Australian Partner Visa Process Overview
There are a number of possible visa options for those Australian citizens and residents wishing to bring their loved ones to permanently reside in Australia. In order to obtain a migrant visa that enables Australian citizens and lawful permanent residents (including eligible New Zealand citizens permanently living in Australia) to bring their foreign fiancée, de facto (unmarried) partner or spouse to live and work in Australia, there are many immigration rules and regulations to be addressed.
In order to qualify for a two-year subclass 309/820 provisional partner visa, the applicant and their Australian sponsor must satisfy the initial condition of being in a committed genuine relationship. The couple must either be legally married or able to prove the relationship has been stable and ongoing for at least 12 months. The only way in which the 12 month minimum rule may be waived is if the couple have been together for less than 12 months yet have children together, although if the couple do not have children there is the possibility that the subclass 300 prospective marriage visa could be a suitable alternative.
Australian spouse, partner or marriage visa applications can be made onshore or offshore, depending on the circumstances of the individuals involved, with all applications being processed by either the Australian visa-issuing posts overseas for offshore applications, or the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) in Australia. Since July/August 2010, the DIAC have changed the application process and the consequent processing times, with all applications now being handled under global management, with two DIAC officials (a Global Manager based in Brisbane and a Global First Stage Manager in Sydney) leading the processing of all Australian partner visas.
Prior to these changes, Australian partner visas could be processed relatively quickly, with the average being two – three months for most countries and some clear cut cases completed in 1 – 10 days (through the Australian High Commission in London, England for example). The changes of the last few months of 2010 has seen these times increased considerably, with even the most complete applications taking between 5 – 6 months to be approved. However, it has recently been noted that some Australian spouse, marriage or partner visas have been processed in around one – two month if they have been judged as ‘clearly approvable’, so it is certainly worth gaining expert advice to present a strong application.
The price of lodging an Australian spouse, marriage or partner visa application has also increased in 2010, with the current price standing at AUD$1,735 when made outside Australia, and AUD$840 (extension of stay for those who initially entered Australia on a valid subclass 300 fiancée visa, married their sponsor and didn’t overstay their initial nine-month visa) / AUD$2,575 (all other applicants wishing to obtain a temporary partner visa) for onshore applications. All fees are payable in Australian dollars or in a currency accepted by the Australian High Commission, Consulate or Embassy where the application is being lodged.
Marriagevisahelp.com is a specialised visa consultancy that is able to support your Australian partner visa application every step of the way. Since 2007, Marriagevisahelp.com has provided individuals with the highest quality one-to-one assistance in Australian spouse visas, fiancee visas and de facto (unmarried) partner visas. Highly regarded for its100% success rate in securing Australian migrant visas for people and their families, Marriagevisahelp.com is dedicated to delivering a personal service at what can often be a very stressful time.
For more information visit: subclass 300 prospective marriage visa
