & mutual bequests, joint bank & credit-card accounts, utility bills, reciprocal Powers of Attorney, Superannuation & health-insurance documents and local tax notices--all naming both parties. You cannot have too much of this to make sure IMMI's decision is an easy & obvious one--even if your relationship is only a couple of years or so. This is in addition to the compulsory police certificates for both parties, birth certificates (especially of the sponsor), marriage (if appropriate) certificates, other birth certificates (if appropriate), passports & photo-IDs and the 888 statutory declarations. Some of these take time to be applied for and received. But you have to provide as much as you can, because you do not want to waste 8,000 AUD by not supporting your application adequately.

best of luck, Simon

 

[JackTz]

Hi Jack

Yes it is vital that you document your relationship as comprehensively as possible. The officer picking up your application won't know your relationship from a couple who have merely met on-line or during a brief holiday romance--one question even asks you to confirm you have actually met in person!

I spent maybe two months assembling 30 yrs of photographs of us together and with each others' families, scanned copies of our property deeds with both our names on them, our wills & mutual bequests, joint bank & credit-card accounts, utility bills, reciprocal Powers of Attorney, Superannuation & health-insurance documents and local tax notices--all naming both parties. You cannot have too much of this to make sure IMMI's decision is an easy & obvious one--even if your relationship is only a couple of years or so. This is in addition to the compulsory police certificates for both parties, birth certificates (especially of the sponsor), marriage (if appropriate) certificates, other birth certificates (if appropriate), passports & photo-IDs and the 888 statutory declarations. Some of these take time to be applied for and received. But you have to provide as much as you can, because you do not want to waste 8,000 AUD by not supporting your application adequately.

best of luck, Simon

Thanks Simon. ha! pictures - yes that took me many hours to put together 1 set for my wife with relos in Oz and another set of all our travels over 13 years of marriage. My only concern is that we don't have many joint accounts - except for personal banking day to day accounts. Our assets are split due to possible tax issues in the future and avoiding issues with Shariah Law and death. Even utility and lease is in my name as that is how it is done over here.

Did you submit the police checks and and health reports straight after paying the money and completing the 27 pages -- or waited until contacted by IMMI?

Thanks in advance

 

[Simon M]

A joint current bank account should be enough to show your financial relationship, but you also have to document your social and household relationship as well. I guess that, provided your marriage is recognised by Australia, then you should have collected enough evidence after thirteen years for a partner visa,

Personally, I uploaded everything I could including 888s and police checks for us both. My wife did her sponsorship application immediately after lodged my own application (it can’t be done beforehand as you need the TRN number from IMMI). IMMI subsequently gave me a HAP number to do the medical. You can’t do that beforehand either.

 

[JackTz]

A joint current bank account should be enough to show your financial relationship, but you also have to document your social and household relationship as well. I guess that, provided your marriage is recognised by Australia, then you should have collected enough evidence after thirteen years for a partner visa,

Personally, I uploaded everything I could including 888s and police checks for us both. My wife did her sponsorship application immediately after lodged my own application (it can’t be done beforehand as you need the TRN number from IMMI). IMMI subsequently gave me a HAP number to do the medical. You can’t do that beforehand either.

thanks!

 

[paulhand]

Paul Hand, who replied earlier, is a Registered Migration Agent (1801974)
SunCoast Migration Ltd
suncoastmigration.com

Paul Hand, who replied earlier, is a Registered Migration Agent (1801974)
SunCoast Migration Ltd
suncoastmigration.com

… and, as an added bonus in this case, I’m based in the U.K.