Changes to Partner visa applications

The new Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill was passed through Parliament on 10 December 2018 and this new legislation is likely to have a significant impact on the visa process for submitting partner applications when the new law comes into effect.

Partner applicants must be sponsored by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Currently the Partner visa application is submitted first to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) followed by the sponsorship form. The new Bill will require the sponsor to submit his/her documents first and have them approved before the Partner visa application can be lodged. At this stage it is unknown how long it will take for the sponsorship application to be assessed which will involve the submission of police reports as part of meeting the character requirement.

The DHA has not announced when the new arrangements will commence but, if you are considering lodging a Partner visa application in the near future and are confident that you can support your application with comprehensive evidence of your relationship history, we would recommend contacting Concept Australia as soon as possible for advice and assistance.