Hi All,
This time I want to share my experience about applying Australian Partner (de facto) visa. A couple months ago, after going back from Indonesia, an Australian immigration officer stopped me. She said I violated my visa permit. Oh well, alright, I didn't want to counter them, so I accepted whatever they said to me.
Also Read: Thing That You Must Aware If You Have Multiple Entry Visitor Visa Australia
At the end, we had to change my visa three months earlier from our first plan. Our first plan was changing my tourist visa to de facto visa once my multiple entry visa finish at April 2018. But because of what happened at the airport, at the end, we changed to lodged my de facto visa at January.
At the end, we had to change my visa three months earlier from our first plan. Our first plan was changing my tourist visa to de facto visa once my multiple entry visa finish at April 2018. But because of what happened at the airport, at the end, we changed to lodged my de facto visa at January.
Trust me, all the negative emotions came out when we tried to finished this form since the beginning of November. Now, I want to breakdown all those things that makes my emotion up and down.
Luckily, nowadays, Indonesian people could apply and submit any Australian visa by online. But it doesn't mean it less complicated. It just as same as the offline one. The advantage applying visa via online is while we finish submit it, we could start to gather and attach all the documents that they need, and it is a little bit easy because they already put sessions in each documents that they need, so we don't have to worry that we will miss any documents.
Choose the Right Visa
In Australia, there are two different partner visas. They are Prospective Marriage Visa and De Facto Visa. What is the differences? If you want to move to Australia and have 100% planned to get married, like all the date, celebrants, people you invite, and place, you could choose Prospective Marriage Visa. Because this visa only allow you nine months to have this visa until you get married, then you will automatically directed to get Partner Visa (permanent).
What will happened if at the end of nine months visa you couldn't get married? It means you have to change your visa again to be de facto visa. If you still have relations with your partner for sure.
De Facto Visa is Australian visa that will be given to you who already have relations with Australian citizen for more than 12 months, and still have no exact date for your wedding day. Or, if you already married with your Australian partner outside Australia. So for my boyfriend and I, this kind of visa is the one we choose, since we still don't have exact date for marriage.
Main Requirement
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The main requirement for de facto visa is you and your partner must be minimum 18 years old. In Australia, 18 years old is the minimum age for marriage. But how if you want to marry but you are still under 18 years old? You have to asked for your parents permission and also following the Australian law,etc, etc.
Your partner must be an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident and also eligible New Zealand. And your relations last minimum 12 months.
The other is about your health and you are clean from all criminals.
Documents
Documents that I have to prepared is the things that makes me had a headache all the time. Because I had to prepared not only mine, but also my boyfriend's documents, as my sponsor. Oh right, if you want to apply this visa, you should have a sponsor, usually the sponsor is your own partner.
- My Document
I have to prepare my identity documents that will be attached after I finished submit my application, because I am Indonesia, these are some of the documents that they need from me:
- Birth certificate where there are my parents name in it
- Family Card which it's one of the prove that I am part of my family
- My national ID
- My national ID
- Passport
- Police check
- Changing name document, if you have change your name
- Divorce document, if you once married and divorce, if you past partner was passed away, you have to attached the passed away document too
- Children custody document
Beside preparing those documents to be attached latter, I have to get some information about my family too, like:
Beside preparing those documents to be attached latter, I have to get some information about my family too, like:
- My parents and siblings name
- Their address, according to their national ID
- Their national ID number
- Their birth date
- Their birth place
- Their marriage date
- You also have to provide the identity of your children too, if you have
For all these information, you don't have to provide the documents, because the immigration just want to know the identity of your family. It will be different if your family want to move to Australia too with you, usually those who already have a children and want to bring them with you.
And, I also have to know my partner identity, such as:
For all these information, you don't have to provide the documents, because the immigration just want to know the identity of your family. It will be different if your family want to move to Australia too with you, usually those who already have a children and want to bring them with you.
