The Best Approach When Applying for Australian Spouse Visas

Globalization and migration have steadily grown over the previous decades. One of the most popular countries in the world where people are enjoying the benefits of migration is Australia. Once a penal colony and the last place on Earth that someone from the United Kingdom would want to end up, it is now so popular that it is actually rather difficult to obtain permission to live there permanently.

Of course, visas for tourists are easily acquired, but so many want to be able to live, work and study there that they will try almost anything to achieve their goal. One of the the most popular type of longer-term visas for Australia is the working holiday visa. However, this is supposed to be for those who already have funds for their travels and want or need to work a little to help with accommodation and other expenses. In such cases, any one occupation with any one employer must last no longer than six months.

Another option, and one that many people take a little too light-heartedly, is to marry an Australian citizen in an attempt to acquire one of several different Australian spouse visas. In fact, these are also available to those who marry certain eligible New Zealand citizens and also holders of permanent residency in Australia. Australian spouse visas appear relatively straightforward but are very difficult to have get approval for and there are many criteria which must be met and followed stringently in the application process. For example, not only do you need to show you are married to an eligible sponsor, but you must also remain in the relationship for a temporary residence period of two years afterwards to then be able to move to permanent residence.

In addition to being married to an Australian, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealander, it is also possible to be granted Australian de facto partner visas for those who are in de-facto relationships with these eligible people. However, the applicants must be able to prove that this relationship has been ongoing for a minimum period of twelve months prior to the date of application or meet other criteria for excluding the necessary twelve month living together period. If all the criteria are met, there should be no problems in getting the initial two-year temporary visas, and the following permanent Australian spouse visas.

Some people don’t want to spend money paying agents or lawyers to take care of their application for them. Others feel confident in their own ability to understand and work the system without aid. However, for such a big and important decision, it is advisable to use a reputable law firm. Applying alone or using an inexperienced or unskilled agent may result in problems with your application and lead to delay or refusal of your visa application. Moreover, a failed application due to inefficiency, lack of experience or knowledge, or cost or corner cutting could also have a negative effect on further applications. Once the lesson has been learnt, it may be too late.