Long-distance relationships are becoming more and more common these days, and with the advancement in communication technologies such as the smartphone, the Internet and social networking sites, they have become less taxing to maintain. However, people in this kind of relationship ultimately want to live together to fulfill their plans. This is the case with many of our kababayans who long to be with their partners in Australia.
When applying for a Partner Visa, proof that corroborates your claims of a genuine and continuing relationship with your partner must be submitted. Here are the points you have to prove:
History of your relationship
You and your partner must each provide a statement regarding the history of your relationship, including how, when, and where you first met; how your relationship developed; when you decided to marry or commence a de facto partner relationship; your domestic arrangements – how you support each other financially, physically and emotionally and when this level of commitment began; any periods of separation – when and why the separation occurred, for how long and how you maintained your relationship during the period of separation; and your future plans.
Evidence of your relationship
There are four broad categories of evidence that you need to provide:
- financial aspects
- the nature of the household
- social context of the relationship
- the nature of your commitment to each other
Financial aspects
Evidence will be required that you and your partner share financial commitments and responsibilities, including:
- legal commitments that you and your partner have undertaken as a couple;
- joint ownership of real estate or other major assets (for example, cars, appliances) and any joint liabilities (for example, loans, insurance);
- sharing of finances;
- sharing of household bills and expenses; and
- joint bank accounts for a reasonable period of time
Nature of the household
You will also be asked to provide evidence that you and your partner share responsibilities within your household, including:
- your living arrangements;
- a statement outlining the basis on which responsibility for housework is distributed;
- joint ownership or joint rental of the residence in which you live;
- joint responsibility for bills of day-to-day living expenses;
- joint utilities accounts (electricity, gas, telephone);
- joint responsibility for children; or
- correspondence addressed to both you and your partner at the same address
Social context of the relationship
How your relationship with your partner is seen by your friends and family will be considered including:
- evidence that you and your partner are generally accepted as a couple socially (for example, joint invitations, going out together, friends and acquaintances in common);
- the assessment of your friends and acquaintances about the nature of your relationship;
- statutory declarations made by your or your partner’s parents, family members, relatives and other friends;
- evidence that you and your partner have declared your relationship to government bodies, commercial/public institutions or authorities;
- joint membership of organisations or groups; and
- evidence of joint participation in sporting, cultural or social activities; or joint travel
Nature of your commitment to each other
Factors that could assist in evidencing mutual commitment between you and your partner include:
- knowledge of each other’s personal circumstances (for example, background and family situation, which could be established at interview);
- intention that your relationship will be long-term (for example, the extent to which you have combined your affairs);
- the terms of your wills; or
- correspondence and itemised phone accounts to show that contact was maintained during any period of separation
Here is a list of documents that you can present as evidence of your relationship
- Mortgage documents, Contract of Sale/purchase, Certificate of Title, receipts for major items purchased in joint names.
- Joint bank or credit card statements listing full details of transactions and current balances
- Utility accounts for rate notices, gas electricity, telephone/mobile, and internet connections.
- Current employment details and/or pay slips from your and your sponsor’s employers
- Superannuation statements from your current or previous employment for you and for your sponsor; Family allowance payments
- Birth certificates for children of the relationship
- Wills and Insurance policies showing the names of the beneficiaries
- Insurance policies (home, contents, car or personal)
- Health care cards or private health insurance documentation/correspondence
- Documentary evidence to support any declarations that you have made in the application form and statutory declarations
- Australian driver’s license for you and your sponsor
- Car registration documents for you and your sponsor
- Photographs at various events or social functions
- Letters (including envelopes with legible post marks) received at your current or previous home address either in joint or separate names
For de-facto relationship, evidence of genuine and continuing relationship for one year before lodging application is required.
(Felix Carao, Principal Migration and Recruitment Consultant of Allskills Recruitment and Migration Services Pty Ltd, is a Registered Migration Consultant (MARN 1069354), a Qualified Education Counselor (QEAC G028), and an Accredited Recruitment Professional (MRCSA 51889). For enquiries, call 0412 321 187 or email him at felix@allskills.com.au or visit www.allskills.com.au)
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SPONSOR: For partner visa or migration assistance to Australia, contact Finemarks Australia
