Are you an Australian citizen or permanent resident wanting to bring your wife, husband or de facto partner to live with you in Australia? Taylor & Scott Lawyers can assist you in making a permanent or temporary application for your spouse or de facto partner to enter and remain permanently in Australia. From December 2008 unmarried same or opposite sex partners are both called “de facto” spouses, but for more information on same sex partner migration see the next section.
What is a spouse relationship?
A spouse relationship is defined as a married or de facto relationship between a couple, where they have a mutual commitment to a shared life as a husband and wife to the exclusion of all others. This includes people intending to get married, people who are married and those in a de facto relationship.
Will I qualify for a spouse visa?
If you are the spouse of an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen you may qualify for a spouse visa.
At Taylor & Scott Lawyers we have registered Migration Agents who can advise you on whether you are eligible to make an application for a spouse visa. To be eligible for a spouse visa:
- You must be sponsored by an Australian citizen or permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
- You and your spouse must show a mutual commitment to a shared life as a husband and wife to the exclusion of all others as well as a genuine and continuing relationship with your partner. At Taylor & Scott Lawyers we can assist you in providing evidence of a genuine and continuing relationship.
- You will need to satisfy certain health and character requirements. At Taylor & Scott Lawyers we are experts at providing assistance in satisfying these requirements.
- You are required to sign an Australian Values Statement to confirm that you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. At Taylor & Scott Lawyers we will explain this statement to you and its importance to your visa application.
What is the application process?
When you make a spouse visa application, you apply for a temporary and a permanent visa. This means that if you meet all the legal criteria for the grant of the visa, you will be granted a temporary spouse visa, until a decision is made on your permanent spouse visa application. A permanent spouse visa will not usually be granted until two years after your initial application.
What will a temporary spouse visa allow me to do?
A temporary spouse visa will allow you to remain in Australia with your spouse, work and study and have access to Medicare, Australia’s medical benefits expenses and hospital care scheme.
What will a permanent spouse visa allow me to do?
A permanent spouse visa will allow you to remain permanently in Australia with your spouse, work and study, have access to Medicare as well as being eligible for certain social security payments after a qualifying period.
See MARA Code of Conduct.
Key Contacts:
At Taylor and Scott Lawyers, we care for you. Contact Lachlan Riches on 1800 600 664 or email us by filling the contact box on the right of this page.