The Australian government is committed to helping families to reunite. As a result, a large proportion of the visas offered by the Australian Government are allocated to the Family Migration Program and all must be sponsored by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

There are several visa options that fall under this program and the main categories are:

• Parent Visas,
• Partner Visa,
• Child Visas,
• Carer Visas, and
• Remaining Relatives.

Sponsoring a family member to Australia is often more difficult than people expect because there is no statutory right to bring a family member to Australia. Each application to bring a family member or a partner with whom you share a  relationship with is unique and requires a case to be developed.

In most cases, you can apply for a temporary visa first, and after receiving it and entering Australia, you can apply for a permanent visa pathway. Most Family visa applications can be lodged in or out of Australia.

At IMMIGATE we have assisted many migrants in their applications for temporary and permanent visas through the family stream.

Every lawyer and agent of our team is an expert in providing solutions to complex immigration matters and have helped many families reunite with their immediate family members.

A partner visa application is often the best solution for applicants who want ​to be sponsored by their Australian partner to join them temporarily or permanently in Australia depending on the type of the relationship:

• Prospective Marriage: This visa type is suitable if you are engaged with the intention of getting married to your partner in Australia. You must be located outside of Australia at the time of lodgement. If approved, the visa will be granted for 9 months and you must marry your partner and apply for the temporary partner visa application before the 9 month’s period ends.
• Spouse: you must be legally married to your Australian partner and in a genuine relationship. The Australian sponsor must also meet certain requirements and be approved in order for the partner visa application to be granted. This visa type will lead to a permanent residency if you remain with your partner for longer than two years on the temporary visa.
• De Facto: you must be in a genuine de facto relationship living together for more than 12 month’s period prior to lodging the visa application unless compelling and compassionate circumstances exist. This visa type will also lead to a permanent residency if you remain with your Australian partner for longer than two years on the temporary visa.

Partner visa applications in Australia are the most commonly used visa programs attracting a high refusal rate that come with one of the highest government fee charges in the world and with the longest processing timeframes. Therefore, thorough migration assessment, cultural awareness and attention to detail are all are critical to achieving a successful visa outcome.

Understanding how to navigate through the partner visa requirements may somehow seem straight forward but in reality they can be very challenging and time consuming. At IMMIGATE we strive to offer you a complete peace of mind during the visa application process so that you can be confident in the quality of the application and begin planning your future with your partner in Australia. With over 13 years’ industry experience in helping partners reunite from different cultural and national backgrounds, we will work with you to obtain your desired outcomes with an effective and efficient process.

Start by contacting us to set up a consultation time and get you going in the right direction.

To visit Australia for a short period of stay (for up to three, six, or 12 months) you can apply through any of the below categories:

• eVisitor – Subclass 651:  Available to applicants who hold a passport from an eligible country and the applicant must be outside of Australia at the time of application.
• Tourist Visa / Subclass 600:  This visa stream is for people wishing to for a holiday, recreation or to visit family and friends and for other purposes not related to business or medical treatment. You must be able to meet the “Genuine Tourist” criteria.
• Electronic Travel Authority – Subclass 601:  Only certain passport holders can apply for this visa type online and you must be outside Australia at the time of application and decision. You can stay up to three months at a time as a tourist or for restricted business activities.