How long before my boyfriend could be my sponsor?
1. How long after his arrival in Australia can he submit an application to sponsor me? Or can he already apply now since his visa has already been granted?
2. Can I work/study when I move over or do I have to wait after a certain period of time?
3. What criteria must I fulfill to be eligible to get a sponsorship?
It's difficult to get thru the local australian consulate and the austalian immi website is a little too brief for us to get a clear picture on this.
Hope some 'experienced' migrants could enlighten us.
Thanks!
Answer:
First you need to establish what type of resident visa your boyfriend has been granted. If it is a 136, 137, 138 or 139 he can sponsor you as his spouse as soon as he has made his initial entry to Australia. He does not need to be in Australia to sponsor you, he can return to his home country and lodge the application there. To be eligible for the spouse visa you will either need to be married or have lived together for 12 months.
If you boyfriend has been granted a 495 the process is slightly different. You will not be able to apply for a spouse visa, instead you will need to apply to be added onto his visa. You still need to be married or have lived together for 12 months.
You will be able to work / study on either visa.
For either visa the Department of Immigration may want to know why you weren't included on his application in the first place if you were already in a relationship. Did your boyfriend delcare your relationship in his application? If he didn't this may cause a problem.