Defacto

jack128

Hi am currently on a 2nd year WHV my boyfriend was sponsored recently enough and will be here for the next 3-4 years. My WHV is up next month and so the next step for me is to apply as defacto on his visa as I don't want to go back to Ireland.
Have rang visa first and have been quoted $1,200 to go through them with my application.
Has anybody used them in regards to a similar application, would people reccommend that I just put through the app myself, is it straight forward enough???.
Have been told that the whole process is very thorough which is understandable do I need to supply alot of evidence or does it vary from couple to couple?? Any info appreciated.

jackbhoy

The level of detail/proof required varies depending on type of visa. It would be a lot more thorough for PR than sponsorship. A good few people on here have done it for sponsorship so will give you definitive answers but there is no way on earth I would pay a company $1200 for something I can easily do myself, especially considering you still have to provide documentation and answer same question yourself anyway.
I went through the process for a post grad student visa and it was very straightforward. Gave them lease, letters, joint bank account details and few bills etc, that was all that was required for us.

Norinoco

Hi Op,

I havent gone through defacto sponsership but my friends have.
90% of the leg work is done by you - you are basically paying visa first to give you information that is freely available in the immigration website and submit the application for you.
Go on the the immigration website (http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/sbs/eligibility-family.htm) and check up the cost to do it independently and see if what they are offering you is worth the difference. The website is a bit of a maze but all the info is there. Dont forget, you can always call them and ask questions over the phone.

Firstly, you need to be sure his work is happy to add you to the sponsorship - pretty sure they need to approve it.

As for what you need ... start collecting stuff to prove that you satisfy their defacto requirements. You'll need things like plane tickets, wedding invites, photos of you together at different events - pop the date on the back, if your living together then proof - lease with both names, bills in both your names,maybe a joint bank account. Finally my friends got each of us and some of their family members to write a letter explaining how we knew the couple and write about their relationship.

This process can take more than a month so I wouldnt waste any more time thinking about how you are going to do this process...

Good luck

mandrake04

Would have been better to have been added on to your BF visa from the start as it would adding you onto his application would have saved you the Visa Application cost and a heap of hassle.

Your BF's employer will also be your sponsor so it's likely they will have a bit of paper work as they are also responsible for any dependents. Providing they are willing is one thing but getting employers to get their ass into gear to get the application in can be a bit of a challenge especially if you have only month to get it lodged ( then you should be issued with a bridging visa)

hussey

Nirinoco is right OP, paying visa first for that is a bit silly, it's quite a straightforward process, you will need to gather all the info and the paper work you fill out with visa first will eventually be the same as if you were to do it yourself

happo

Hi jack128, would your boyfriends company cover the cost of adding you as defacto? I was surprised that my company did it for me and my girlfriend.

We submitted letters of shared address, e-mail to one another, photo's and joint bank accounts. Done the trick for us.

Best wishes.

padrepio

the dept of immigration can be pretty helpful too in telling you in further documents are required. Facebook screenshot, old pictures, joint bank accounts, evidence of having lived together (bills with same address) did it for me and my de facto. Paying visa first $1200 is effectively burning money.

Tieko

The defacto visa for sponsorship is very straight forward. You will need proof of living together for at least six months so lease agreement, any bills, or bank statements that you have in both your names will suffice. Also if you get a few stat decs from an Australian friend who can certify you are a couple are also good. If you haven't been living together it gets a bit trickier and that is when the photos and letters to each other have to come out.

The job will have no problem with this as it doesn't really matter to them if you are sponsored with your partner but you will probably have to give the application to the person who applied for the sponsorship for your partner. I can't remember the fee, but i know it was minimal, just check out the aus immigration website. A visa company can't do anything differently than you can do yourself.