A lot of people would like to include their partner on their student visa. Being able to have your partner join you on to study in Australia will mean you can stay together. It is also a lot 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, you must be classified as a member of the family unit of the main applicant. To be assessed as a member of the family unit you must be the spouse (husband or wife), or the de facto partner.
To meet the de facto requirement you must prove that:
- you and your partner are in a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others
- are in a genuine and continuing relationship
- live together and do not live separately on a permanent basis
Some of the requirements that immigration will jude your de facto relationship include:
- The Financial Aspect
- The Nature of the household
- The social aspect of the relationship
- The couples commitment to each other
To have your visa approved, you must demonstrate that you meet the defacto relationship 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 I meet the de factor requirement?
If immigration does not consider that you and your partner do no meet the de facto requirement, then your visa application will be refused. Meaning both the main student and the secondary applicant will be refused.
Can I add my partner to my student visa after my student visa has been granted?
If you meet the de facto relationship, but your partner does not want to come with you initially to Australia, you can list her as your de facto partner on your student visa application, however not include them on your 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 since your visa was initial student visa was 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 your partner is studying English, Vocational or a Bachelor level course, partners can generally only work 40 hours per fortnight.
If your partner is studying a Masters or Doctorate, then you generally will be able to work full time.
