[prosmart]

It was mentioned to me that I might be able to travel over to Australia and visit with my fiance while I wait out the approval of my visa application. In my case this would be about 7 months. Each time I rang the embassy here in America, I was given conflicting information. Now after making plans to head over there in May, I was told today that I can only visit for 3 months and that an attempt to visit any longer could result in my visa being denied. Has anyone had experience with this?

 

[curious110]

It was mentioned to me that I might be able to travel over to Australia and visit with my fiance while I wait out the approval of my visa application. In my case this would be about 7 months. Each time I rang the embassy here in America, I was given conflicting information. Now after making plans to head over there in May, I was told today that I can only visit for 3 months and that an attempt to visit any longer could result in my visa being denied. Has anyone had experience with this?

that's what I've heard too, if you mention that you wanna visit more than 3 months, they basically reject your tourist visa!

 

[CollegeGirl]

Prosmart, it's very easy to get a tourist visa from the US. Just apply for the ETA on immi.gov.au - it'll give you a tourist visa that's valid for a year but only allows you to stay three months at a time. There are no questions about why you want it on the application - it takes five minutes to apply for and costs $20. Getting a tourist visa is much easier from a low-risk country than from a high-risk one.

Just make sure you are approaching this as a *holiday* (key word) with your partner for the next few months. Make sure you have plans for things you want to see during your holiday. It really isn't a big deal... they probably won't even ask you anything, just wave you on through. One tip, though: DON'T bring a CV or any other documents that will make them think you might try looking for a job while you're there. Even if YOU know they're for after you get your PMV, carrying those things with you while heading over on a holiday isn't a good idea.

Many, many people on this board from the US have done this and none to my recollection have had any trouble. You just need to let your CO know you're doing this and ask them to please let you know when they're ready to decide your visa so you can get offshore. Then, near the end of your first three-month stay, you'll need to fly out (Bali, Auckland, wherever you want), spend a few days, and then fly back to Australia. You shouldn't have a problem. Make sure whenever you're heading offshore you give your CO a heads up, too, so that hopefully she can grant your visa on one of those trips (if you're lucky) and save you that extra flight out.

Here's the thing: As more and more couples are separated for long periods of time, Immigration officers are actually sometimes recommending that couples use tourist visas this way to be together. But *technically* tourist visas are not for the purpose of waiting out a visa together. They're for holidays. So... approaching your trip there as a holiday is what you want to do. It's silly - Immi really needs to fix this and just publicly allow couples waiting offshore to visit each other this way while they wait, OR fix processing times so it's not necessary. But for now, it's the only way to do it.

Also, the idea that doing the above can have any effect on your PMV is rubbish. Even people who have illegally overstayed their visas (which you won't be!) can still apply for and be granted partner visas like the PMV. Using a tourist visa and abiding by its terms and conditions (which you will be) is nothing to worry about.

 

[MS Vil]

Hi CollegeGirl,

You have mentioned that we just need to inform the CO that the applicant is travelling to Australia on a tourist visa and ask them to let the applicant know when the visa is ready for grant so he can go offshore. I also ready this in Germany embassy FAQ 19. Can my Partner visa be granted while I am in Australia?

Will the CO really communicates when the visa is READY for grant whenever the applicant informs that he is inside Australia? I worry that the CO will just straight away grant the Visa while my fiance is inside Australia and that will complicate things. I read somewhere that we have to start the process all over again if the applicant is inside Australia when the visa is granted.

Secondly, let's say the CO informs my fiance that the visa is ready for grant and so he will need to exit to New Zealand for few days for example. How will he get his visa grant letter? Does he need to go to the embassy in New Zealand?

Hope you or anyone can answer my questions.

Thanks
MS

 

[curious110]

Hi,

Just wondering if my birth certificate copy is required (the applicanct's fiance), since on NOIM letter, my certificate number is indicated by the celebrant!

Thanks very much

 

[Mish]

Hi CollegeGirl,

You have mentioned that we just need to inform the CO that the applicant is travelling to Australia on a tourist visa and ask them to let the applicant know when the visa is ready for grant so he can go offshore. I also ready this in Germany embassy FAQ 19. Can my Partner visa be granted while I am in Australia?

Will the CO really communicates when the visa is READY for grant whenever the applicant informs that he is inside Australia? I worry that the CO will just straight away grant the Visa while my fiance is inside Australia and that will complicate things. I read somewhere that we have to start the process all over again if the applicant is inside Australia when the visa is granted.

Secondly, let's say the CO informs my fiance that the visa is ready for grant and so he will need to exit to New Zealand for few days for example. How will he get his visa grant letter? Does he need to go to the embassy in New Zealand?

Hope you or anyone can answer my questions.

Thanks
MS

The co should let you know when it is ready and then tell them when you will be leaving. There were a couple of applicants from the Philippines whose co didn't and they were able to get it fixed.

The grant letter will be emailed to the applicant or migration agent. In my case the grant letter was emailed to me (the sponsor) and the migration agent hahahah.

Also the grant it electronically attached to the visa so no issue entering Australia without it. They may ask to see the grant letter when checking in for the flight in New Zealand though.

