# Spouse Visa evidence



## Tysonian (Jan 11, 2012)

Hi,

my partner and I are looking into moving to oz with a spouse visa. I understand that extensive evidence needs to be provided, so I am trying to clarify what constitutes evidence, and in what areas it is needed. Below is a list of what I cou

1) Financial

Although we still hold separate accounts (due to inconvenience of merging them), we do pay all household bills and rent from a joint account with my bank. 

We also have a joint credit card we use regularly.


2) Co-Habitation

We live together in a single room flat we have occupied since May, both names appear on the lease.

All household bills (electricity, gas, water, rent) are in both names.


3) Photographic evidence

We have extensive photos depicting shared friendship groups, joint holidays including joint holidays with other family members (mine and hers). Photos of joint participation in family celebrations (christmas etc...)

Most photographic evidence is by camera-phone, much of which is uploaded on facebook and thus public (amongst friends/family)


What I had been considering:
a) we both have cars separately. I thought it may make sense to transfer ownership such that both cars are owned jointly by both of us

b) vehicle insurance. Possibly taking out joint insurance.

c) mobile phones. We currently have separate contracts, though we could potentially dispense with mine when it runs out and see if I could be added to hers.

I am also aware of getting testimonial letters from friends and family, but thought that to be something to worry about closer to the time should we make a committment to emigrate.


Anything else we should consider?

Thanks,

Tyson


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## rackspace (Dec 13, 2009)

are you two married?


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## Tysonian (Jan 11, 2012)

No, we are cohabiting. Although we are in a committed relationship we have no intention to marry per se due to our personl views on marriage.


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## Zultan (Aug 4, 2009)

Anything you can get with both your names on would be great. Being on each others car insurance, joint wills, council tax bill - anything like that.

Photographic evidence isn't worth a whole lot, all it proves is that you posed for a photo together.

For my spouse visa (my partner is the Aussie) I supplied the following:

Certified (some by a magistrate/some by a local solicitor)

Confirmation of Death in Service payment from my partner to me
Confirmation of Death in Service payment from my me to partner
Partner's car insurance with me as named driver
My car insurance partner as named driver
Joint mortgage offer
Remortgage correspondence from conveyancing solicitor
First joint bank statement
Council Tax bill from 2008
Mine, my partner's and son's passport & birth certs

Uncertified

Numerous travel and holiday itineraries going back to 2002
Invoice from nursery addressed to both of us
Amex statement showing partner's supplementary card on my account
Stat decs (Our's, Both mums, A friend).
Partner's employer reference, job profile and a recent p60


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## _Sarah_ (Jun 27, 2011)

Make sure that you meet the specific criteria for being a defacto (unmarried) couple. You must live together for the entire 12 months immediately prior to applying.

In the partner migration booklet there's suggestions for the types of evidence you should have:
_Financial aspects
Evidence will be required that you and your partner share financial commitments and
responsibilities, including:
• evidence of any joint ownership of real estate or other major assets (for example, cars,
appliances) and any joint liabilities (for example, loans, insurance);
• sharing of finances;
• legal commitments that you and your partner have undertaken as a couple;
• evidence that you and your partner have operated joint bank accounts for a
reasonable period of time; or
• sharing of household bills and expenses.
The nature of the household
You will be asked to provide evidence that you and your partner share responsibilities
within your household, including:
• your living arrangements;
• a statement outlining the basis on which responsibility for housework is distributed;
• joint ownership or joint rental of the residence in which you live;
• joint utilities accounts (electricity, gas, telephone);
• joint responsibility for bills for day-to-day living expenses;
• joint responsibility for children; or
• correspondence addressed to both you and your partner at the same address.
Social context of the relationship
How your relationship with your partner is seen by your friends and family will be
considered including:
• evidence that you and your partner are generally accepted as a couple socially (for
example, joint invitations, going out together, friends and acquaintances in common);
• the assessment of your friends and acquaintances about the nature of your
relationship (see ‘Statutory declarations’ on page 27);
• evidence that you and your partner have declared your relationship to government
bodies, commercial/public institutions or authorities;
• statutory declarations made by your or your partner’s parents, family members,
relatives and other friends;
• joint membership of organisations or groups;
• evidence of joint participation in sporting, cultural or social activities; or
• joint travel.
Note: Providing only statutory declarations from your and your partner’s parents, family
members, relatives and other friends is not normally sufficient to evidence your
relationship.
The nature of your commitment to each other
Factors that could assist in evidencing mutual commitment between you and your
partner include:
• knowledge of each other’s personal circumstances (for example, background and
family situation, which could be established at interview);
• intention that your relationship will be long-term (for example, the extent to which
you have combined your affairs);
• the terms of your wills; or
• correspondence and itemised phone accounts to show that contact was maintained
during any period of separation._
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1127.pdf (page 40)

These are just suggestions, but you must cover all categories. You don't need joint bank accounts, but you just need to show that your finances work as a couple, ie: you both pay towards joint needs/rent, or one of you supports the other, ect.


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## Tysonian (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks for that, that is very helpful. at this point we have not made any decision of clear plans, but figure it will make sense to start putting evidence together that was if we decide to apply we are ahead of the game a little. No sense in wasting time!

so thanks for all your help everyone, and if there is any other advice that anyone can think of it would certainly be appreciated!!

Tyson


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## Zultan (Aug 4, 2009)

These two emails from Australia House hold a lot of good info:

The Joy of Emigration: A Useful Email
The Joy of Emigration: Another Useful Email from Australia House


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