And, I also have to know my partner identity, such as:
- Full name
- Birth date and place
- Address
- Phone number and also email address
- Passport number and the expiring date
- Partner Documents
Our partner also need to provide their documents too. More less same like our documents. My boyfriend also need to tell the immigration his parents and siblings name. Since he had married before, he have to provide his children name too, plus their identity.
- Our Documents
Beside preparing personal documents, I have to provide some documents that prove my relations with my boyfriend is genuine. Some of them are:
- Our date as a couple
- If you meet your partner online, you have to provide date when the first time you meet him face to face
- Where the first time you meet him
- The period of staying separately with the reason
- Other prove that showed us as a couple, like picture. I also prepared a tiny bitsy thing like the receipt of buying something for me too, the plane tickets, the hotel books receipts, etc.
The point is I have to provide as much evidences about our relations. Not just one or two pictures. I also prepared the phone log, chat log, etc, especially at the period of living separately.
I prepared lots and lots of prove to the immigration. The more you have proves to show that you are really have the genuine relations, the saver you are.
The point is I have to provide as much evidences about our relations. Not just one or two pictures. I also prepared the phone log, chat log, etc, especially at the period of living separately.
I prepared lots and lots of prove to the immigration. The more you have proves to show that you are really have the genuine relations, the saver you are.
If you are come from the country that not using English Language as your primary language, so all of non-English language documents have to be translated to English language. In my case, I have to translate my National ID, my family card, and my birth certificate.
- Translated Documents
If you want to translate it in your country, you have to find the certified translator that has been acknowledge by Australian Immigration office. In my country, Indonesia, you could do it at Australian embassy, Jakarta.
If you are in Australia when you lodge your applications, like me, you just have to find translator in your state at the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) website. This NAATI is the organization that has been approved by Australian government as translator and interpreter.
All of your translated documents will be lodge with your original language documents.
They Want To Know Everything
Not just want to know you and your partner identities only. They also want to know your past too. Beside the medical and criminal notes, they also want to know your past love life!!!
For my boyfriend it was easy for him. Because his ex-wife is still have a good relations with him. But it was a little bit annoyed me, because I didn't have a good relations with my ex-boyfriend, and I already forget the exact date when we start our relations and when we really ended it up. But, once the immigration asked me why we broke up, I really like to type it: HE CHEATED ON ME. LOL
For my boyfriend it was easy for him. Because his ex-wife is still have a good relations with him. But it was a little bit annoyed me, because I didn't have a good relations with my ex-boyfriend, and I already forget the exact date when we start our relations and when we really ended it up. But, once the immigration asked me why we broke up, I really like to type it: HE CHEATED ON ME. LOL
Witnesses
At this visa form, they also asked me to fill minimum two forms of witnesses. These witnesses are they who are Australian citizen, minimum 18 years old, and want and also know us.
For us, we asked my boyfriend's ex-wife and both of his parents. In this page, the immigration will asked their identities too, including their status, and how long we know each other. Also I have to provide their phone numbers, and email address.
After we fill the witnesses page, we will also asked to give all the witnesses the form 888 - Statutory Declaration by Witness. All the witnesses that I put their names will have to fill this form. Beside filling it with their name, address, phone number and email address, they will also have to write how long they know us, how much they know about my relations with my boyfriend, what they know and wish for this relations. They will also need to give a prove that they are really Australian citizens.
Beside filling all the columns at that form, and sign it, they will need the Certified Prescribed Person sign too. According to the form, this person is someone who are a: Justice of the Peace, medical practitioner, legal practitioner, civil marriage celebrant or registered minister of religion, dentist, nurse, optometrist, pharmacist, physiotherapist, full-time teacher, bank manager or bank officer with 5 or more continuous years of service, post manager or permanent employee of the Australian Postal Commission with 5 or more continuous years of service, police officer , or public sercant with 5 or more continuous years of service. Don't have to worry, because all these person is easily to be find around your witness life.
For you who want to get the form, you cold check at the Australian Home Affair Website, or you could download it HERE
For us, we asked my boyfriend's ex-wife and both of his parents. In this page, the immigration will asked their identities too, including their status, and how long we know each other. Also I have to provide their phone numbers, and email address.
