de facto visa-proof of joint documents

[gidget31]

Hi all

I need some guidance from those who know about what kind of evidence you need to provide. I have been living with my partner for 6 months and he plans to come to australia on a tourist visa until we can satisfy the 12 month requirement for a de facto visa. We have always shared all finances etc but we currently have no joint lease (we live in a share house for financial reasons) or joint bank account. We are afraid to get a joint bank account in the uk, in case it affects his getting a tourist visa...

Firstly, does anyone know if you can sign joint bank accounts/leases etc on a tourist visa in australia? Also, how detrimental to our application will it be if we dont have evidence of a joint bank account or lease? Any ideas on other sufficient evidence would be welcomed.

thanks very much!

[Trixy]

Hey, just thought i would help u with what i can. As far as lease's go, i think he can get on a lease on a tourist visa. When me and my partner applied for a lease my visa was about to run out but they werent concerned with visas, just past rentals and references. They didnt even ask me anything about my visa status. I think a bank account would be a little harder to open once he's here cos u need to provide heaps of stuff to accumilate 'points' but im not too sure. The lease is a big deal i think when it comes to the visa, it really shows that u have been living together for that long. As you arnt on a lease together now the only way you can prove u live together is if your housemates write statements for you, or if u have mail going to the same address. Basically start saving everything while u can, joint invitations, cards etc. And also if u get a joint bank account now in the UK it shouldnt even come up when he gets a tourist visa for aus, it will just help with your evidence.

Hope this is of some help to you, im just about to apply 4 my visa so im sure in a few weeks i will know more about the system!! let me know if you need any more info!!

[gidget31]

Hey thanks for your help. Thats a relief about the lease!
Unfortunately we are not sure if we will be able to apply for the de facto visa anyway. I will be going back to Australia for six weeks over christmas because I need to see my family and have to sign docs for a new job. My partner cant accompany me until after six weeks, because he has to finish his employment contract. From looking at these posts it seems that six weeks apart may be detrimental to that 12 month requirement...I am going to call the AHC I think...if you know anything about this your advice would again be appreciated! good luck with yours!

cheers

[Trixy]

Hey, as far as i'm aware its ok if you are separate for that time, as long as you have evidence to show you were still in contact. They do realise that if your a couple from 2 sides of the world that sometimes its necessary to be apart. I went home for 2 months so i sure hope it is ok anyway!! From our time apart we just have loads of emails and itemised calls on phone bills. We spoke to each other a coupe of times a day so they should believe us when we say we were still together. Its generally really hard for a couple to be with each other the entire 12 months because of visas. I only left cos my visa ran out and we hadnt quite been together long enough to apply 4 the visa b4 that!! It may be helpful as well for him to come into the country on his own cos then they wont suspect him of having a girlfriend here. Has he had a working holiday visa before? Cos if not he might be better to get one of those so at least he can legally work here while he's waiting for the time when u can apply 4 the visa! And it lasts a year so it will give u plenty of time to get all the visa stuff sorted out!
Anyway, let me know if u have anymore questions!!