Partner Visa - applying in australia?

[baxter]

Hi there,

My partner is an Australian citizen and we have been living together for 18 months in Scotland. Unfortunately due to family circumstances we are having to go to Australia earlier than planned. However this means that my visa has not been sent off yet but it is ready to send. I noticed on the forms that you are able to apply for visas while in Australia.

I was just wondering if i could travel to australia without a visa and apply while in the country? Or would it be better to send visas off now and hope for a quick response. We are supposed to be returning to oz early May.

Thanks for any help

[Sheelagh Blanckenberg]

Hi Baxter

Welcome to the Migration Help forum.

It would be worth a quick phone call to the Australian High Commission in London to find out what current partner processing times are like - you may be surprised and able to have it processed and decided before you need to leave.

If you do not think there will be time, a partner visa application can be lodged while you are in Australia. Just remember to bring all the supporting paper work evidencing your relationship with you :) (it's amazing how many people I have met who inadvertantly pack such items to leave in storage in their home countries).

Good luck.

Cheers

Sheelagh

[Emmanuel]

Hi Baxter,


Just a rejoinder to what Sheila suggested.

I have done a few spouse visas lodged in AHC-London. If the application is complete (including police clearances and medical), they have been very quick in deciding the application. If your plan to come to Australia is still in May, there should be ample time to lodge and get a result.

As Sheila suggested, you do need to confirm with them if they can do it before you leave.

If it can't be done and has to be done here in Australia, just be wary that you are coming in on a tourist visa. If questioned at the airport, you should stick to your intention to be on holiday only. Otherwise, if they suspect you will be doing something else (like lodging a spouse visa), they have the right to let you turn around.

Cheers
Emmanuel.

[Sheelagh Blanckenberg]

Emmanuel is quite right Baxter.

Don't want to scare you but you do need to take care and answer appropriately if questioned at the airport. Our immigration department have been known to refuse entry to people they suspect are coming to Australia purely to lodge a spouse visa application.

[Sheelagh Blanckenberg]

I have done a few spouse visas lodged in AHC-London. If the application is complete (including police clearances and medical), they have been very quick in deciding the application. If your plan to come to Australia is still in May, there should be ample time to lodge and get a result.



That is what I thought too Emmanuel, thanks for the clarification.

[Emmanuel]

Hi Sheila,


Happy to share some experiences. A colleague when I was with TIG lodged a spouse visa at AHC-London, fully complete and had the result in 2 weeks.

I don't know whether they were just showing off their processing ability at that time, but it certainly surprised us.

[Sheelagh Blanckenberg]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Emmanuel.

Overseas posts are an enigma when one does not know what goes on there.

I have a little understanding having worked for DIAC in the Australian High Commission in Singapore for 4 years. The number of things that can impact on the processing of an application is amazing.

I invariably ask the PMO in an overseas post for input if I have a time-critical application to lodge and make sure this response, plus the fact the application/applicant has a time-restraint, clearly marked in RED on the first page of my submission. I then follow up with an email and a fax (making sure I keep the OK transmission page) reiterating the issue.

It is always a nerve-wracking experience!