 

[Mish]

Hi,

Just wondering if my birth certificate copy is required (the applicanct's fiance), since on NOIM letter, my certificate number is indicated by the celebrant!

Thanks very much

I included both my birth certificate and passport if that helps.

 

[MS Vil]

Thanks Mish for your reply.

Regards,
MS

 

[curious110]

Hi all,

few questions from my side please: (im the applicant's fience)

1- can I get my statutory statement signed in the country of my fiancee (the applicant)

2- I'm owning a flat here in aust (well still paying off off course!), should I show evidence of my ownership?

3- do I need to provide my bank statement?

4- I have a national ID card from another country (different from my fiancee), but has expired few months ago, am I supposed to show that or get it renowed? I'm asking this since on the online form, it asks for any other national ID card!

thank you so much for your inputs

kind regards

 

[curious110]

Hi,

Just wwondering if we need to show the time of each picture being taken?
we have copied & pasted each pic with a little tag saying whos in the picture, in a word doc then converting it to pdf. but do I need to mention the pic time taken under each pic as well?

tahnsk very much

 

[Sailboatman]

I was told by the department that they understand people want to see each other while waiting for an answer to their application for PR Visa, that person also stated that they know you will go home because of what will happen if you have applied offshore for PR visa.

So go for it you should not have any problems

 

[curious110]

ok now confused about form 888 filled by people overseas!

as long as someone who is filling 888 is not in Australia (either in applicant's country or other countries), they can also provide support!

now my confusion is that do non-australian residences also need to fill in form 888 or they can just write a simple letter and sign and date it?
if so what are the requirements? I mean do they need to provide their contact details, ID, etc just like form 888 requires them!


also do australains who are filling 888 need to show like viber call logs to show the've been in touch?

thank you very mcuh

 

[Mish]

Hi all,

few questions from my side please: (im the applicant's fience)

1- can I get my statutory statement signed in the country of my fiancee (the applicant)

2- I'm owning a flat here in aust (well still paying off off course!), should I show evidence of my ownership?

3- do I need to provide my bank statement?

4- I have a national ID card from another country (different from my fiancee), but has expired few months ago, am I supposed to show that or get it renowed? I'm asking this since on the online form, it asks for any other national ID card!

thank you so much for your inputs

kind regards

1/ yes you can but generally it costs money to do it overseas here in oz the JP is free.

All others are no

 

[Mish]

Hi,

Just wwondering if we need to show the time of each picture being taken?
we have copied & pasted each pic with a little tag saying whos in the picture, in a word doc then converting it to pdf. but do I need to mention the pic time taken under each pic as well?

tahnsk very much

You need to have date, who is in the picture and the location.

 

[curious110]

would they prefer to see various seperate pdf attachments online or all same topic ones in one?

e.g. should the pictures of various occasions be all into one pdf and have titles within pdf fr each occasion pics or seperate them all on seperate pdf files, one odf for each occasion and attach like 10 pdf files for various occasion pics ratehr than all in one?

which way they prefer and is more feasible to them?

thanks very much

 

[Mish]

would they prefer to see various seperate pdf attachments online or all same topic ones in one?

e.g. should the pictures of various occasions be all into one pdf and have titles within pdf fr each occasion pics or seperate them all on seperate pdf files, one odf for each occasion and attach like 10 pdf files for various occasion pics ratehr than all in one?

which way they prefer and is more feasible to them?

thanks very much

I don't think it really bothers them. Whatever is easier for you. Also keep in mind each file should not be bigger than 5mb.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxmexiwi]

We presented our pics is a couple different ways.

I made a document for each trip I did up to the Philippines, and our trip to Hong Kong and her trips to Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand to see me.

I had a cover page with a title or brief description of the trip, and a pic or 2 from the trip and then had tickets/accomodation and visa details if applicable (NZ/AUS)

Then I attached another 8-10 pics in a separate file with date/location.

Who is to say what is right and what is wrong. I tried to make things easy for the case officer - with an explanation of what the document is and contains so they can read it and then see the evidence, rather than just looking at a statement or flight itinerary and having to decipher it.

I don't know if it will make any difference at all. It's just how ZI decided to organise things

 

[curious110]

the statutory declaration template that I (applicant's fiance) will write my statement in is only applicable to me right?

my fiancee (the applicant) since is not australian, can just type on a piece of blank paper and sign it and get it witnessed?

thanks very much

 

[curious110]

Hi again,

a couple of more ws, please:

1- is it good to mention in my statement that we got an agent in Australia to review our docs and show the reciept we paid him too?

2- is it good to say that my (applicant's fiance) master card was used to pay for the visa fee and provide reciede?


thanks so much for your inputs

 

[Mish]

Hi again,

a couple of more ws, please:

1- is it good to mention in my statement that we got an agent in Australia to review our docs and show the reciept we paid him too?

2- is it good to say that my (applicant's fiance) master card was used to pay for the visa fee and provide reciede?

thanks so much for your inputs

They don't care. If they want to know they will ask at interview.