Oz perm resident looking to sponsor de-facto partner to Oz

Hi,
I live in London and hold an Australian permanent resident visa. It was granted on Apr 1 2003 and runs out on Apr 1st 2008. I have not lived in Oz since getting my visa (I did validate it though) due to severe family problems. Do you need to have been living in Oz for at least 2 years in order to qualify to sponsor a partner to join you? I keep getting conficting information. Some people say that I can sponsor my boyf since I still hold a valid visa. Other migrationg lawyers say that I can't since I have not proven my commitment to Oz by living there for 2 years. Anyone been in a similar situation?

Hello,

The only way you can find out, if you go to Australia House in Londen and ask them your selfs.

They might say it's ok or they tell you what you need to do in your situation.

skippy

Hi,

You need to get your info from a reliable source - like the Aus High Comm or Immi in Australia. The laws change constantly and you need to find out the facts, not just hearsay.

I do know, though, that our good friend had to wait 2 years after geing granted his PR to sponsor his overseas g/f. He has lived in Australia permanently for four years, though, only taking the one trip back to his homeland.

Check the Immigration website

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>The only way you can find out, if you go to Australia House in Londen and ask them your selfs.<hr></blockquote> You'd be lucky to get through the door. They're not keen on people just rocking up for a chat without an appointment. Website and e-mail seems to be the only way the Australian High Commission in London likes to communicate.

As per above, you need to ask the immigration officials themselves.... however I suspect that not only would you be unable to do it [since it will be obvious you have not been in Aus] but that if you don't change your living arrangements in the next year, you would lose your Aus PR as well.

Go to the link in #2 and read ALL the relevant information. (I had a quick look and couldn't see anything about you having to live in Australia in order for your bf to get a visa though.)

I work with someone who is an Australian citizen and is trying to return with his japanese wife of 1 year, and is having problems getting her a resident visa, so I think you may find it challenging.

You will have difficulty renewing your own pr let alone sponsoring anyone else if you remain outside Australia - the requirement is to have spent 2 of the last 5 years in Australia to rnew your resident visas. If you return to Australia before your visa expires, you can live here indefinitely but you can't leave and re-enter unless you have a valid resident return visa (well, actually you can leave, just won't be allowed back in). Look atimmigration website.

There's no 2 year requirement for sponsoring a partner but if you haven't been living here Immigration will refuse you on the basis that you can't support your partner. That may be the problem #6's mate is having. Once you are back in Australia and have someone to live and a job then you can sponsor your partner.