# Visa 189 add family member after lodging visa



## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

Hi guys,

There's one piece of information about including family member for visa 189 which Im not quite sure about. On the website it says:

"You can add your partner and dependent children to your application at any time until your visa is decided."

Does that mean we can't add family member(s) after the visa has been decided?

Thanks
J


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

Any one?


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

Once you have been granted your visa you can not add anyone. 

You can sponsor a spouse or child for their own visa but not until you are *usually resident* in Australia. 
It will cost around $3500 and will take 12 months. 

If you have a spouse or child add them as dependent to your visa.


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

_shel said:


> Once you have been granted your visa you can not add anyone.
> 
> You can sponsor a spouse or child for their own visa but not until you are *usually resident* in Australia.
> It will cost around $3500 and will take 12 months.
> ...


So if I want to add my brother (he's older than 18 ) to the application I would have to do it before lodging the application? On that note too, the guidlines on how to include other family member seems rather obscure for me, has anyone here had any experience with such case?


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

How old is your brother? Does he work? Live with you in your home (not your parents home) 

If he works and/or does not live with you he can not be added.


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

_shel said:


> How old is your brother? Does he work? Live with you in your home (not your parents home)
> 
> If he works and/or does not live with you he can not be added.


He's turning 21 now and is studying in sydney at the moment. 

About living with me its a tricky business, long story short I'm renting an apartment with my girl friend, be he's living with us at the moment, just that the rent doesnt have his name listed... I dont know if there's any other ways to prove it besides resorting to rental documents

Thanks


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

He might just qualify as he is under 25 and in university. Where are your parents? 

If you can prove financial dependence you could probably get him on the visa. His name does not have to be on the lease but you need to show he lives there with things like mail addressed to him there, his uni, tax, car registration being to your address for example. 

Him doing odd bits of work alongside study is ok but if he has significant income of his own he is not dependent. 
 Who pays his fees? I assume your and your girlfriend pay all the bills so that helps.


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## Scattley (Jul 30, 2012)

Who is paying for his university degree fees....if it's your parents and not you you will find it hard to prove he is your dependant not your parents. If he has a loan in his name again it will prove he is financially independent....so how up he is funding his studies matters a lot.


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

_shel said:


> He might just qualify as he is under 25 and in university. Where are your parents?
> 
> If you can prove financial dependence you could probably get him on the visa. His name does not have to be on the lease but you need to show he lives there with things like mail addressed to him there, his uni, tax, car registration being to your address for example.
> 
> ...


My parents are in Vietnam, he came here to study some time last march, and been living with me since, just not having the name on the rental doc, but I'm pretty sure his other documents (student id, school paperwork...) have the address.

About the income, he's doing a bit of parttime work but not earning enough to cover the expenses, I'm covering the rental, utility, internet, school fees... for him. School fees is abit of a tricky one, as it was partially paid by my parents.

Have you gone through such situation or do you know someone that has done it? 

Thanks
J


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

Scattley said:


> Who is paying for his university degree fees....if it's your parents and not you you will find it hard to prove he is your dependant not your parents. If he has a loan in his name again it will prove he is financially independent....so how up he is funding his studies matters a lot.


at this stage , it was partially paid by me, my parents covered some of it, so I'm guessing its gonna be hard to prove? he doesnt have any loan in his name yet, and Im covering most of his living expenses up to now, been like more than 12 months if Im not wrong


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

I dont think it will be that hard so long as you can find documents as mentioned that prove your claims. 

If you pay some of his fees can you get a copy of the receipt or show bank statements showing transfer of funds? If you can go for it. 

Yes I have seen siblings added, it is hard but as he is under 25 and a student if you have the evidence you will be ok. Main thing is to keep him dependent until you are granted because if just before grant he gets full time job and CO wants more evidence of dependence just at the same time he is rejected as not dependent. So if is course is due to finish get him on another.


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

_shel said:


> I dont think it will be that hard so long as you can find documents as mentioned that prove your claims.
> 
> If you pay some of his fees can you get a copy of the receipt or show bank statements showing transfer of funds? If you can go for it.
> 
> Yes I have seen siblings added, it is hard but as he is under 25 and a student if you have the evidence you will be ok. Main thing is to keep him dependent until you are granted because if just before grant he gets full time job and CO wants more evidence of dependence just at the same time he is rejected as not dependent. So if is course is due to finish get him on another.


Thanks _shel, you've been very helpful. Keeping him dependent until Im granted is def easy, as he'll be needing provision from me till like 2 -3 years later till he finishes his uni. On that note, Im just wondering if there are any impacts on my application if I do include him. I mean I'm including my partner as well, for her its not an issue as I've done it before for my current visa (485) I've got the relationship certificate so thats a piece of cake for me. But if I do add my brother, would that raise any flag for them? would there any chance the immigration would refuse the visa because of that?


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

No I shouldn't think so. If he was not already in the country on his student visa yes but as he is there was no need to add him to your previous visas. The fact he is in the country and your parents not and you do not come from a country with an extensive welfare system makes it more natural that he _may_ be your dependent. People from the UK and much of Europe for example couldnt do the same.


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

_shel said:


> No I shouldn't think so. If he was not already in the country on his student visa yes but as he is there was no need to add him to your previous visas. The fact he is in the country and your parents not and you do not come from a country with an extensive welfare system makes it more natural that he _may_ be your dependent. People from the UK and much of Europe for example couldnt do the same.


That makes sense, I wouldnt think that there'd any problem with it. Just wanna make sure that I have considered all the cases, cuz he's on the student visa atm, if I include him in the visa application, and for some reasons they reject the application (I don't think its the case as I have got the invitation and pretty much all the documents are ready togo, unless there were some problem with the health check, which is again unlikely), would he be able to go back to the student visa ? cuz usually once you've applied you'll be on the bridging visa, Im wondering if we could opt out for that?


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## Scattley (Jul 30, 2012)

As he is on a student visa he doesn't go on a bridging visa when the application is submitted...not until the expiry of the student visa...so if rejected he is still in the students visa.


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

Scattley said:


> As he is on a student visa he doesn't go on a bridging visa when the application is submitted...not until the expiry of the student visa...so if rejected he is still in the students visa.


I guess it would be the same case for me too ? Im on the 485 one till like next Feb


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## Scattley (Jul 30, 2012)

I am not sure...it's a specific rule for student visas I think.


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## playe (Feb 14, 2014)

Does anyone know if say they can grant visa to the main applicant but refuse the dependent? or is it always either both will get it or be rejected?


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## tu hoang phan (Apr 2, 2016)

Hi Playe,

Can i ask what is current status of you and your brother ? did u include him your application ? do you guys get approval ?because I and my brothers are in the same situation. Thanks
T


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