[Skybluebrewer]

My husband and I created two separate immi accounts but some people choose to use one account for both the applicant and sponsor. Yes you'll use the TRN from the applicant when you do the sponsor form and you won't be able to fully complete the sponsor form until the applicant's app is paid for and submitted.

My sponsor did the AFP and submitted when we applied. I suppose some people wait a few months in case processing times take over a year.

Medical examinations are for the applicants, not sponsors.

 

[Skybluebrewer]

Like said above, only stat decs need to be certified if you're applying online and uploading scanned coloured copies.

And for doubling up, we didn't. Basically, everything regarding the relationship (evidence, F888s, etc) was added to my account and my partner just uploaded whatever was required of him to his account (IDs, AFP, etc).

Also, organise yourself well. Try to put similar evidences under one pdf to upload and compress it if required. For example, we like to holiday alone, with friends, and with family. We put evidence of those holidays (flights, hotels, tix of things done there) under one pdf so we only had to upload one pdf instead of several pdfs done individually for each holiday.

We went under the idea of supplying what we need to show our relationship effectively without providing too much in the way of files. If I were a CO, I feel I'd be more inclined to finish a case quickly if things are simply organised and not all over the place. You definitely should not have to use all the upload slots...

I can't remember how many exactly, but I used less than 30 on mine (and I included a child in the application) and my partner only used a few slots under his. Granted, our 300 didn't require as much as a de facto as we didn't have joint bills since we lived in two different countries, but I still didn't use many more upload slots for the 820 when we finally did have combined evidence such as lease agreement, etc.

 

[Skybluebrewer]

I never had to upload certified copies of anything but every CO is different. As far as merging pdfs, you can use a free service online via google search as mentioned by JandE. I had the option when scanning to scan as many things as I wanted and save them under one pdf if I did them all in one session, so that made it easy.