All Posts in Category: free
COVID-19 and Partner Visas – How to go to Australia and apply for exemption
How can I apply for an exemption to travel to Australia for my partner?
As many of you are aware, as a country, we’re locked down. No one is allowed in or out unless they have exemptions to travel.
Responding to increasing pressure from Australian citizens being separated from their family and loved ones, the government has decided to a) allow entry for partners of Australian citizens and b) fast-track them aka give their visa applications priority processing.
Proving financial support during partner visa processing period
Do I need financial support or assurances of support for partner visa applications?
Dear Readers,
Today we’re talking about financial support and proving financial resources as a sponsor of a partner visa application.
Lately I’ve been receiving questions around financial support and whether the sponsor needs to have an amount of money in their bank account, how do sponsors prove that they can provide financially for the applicant and similar types of questions.
There’s also a lot of misinformation going around, usually by people and companies that make money off lending sponsors money to ‘show’ that they have enough in their bank accounts.
Yes, this is a common practice for partner visas around the world, including the US and UK where a sponsoring partner must be employed and earn a salary over a certain amount of money before they are allowed to sponsor their partner. However, Australia is not a country that requires sponsors to earn over a certain threshold before they can sponsor. Thankfully!
Give Details Of The Social Aspects Of The Relationship
Last updated: 19 January 2021
The Social Aspects Of The Relationship
Proving the social aspects of the relationship between the applicant and the sponsor requires more than just submitting photos.
There isn’t an exhaustive list on what is considered the social aspects of the relationship but the legislation has stated the following:
- whether the persons represent themselves to other people as being married to each other; and
- the opinion of the persons’ friends and acquaintances about the nature of the relationship; and
- any basis on which the persons plan and undertake joint social activities; and
When the legislation explicitly says something, you listen up and you better be sure to answer each and every point because you know the case officer will be assessing you against them.
So let’s go through what each point means and help you answer how to give details of the social aspects of the relationship.
Give Details Of The Nature Of The Commitment The Applicant And The Sponsor Have To Each Other
Last updated: 19 January 2021
The Nature Of The Commitment The Applicant And The Sponsor Have To Each Other
In today’s post we’re going to discuss the nature of the commitment of the applicant and the sponsor.
When you love someone, you know you love them. They know you love them. But now you have to prove to the Department that you love each other. And on top of that, you have to provide tangible evidence around something so intangible as human emotions.
How do you prove the nature of the commitment that the applicant and the sponsor have for each other?
Give Details Of The Nature Of The Household
Last updated: 19 January 2021
The Nature Of The Household
Giving details of the nature of the household is one of the easier aspects of the relationship that you need to prove. In short, you need to write about how you live together, what you do together and if you share responsibility of the housework.
As the Regulation states, the nature of the household, including:
(i) any joint responsibility for the care and support of children; and
(ii) the living arrangements of the persons; and
(iii) any sharing of the responsibility for housework;
Give Details Of The Financial Aspects Of The Relationship
Last updated: 19 January 2021
The Financial Aspects Of The Relationship
The Australian partner visa application requires that the applicant and sponsor provide evidence of the relationship against 4 criteria. That is, the case officer will take your partner visa application and look at all the evidence and what you have written and weigh it up against 4 things:
- Financial aspects of the relationship
- Social aspects of the relationship
- Nature of the commitment to each other
- Nature of the household
Today we’re going to go through how to write details of the financial aspects of the relationship.
Social Responsibility and Financial Aid Programmes – Get Help With Fees
In my previous post, I wrote about how some couples are working 3 jobs just to pay for the partner visa application fees. I received an overwhelming response from readers about how this has impacted them, particularly with the recent fee increase again (this time it’s a whopping $7,715, even more than we predicted).
All these stories made me think long and hard about how I can give more back to the community; to the people whose only crime was to fall in love with an Australian and want to be able to live in this beautiful country that we call home.
I had a discussion with the team and we are all of the same opinion that we could do more.
This is why I’m donating more of my time and services to partner visa applications.
Today I’m very proud to announce that we are launching 2 give back programmes called the Social Responsibility Programme and the Financial Aid Programme.
Why are partner visa applications refused?
Last updated: 19 January 2021
Today, we’re going to talk about the common reasons why an Australian partner visa may be refused.
Depending on where the applicant is when they lodge the application, there may be review rights.
If the applicant is offshore and applies for a partner visa, and it is refused, the applicant does not have the right to a review.
If the applicant is onshore when they apply for the partner visa, and it is refused, the applicant may lodge an appeal to have the decision reviewed.
A review is a different process in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. “The AAT can review some, but not all, decisions about visas made under the Migration Act 1958 by the Department of Home Affairs, the Minister for Home Affairs or the Minister for Immigration.” You can read more about the AAT here.