After we fill the witnesses page, we will also asked to give all the witnesses the form 888 - Statutory Declaration by Witness. All the witnesses that I put their names will have to fill this form. Beside filling it with their name, address, phone number and email address, they will also have to write how long they know us, how much they know about my relations with my boyfriend, what they know and wish for this relations. They will also need to give a prove that they are really Australian citizens.
Beside filling all the columns at that form, and sign it, they will need the Certified Prescribed Person sign too. According to the form, this person is someone who are a: Justice of the Peace, medical practitioner, legal practitioner, civil marriage celebrant or registered minister of religion, dentist, nurse, optometrist, pharmacist, physiotherapist, full-time teacher, bank manager or bank officer with 5 or more continuous years of service, post manager or permanent employee of the Australian Postal Commission with 5 or more continuous years of service, police officer , or public sercant with 5 or more continuous years of service. Don't have to worry, because all these person is easily to be find around your witness life.
For you who want to get the form, you cold check at the Australian Home Affair Website, or you could download it HERE
Your Stories with Your Partner, From Beginning
There is one page that will asked you to tell the story about your relationship with your boyfriend. What happened at the time you have long distance relations, when you finally living together, when the time you finally talked about more serious relations, how you both taking care of your financial, and the plan for your future.
In financial matters, they will asked you how you both taking care each other finance, when you are in long distance relations, and when you are living together. Just tell them about how your boyfriend helping you financially when you are in your own country and his at Australia. For example, how much he send money for you, is it every week, month, or year, what are you doing with the money he sent you. If he payed for your ticket to meet him, either in your country or in Australia, you have to provide the ticket, and also the bank account that prove them your boyfriend indeed pay for your ticket, visa. Also, when you both book hotel, or places at holiday, you better put that too in your document attachments, and your financial story.
Since I also came to Australia with my tourist visa, I also have to tell the story in financial part that while I am at Australia, all my needed all provided by my boyfriend, food, cosmetics, transports, etc. And we have to provide all the receipts from all the shops, shopping malls, restaurants, and all of the things that we have been there together, and highlighting all the things for my and our needs.
Then you will tell them the story about how you meet him, and how your relationship developed. I told them that, and also how I getting to know the people around him, how he introduce me with the family members, and also his friends. And I also tell them that I also already introduce him to my family, have spoken to them by skype, or call, etc.
It will need agreement between both of you. Especially about telling them the life that you have been trough together, financial story, the development about your relations, it really need more time to sit, write, and communicate between you and your partner.
Since, we made this visa for our sake of happiness, so we have to really communicate to each other, and also to people that will be included in this form. Especially them who will be your witnesses. And it will be good too if your mother language is not English language, because it will help you to learn how to write a decent English language too. LOL.
Since I also came to Australia with my tourist visa, I also have to tell the story in financial part that while I am at Australia, all my needed all provided by my boyfriend, food, cosmetics, transports, etc. And we have to provide all the receipts from all the shops, shopping malls, restaurants, and all of the things that we have been there together, and highlighting all the things for my and our needs.
Then you will tell them the story about how you meet him, and how your relationship developed. I told them that, and also how I getting to know the people around him, how he introduce me with the family members, and also his friends. And I also tell them that I also already introduce him to my family, have spoken to them by skype, or call, etc.
It will need agreement between both of you. Especially about telling them the life that you have been trough together, financial story, the development about your relations, it really need more time to sit, write, and communicate between you and your partner.
Since, we made this visa for our sake of happiness, so we have to really communicate to each other, and also to people that will be included in this form. Especially them who will be your witnesses. And it will be good too if your mother language is not English language, because it will help you to learn how to write a decent English language too. LOL.
How to Submit it
Because I do it online, everything must be done online. But it doesn't mean that you only log in once and finish all the pages in one log in. You could log in again and again to finish the page. If you want to do it online too, you must have an immiaccount for applying your visa online. Once you have your immiaccount, you will able to apply any kind of Australian visa online.
