[CherryFox]

Hello there,
My name is Linda and i’m new to this forum. I began as a silent reader when i began my research how immigration to Australia works.
I’m 30 years old and from Switzerland. I just came home last Sunday from Melbourne where my fiancé lives. We’re in a relationship since December 2017 and got engaged in August 2018 (on my third visit, all together i spend 2,5 months in down under till yet).
We decided to go for an intended marriage visa, because i’m too old for a work/holiday visa. I read the government site very carefully and more than just one time, i researched the internet for information to get a picture what will come towards us.
I’m in contact with his family and know his friends. For the form888 we have his mother and a good friend of mine (He lives in Melbourne and i knew him long before i met my partner) on board.
Before we apply i still have some questions and i hope the lovely members here can help us:

Counting evidence for an ongoing relationship:
-Do screenshots from our text messages via WhatsApp count? I screenshot aswell the informations about our calls (duration and date) and will pin them all together in a pdf to make the overlook easier and using less space in the upload portal of the immi account
-Can pictures help, and which pictures give a good impression? Because if i think of the perspective of the officials, posing together is easy and isn’t a strong proof of a real relationship. But his family took a few pictures during my visits. And also pictures of my engagement ring.
- What else are good proofs for an ongoing relationship? We have future plans of course, i already have a list of possible wedding dates, we check out houses together, i send him monthly money on our savings account for future plans (money we’ll need for the visa, the wedding and so on)

Describing our relationship and how it developed:
- How can i write it down without sounding emotional or cheesy? I have the feeling that we have to describe how we met and how we got together neutral and not in a romance.

When my visa gets granted:
- Travelling to Australia and going back to Switzerland again? I’m still not sure if i’m allowed to leave Australia after the wedding (i know we have to apply for the next visa afterwards and will stay on a bridging visa)?
I don’t know yet how to solve my notice periods yet (in Switzerland i have a 3 month period for my job), so the question now is if i should quit as soon as i’ll get my visa granted or doing it after the wedding.

Moving to Australia:
- Do i have to mention my dog in the visa application? I have a 3 year old Australian Shepherd, not de-sexed, trained, healthy, i know about the quarantine, but do i have to arrange his move separate or do i have to mention him from the beginning?

Thank you very much for your help.
Linda

 

[Skybluebrewer]

Yes, screenshots are good. Some people choose to screenshot bits of conversations over time. Organizing them into a single pdf is a great idea.

They do want some photographs. If I recall, I think we used around 15-20. Rather than a bunch of selfies, we used photos that matched our evidence. So if we provided evidence of us on holiday, a photo of us with a significant landmark known to that area would correspond to the evidence. Also photos with friends or family are good to show the relationship is known to others.

Hard to say. You can spend hours and days in this forum and not read all the responses to types of evidence people have provided. Of course, every relationship is different. Best advice here is to think outside the box because there are a lot of things that can be used that you wouldn't even think of.

Just tell it how it is and stick to the facts. "We met through mutual friends at a concert in 20_ _... Got engaged on ... We visit each other ____ times ... " etc. This is all in your own words so say it how you like, but try and be more factual than going off on a tangent about things that are a bit irrelevant to the question.

Once the 300 is granted, you must enter Australia at least once before marrying and can marry anywhere in the world. The 300 comes with travel rights so you can come and go as you please until it expires. Make sure you apply for the 820/801 before it expires. Keep in mind that the BVA doesn't come with travel rights, but also doesn't go into effect until the 300 expires. So you can still travel after making the 820/801 application if the 300 is still in effect, but if the 820 isn't granted before the 300 expires, then you'll be on a BVA and need a BVB to leave and reenter.

Once you have the 300 grant, you pretty much know that you're able to move to Australia and stay there. There is a must make first entry by date on the 300 so you may need to fly and activate it, but you don't have to marry after that first entry. In fact, you can come and go to Australia however much you like as long as you end up marrying at some point on the 300 and applying the 820/801. When you get married during the 300 is irrelevant and there's nothing forcing you to stay onshore after marrying.

You don't have to mention your dog, as it has nothing to do with a partner visa. But you can choose to add it as extra evidence of your commitment to each other, if you choose. We mentioned importing our dog.

I hope you've done your research on importing a dog. Not sure about Switzerland as each country is different, but I'm from the U.S. and we couldn't move the dog until 170 days after the required blood test was done, so it's definitely something that needs to be planned pretty far ahead of time. Also, be prepared to spend a pretty penny. Can cost several thousand of dollars, and even more if you use a company to handle the paperwork for you.

 

[CherryFox]

Thank you very much for your answer!
We’re prepared for the costs, this is why we started the savings account in Australia.
Yet i’m still a bit horrified what will come together.
I have the plan to categorise all evidence (pictures taken at christmas with the whole family for example) and put it together in pdfs to keep it more clear and not on a too emotional basis.

Another question:
I know the form888 is just accepted from Australian citizens, but would a letter from my best friend (she’s living in Austria) added as evidence for an ongoing relationship count? She witnessed how we met and has a inside of our story since day one.

Thank you for giving me clearance about traveling on the 300, i have an idea now how to solve it with my employer. He knows about my situation and is backing me up aswell with translated documents which will be needed for looking for a job in the future.

Good to know about my dog, thank you!


As to add to our story:
My fiancé is a professional musician and tours worldwide. I guess i’m right with the assumption that my future visits in the studio (probably in Vancouver next year) and catching up with him on the EU leg of the tour can be added as evidence for an ongoing relationship?

 

[Skybluebrewer]

Yes, there's no reason why you can't provide statements from non-Australian citizens or PR holders.

When my partner and I were long distance, we discussed future plans (including when we'd be seeing each other again) in our statements.