How to Avoid Common Mistakes with Australian Partner Visa Applications?

With many partner visa applications being refused by the Australian Department of Home Affairs, we have been seeing many applications were actually refused due to minor mistakes, inconsistencies or incorrect evidence provided by their migration agents. If you are submitting a partner visa application without getting professional advice from your migration agent, we have put together the common mistakes you should avoid, in order to reduce the risk of the non-refundable application fee of $7,715.

With every application submission, you need to ensure you have attached sufficient evidence to the department, to ensure the case officer is easily convinced that your relationship is genuine. The stronger the application is, the higher the chances of it getting approved and, in some cases, processed in a timely manner. The focus must be on presenting in the best possible light the genuine nature of your relationship

Let us look at some of the things you should avoid when preparing your Australian partner visa.

1. Inconsistency

   If your documents are not consistent throughout the application process, you might raise the concerns of your case officer, in which case the department might request further documents, which could delay your application as well as impact its outcome.

   Like most visa applications, the process is lengthy, and many documents are required to submit as part of your partner visa application, some of the information might crossover in some documents, which should remain consistent. This could include travel history, work details, contact details, information related to your relationship among many other documents and information submitted.

   In many occasions, the mistake is due to carelessness, in which case an honest mistake would seem as a lie to the case officer, this is why it’s better to triple check all your documents prior to submission, or get professional advice from a migration agent specialised in Australian partner visa applications.

   Due to the visa processing times being longer than ever, make sure that any changes in your situation, including address and other contact details, are maintained and up-to-date, since different addresses might raise a flag that your relationship has ended.

2. Insufficient Proof of Relationship

   When couples work on their partner visa application, they should remember that this is the only thing the case officer knows about them, so it shouldn’t be rushed or too brief, it needs to be detailed and outlined in-depth as much as possible, since this is considered the foundation for your potential partner visa.

   Work with your partner to ensure you have all the required information, nothing should be missed, if you are not confident you have submitted enough information, or if you are struggling to collate enough proof, talk to a migration agent who is specialised in partner visa applications in Australia. Make sure you do not leave anything vague, or unclear, especially in the relationship statement section, which would include how you met and how the relationship evolved. Key dates are important to include, put in a proper timeline since you met, moved together and so on.

3. Wrong Focus

   Some couples focus on one aspect of the relationship and ignore others or do not give these the required time and effort. For example, some include so many details on how they met and the key dates, but make it too brief or ignore it when it comes to other aspects including financials, living together, social aspect, future plans, day-to-day life and routine.

   To ensure you don’t miss there, give as much information as possible when you answer each section, and don’t feel shy to include who pays the bills, who does which chores, common friends, social media proof, family gatherings… Just include as much as you can, as long as it strengthens your proof of relationship. Make it personal, don’t shy out, you can always say why you love your partner, and share the information with your case officer.

   However, submitting irrelevant evidence could make your application look ‘funny’, or as if you are trying to prove something is genuine while it is not. For example, if you find information or documents that would not add to partner visa application’s strength, take it off. If you are not too sure what to include or exclude, this is where you can get a consultation from a partner visa migration specialist.

4. Dishonesty

   One of the most common reasons for partner visa application refusals, like many other visas in Australia, if you decide to hide or lie about certain aspects of the application, you could end up with a refusal. Seek help from a local migration agent if you are uncertain, as in many cases, it’s essential to disclose key factors such as any minor criminal conviction, the extent of a relationship or a period of separation from your partner, since the case officer will dig deeper to ensure your information is correct, including checking your social media profiles in many instances.

   You do not want to jeopardise your partner visa application with incorrect, misleading, or fraudulent documents, not to mention the $7,715+ investment as well as the emotional burden involved with a refusal or extended waiting times. You could get banned from lodging other visa types, for knowingly providing false and misleading information since it is unlawful to not include this information when you are asked to.

To summarise, while it is not a requirement to use a specialist migration agent, it is not a good idea to get a professional consultation from a partner visa specialist, since it is a big step that you want to get right in the first instance, so the cost of having a migration agent helping you with your application and taking off the burden could be the key to your new life together with your partner in Australia.

At Australia Migrate, our specialists know all the partner visa process and requirements inside out, so you would not need to worry about the cross-checking of evidence or wonder what to include in your file, reducing the possibility of having your visa application refused. If you would like to talk to our migration agents, contact us today for a consultation, whether online or at our Sydney-based office.