In this online form, we couldn't go to the next page if we are not finished the one page we started. For example, we are still looking for data on the page where they need the data of our parents, like their marriage date. While waiting for our parents to find their answer, we couldn't go to the next page, we have to finish that last page we open.
And I need two and a half months for filling 27 pages in this form. Because I have to log in and log out all the time, while waiting all the data that I need.
It was so tiring and really not easy. Since I have to asked my family, my boyfriend, and his family too. It means that I have to wait for him to finish his work, then waiting for him to call his family, then waiting for the answer. That was so tiring.
In this online form, we couldn't go to the next page if we are not finished the one page we started. For example, we are still looking for data on the page where they need the data of our parents, like their marriage date. While waiting for our parents to find their answer, we couldn't go to the next page, we have to finish that last page we open.
And I need two and a half months for filling 27 pages in this form. Because I have to log in and log out all the time, while waiting all the data that I need.
It was so tiring and really not easy. Since I have to asked my family, my boyfriend, and his family too. It means that I have to wait for him to finish his work, then waiting for him to call his family, then waiting for the answer. That was so tiring.
Fee
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The fee for this visa is around AU$7,000. It is expensive. They said the Australian partner visa fee is the most expensive one, in the world. But who knows.
When you finished filling all the pages at the form, you could submit it, and pay it immediately. They will give you some ways to pay it. You could use your debit/ credit card, or paypal, or bank transfer. If you choose paying it through bank transfer, it will need three days for them until they receive your payment.
Once you finished pay the visa, automatically your visa application accepted by Australian immigration, and in a couple hour you will receive the email for them.
When you finished filling all the pages at the form, you could submit it, and pay it immediately. They will give you some ways to pay it. You could use your debit/ credit card, or paypal, or bank transfer. If you choose paying it through bank transfer, it will need three days for them until they receive your payment.
Once you finished pay the visa, automatically your visa application accepted by Australian immigration, and in a couple hour you will receive the email for them.
After They Receive Your Application
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After they receive my application, at the same day they sent me two emails. The first email is about acknowledgement that the immigration already receive your application and your payment, the second one is about your temporary visa (Bridging Visa) while your partner visa still in progress.
My temporary visa (Bridging Visa) is Bridging Visa A (BVA), where with this temporary visa, I allowed to study more than three months in Australia, and also able to apply for job, and get the medicare.
But with this BVA, I couldn't go outside Australia. For how long? Until my partner visa is finished, more less around two years. If one day I want to go outside Australia while still having BVA, I could apply for another Bridging Visa, called Bridging Visa B (BVB). This BVB will allow you to travel outside Australia, but you have tell the immigration the date you go out and come back to Australia.
In the time like this, it's time for you to gather all the document. If you already have all the documents that required, all you going to do just log in again to your immiaccount, and choose "attach documents" and you will see the list of documents that you need to attach, and just scan your documents, and attach it.
You also able to have a first stage for having medical check up. In your immiaccount you just have to choose medical check up, and answer all the questions there. After answering all the questions, you will get emedical and referral letter. Both of that letter should be printed out, and you have to bring them when you go for your medical check up appointment at the clinic that the Australian immigration give you.
How Long Until We Get Our Partner Visa?
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It got variate time for people who apply this visa. Some of them only two weeks, some of them two years. But in your immiaccount they told you to wait around 20 until 22 months. Don't worry, while you are waiting, you could do anything in Australia, because you already have your BVA. And doesn't have to go outside Australia again for every three months.
But, if you really want to go outside Australia, just apply for BVB that cost you around AU$145. What will happened if you don't apply this visa? Means all your visa that you have will be decline.
But, if you really want to go outside Australia, just apply for BVB that cost you around AU$145. What will happened if you don't apply this visa? Means all your visa that you have will be decline.
That is my story about applying my Australian Partner Visa. I already have my BVA, and I am now in the time for gathering all the documents that the immigration need. Actually, most if it already in my hand, just some I need to finish. Like my police check, which I should get it in my country, and I have to go for medical check up too.
Anyway, since my tourist visa still in effect, I couldn't do anything until my BVA in effect. When? Right exact when my tourist visa period already not in effect.
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