5 Costly Mistakes Couples Make When Applying for a Partner Visa

With the rise of both government visa fees and visa application refusals, getting it right the first time around is crucial when applying for a partner visa. The Australian Department of Home Affairs are refusing partner visa applications at a very high rate, mostly due to minor inconsistencies and lack of relationship evidence. These mistakes can prove costly at around $7,800 with the non-refundable application fee and the processing times can vary around 19-25 months.

With such a huge time and financial commitment, you want to increase your chances of getting your visa application approved so you and your spouse can live an amazing life in Australia. In here we’ll be discussing 5 costly mistakes couples make when applying for a partner visa and hopefully, you can avoid them altogether.

1. Inconsistent documents

Inconsistency across your relationship documents is a big red flag for the immigration officials. The Department wants you to validate your relationship in a clear and concise manner and it can be difficult to prove through paperwork. Before you submit your visa application, create a timeline of your relationship with your spouse. Have each document ready for every significant event that happened in your relationship and make sure everything flows coherently.

We suggest you do a cross-checking of all your documents against your relationship timeline to confirm everything matches up. The smallest of details can make a huge difference to immigration officials and the more consistent your documents are, the stronger your visa application will be.

2. Conflicting evidence

Another common mistake most couples make is having conflicting evidence. Because of the lengthy processing times of partner visas, couples might change their address during this period and thus affect their chances of getting approved by the Department.

Any changes made on both partner’s forms and correspondence should always be updated to inform the Department that your relationship is genuine and continuing. Conflicting addresses might serve as an indication to the immigration officials that your relationship has ended, something that you definitely want to avoid when applying for a partner visa.

3. Discussing about one side of the relationship only

Aside from talking about the big events, it’s also important to discuss the little things that make up your relationship. This means getting into the domestic details of your life together like the household aspects, your financial responsibilities, and social activities. Where do you live? Who pays the bills and how is your money shared? What fun activities do you frequently engage in as a couple?

All of these things matter to the immigration officials as it proves that both parties are genuinely committed to the relationship. Make sure to include as much valuable detail as you can to strengthen your case when applying for a partner visa.

4. Being dishonest

This is perhaps the costliest mistake you can make when lodging a partner visa application. You can only go so far being dishonest (submitting fraudulent documents, failing to disclose criminal convictions, etc.) as the Department will eventually find outs that you’re lying. Not only will your visa application get rejected, but you risk receiving a ban for up to ten years.  Public Interest Criteria 4020 is not something you want enact.  

Be genuinely honest with your relationship and provide factual documents about yourself, your spouse, and your relationship together. Remember, you’re investing time, money, and effort into this visa application and you don’t want to waste those resources by lying your way into an approval.

5. Not using a migration specialist

While it is not a requirement, there are plenty of advantages to using a migration specialist. First off is that you can avoid the costly mistakes mentioned above and secondly, it saves you from the headache of having to deal with the in-and-outs of the entire visa application process. A migration specialist knows what it takes to get a Partner visa approval and they’ll guide you every step of the way. From which documents you should provide to how you should present your relationship to the immigration officials; they can help facilitate the entire process and increase your chances of getting approved.

Australia has placed stringent rules on obtaining a partner visa and if you’re not knowledgeable on these rules, you can risk getting your application refused. With a migration specialist, you can feel confident knowing that a professional will guide you throughout the whole procedure.

What’s next?Obtaining a partner visa in Perth requires careful planning and consideration, which means it’s important that you give you and your spouse the best chance of success. By avoiding these 5 costly mistakes, you can reduce the stress associated with the process and secure your future together in Australia. After all, you’ve invested so much in your partner visa and you owe it to yourself to ensure that it gets approved by the Department.