Hi All,
I'm just bit confused and will be seeking an answer or experience thorugh this forum.
I'm currently on 457 visa wich will run out January 2015 so i still have 2 years to go. Me and my now wife met in February 2011 and started living together May 2011 (signed the joint rental agreement for our current house we living in), we got married in September 2012 and prior that our daughter was born in April 2012. My wife is stay home mum and hasn't worked since September 2011. We receive a centerlink family tax benefit payments (i'm not sure if this is correct term as my wife has been dealing with them). Also my wife has a son from previous marriage who is living with us (obviously she is divorced and was divorced before i met her). I'm covering all the household costs (rent, food, car loan payments, utility bills etc). Enough of the background i guess and let's get to the point about my confusion .
I know i have to apply for both, temporary and permanent visa at the same time and have to wait 2 years if the temporary visa has been approved. Now, the immigration website states that: you may be granted a permanent visa without having to wait if you can demonstrate one of the following, which in my case would be - •at the time you apply, you have been in a married or de facto relationship with your partner for two years or more, and there is a dependent child of your relationship
So the quesiton is, can de facto and being married be counted within the 2 years period? e.g we don't have to be married 2 years, because our relationship status changed from de facto to married!
If it still sounds confusing, please let me know and i'll try to explain as english is not my first lanugage
I'm just bit confused and will be seeking an answer or experience thorugh this forum.
I'm currently on 457 visa wich will run out January 2015 so i still have 2 years to go. Me and my now wife met in February 2011 and started living together May 2011 (signed the joint rental agreement for our current house we living in), we got married in September 2012 and prior that our daughter was born in April 2012. My wife is stay home mum and hasn't worked since September 2011. We receive a centerlink family tax benefit payments (i'm not sure if this is correct term as my wife has been dealing with them). Also my wife has a son from previous marriage who is living with us (obviously she is divorced and was divorced before i met her). I'm covering all the household costs (rent, food, car loan payments, utility bills etc). Enough of the background i guess and let's get to the point about my confusion .
I know i have to apply for both, temporary and permanent visa at the same time and have to wait 2 years if the temporary visa has been approved. Now, the immigration website states that: you may be granted a permanent visa without having to wait if you can demonstrate one of the following, which in my case would be - •at the time you apply, you have been in a married or de facto relationship with your partner for two years or more, and there is a dependent child of your relationship
So the quesiton is, can de facto and being married be counted within the 2 years period? e.g we don't have to be married 2 years, because our relationship status changed from de facto to married!
If it still sounds confusing, please let me know and i'll try to explain as english is not my first lanugage