Hello
I've just heard that my visa has been granted (5-months and 4 days after application being received) But I am slightly confused as to what happens next. I'll be off there in about 10-days and my partner and I are getting married in September, once we marry, should I approach the embassy and ask for the 2nd stage? Or do they approach you? If anyone can clarify for me I would be grateful. Or do they send instructions when they return the passport with the label in it?
Thanks

Hi there,

Once you marry in Australia, you then have to apply onshore for the spouse visa as a married couple. You need to contact your CO to inform them of the marriage, after which they will probably give you more information about what to do next.

Thanks aussie girl.

hey! congradulations i hope everything goes well

i would really appreciate some advice: i am putting together our information, birth certs, stat decs, photos, evidence of relationship (emails pictures etc) and our forms, this is turning out to be quite large- how did you put it together? did you put into into a folder with a table of contents or something?

is there any advice or additional things i should include in the spplication to make it be more sucxcessful and quicker? thanks

Mark

Hi Mark

There is a checklist at the end of one of the forms you complete. They tell you not to put in folders or anything like that. I stapled each form together and then put them straight into an envelope in the same order as the checklist, putting loose passport photo's inside a small plastic bag (sealable one like those use for food storage). They did not ask me first of all for stat decs, only when I finally had contact from my CO (about 4.5 months after the application was received).

I would read carefully the notes on the website and follow to the T their requirements. Are you sending to Madrid?
Good luck anyway, it took me about 3-months to get the stuff together and don't panic, it took 5-months and 4-days from when they received to when they issued my visa.
Hope this helps good luck to you.