Most prospective migrants wonder about the possibility of including their de facto partner in their Australian Skilled Migration Application. Understanding the rules and requirements surrounding this can help streamline your application process and ensure that both you and your partner can enjoy the benefits of living and working in Australia together.
Your de facto partner is defined under Australian law as someone with whom you share a committed, continuous, and genuine relationship, similar to that of a marriage, but without actually being legally married. To be considered a de facto partner, you must have lived together for at least 12 months or demonstrate that the relationship is registered as a de facto relationship in the relevant jurisdiction.
If you are applying for a skilled migration visa, such as the subclass 189 (Skilled Independent visa), subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated visa), or subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa), you can include your de facto partner as a secondary applicant in your application. By doing so, both of you can be granted the same visa, allowing you to live and work in Australia together.
To include your de facto partner in your application, you’ll need to provide several pieces of documentation to prove the genuineness of your relationship. This may include:
- Joint financial commitments: Bank statements showing joint accounts, shared property ownership, or shared utility bills can help demonstrate the financial aspects of your relationship.
- Living arrangements: Evidence that you reside together, such as lease agreements or utility bills with both your names, is crucial to support your claim.
- Social context: Affidavits from friends or family corroborating your relationship and social events that you attended together can strengthen your case.
- Correspondence and communication: Texts, emails, and other forms of communication can reflect the duration and depth of your relationship.
Additionally, it’s vital to ensure that your de facto partner meets all the eligibility criteria for skilled migration. This includes passing health checks and character assessments. You also need to make sure that they have a valid skills assessment, as required by the specific visa subclass you are applying for.
In some cases, your de facto partner may need to undergo a separate skills assessment or even apply for a skills visa in their own right. As such, it is prudent to consult with a registered migration agent or lawyer who can provide tailored advice based on your individual circumstances.
As a final point, you can indeed include your de facto partner in your Australian Skilled Migration Application, provided you can substantiate the relationship with adequate documentation. This inclusion not only enhances your chances for a successful application but also enables a joint journey towards life in Australia.