Many people would like to include their partner on their student visa. Being able to have your partner join you to study in Australia will mean you can stay together. It is also much cheaper to only pay for one person to study in Australia.
To be able to include your partner as a secondary applicant on your student visa, they must be classified as a member of the family unit of the main applicant. To be assessed as a member of the family unit, they must be the spouse (husband or wife), or the de facto partner.
To meet the de facto partner requirement, you must prove that:
- You and your partner are in a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others
- You are in a genuine and continuing relationship
- You live together and do not live separately on a permanent basis
Some of the de facto relationship requirements immigration will look at include:
- The Financial Aspect
- The Nature of the Household
- The social aspect of the relationship
- The couple’s commitment to each other
To have your visa approved, you must demonstrate that you meet the de facto relationship requirements for at least 12 months before the application is made.
Common FAQ’s
What happens if we apply for the visa together and immigration does not consider that we meet the de facto requirement?
If you and your partner do not meet the de facto requirement, then your visa application will be refused by immigration. Meaning both the main student and the secondary applicant will be refused.
Can I add my partner to my student visa after it has been granted?
If you meet the de facto relationship requirement, but your partner initially does not want to come with you to Australia, you can list them as your de facto partner on your student visa application. Your de facto partner can later submit a subsequent visa application to join you in Australia.
What if I do not list my de facto partner on my student visa? Can they apply for a subsequent student visa?
If you did not include your partner on your student visa application and you have since entered a de facto relationship following your initial student visa being granted, you may be able to apply for a subsequent visa application.
If my partner and I have not lived together, can they be included on my student visa?
Most likely not, as you do not meet the de facto requirement.
If I am successfully included on my partner visa application, how many hours can I work?
If you or your partner is studying English, Vocational, or a Bachelor’s level course, you can generally only work 40 hours per fortnight.
If you or your partner is studying a Master’s or Doctorate, then you generally will be able to work full time.
