# Partner visa 820/801 "evidence"



## shelleywa (Jan 17, 2013)

Hi all,

A quick background - my partner and I have been together for 2yrs and registered our relationship with the Gov't 1 year ago. We have been living together in various places (friends' spare rooms/parents' house etc.) in this time and for the past 1yr have been renting a room in a house, although we have just in the last week taken on the lease as our own, as a couple, for a 12 month term.

I'm currently applying for my 820/801 visa. The relevant booklet provided my the border.gov.au website is very helpful and gives examples of the evidence (that our relationship is genuine and continuing) we can provide, over the 4 different required categories.

However.

I'm a bit confused over what some of these terms mean. Plus I have some items that I don't know which category to put them in. Plus I don't know if I need MORE evidence in some/all of the sections. Here's what I have so far (under the 4 categories). 


*Financial aspects*
*Sharing of finances* - What does this mean, as "joint bank account" is listed separately? How about a letter from our previous landlord (of the address that we now hold the lease for), confirming we rented a room as a couple for the last year and paid weekly in cash?

*Joint bank account* - this has been in operation for the past month (although has been open for longer) and has been used to pay for the bond & rent of the house.

*Sharing of household bills & expenses* - water & electric bills we will be able to provide with both our names on. What else could we provide as "expenses"? Food bills from the joint account?



*The nature of the household*
*Living arrangements* - again, a letter from our previous landlord (of the address that we now hold the lease for), confirming we rented a room as a couple for the last year and paid weekly in cash. And also the new lease in both our names.

*A statement outlining the basis on which responsibility for housework is distributed* - This is self-explanatory 

*joint ownership or joint rental of the residence in which you live* - we have the new lease

*joint utilities accounts (electricity, gas, telephone)* - again, we can get this next week

*joint responsibility for bills for day-to-day living expenses* - again, what can this be? Food bills from joint account?

*correspondence addressed to both you and your partner at the same address* - We have these from the real estate and from the bank. Should we also include letters from previous addresses?


*social aspect of the relationship*
*evidence that you and your partner have declared your relationship to government bodies, commercial/public institutions or authorities* - We have a De Facto certificate for our relationship, registered 1yr ago.

*information provided in statutory declarations made by your or your partner’s parents, family members, relatives, friends or acquaintances* - How many people should we ask to do this? We have quite a few we could ask.

We are struggling with this one! What else could we have? One thing suggested by the booklet is "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)" - can we use Facebook for this?? is shows us checking in together for anniversaries etc., as well as out with friends and provides dates etc.

Also, is this the section that photographs should be included in, as photographs are not mentioned in the booklet? We don't have any photos with dates printed on them, unfortunately. But again, we do have some on Facebook, which says when and where they were uploaded, so not sure if we could use these??


*the nature of your commitment to each other*
*knowledge of each other’s personal circumstances (for example, background and family situation, which could be established at interview)* - self-explanatory

*intention that your relationship will be long-term (for example, the extent to which you have combined your affairs)* - Does the 12 month lease on the house count for this? What else can we use?

*the terms of your wills* - Haven't done this yet but will do in time for the application

*correspondence and itemised phone accounts to show that contact was maintained during any period of separation*- Not sure if we should include this. I went back to the UK for 3 months in 2014 and we maintained contact - can I use text messages/phone call logs/Skype for this? But even so, this was over 1yr ago - do I include it, as we have now been here together in Australia for the past 14 months?


So this is what we have! Any ideas on what else we could add or answers to the above specific questions would be gratefully received! Thank you :confused2:


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