VISA OPTIONS
Not everyone who wants to live in Australia is able to do so. The Australian Government has very strict legislation in place to determine who can be granted a visa and what criteria they must meet.
Many people think that having a relative in Australia makes them eligible for a visa, which is not necessarily the case. Having a spouse, partner, fiancé or child who is permanently resident in Australia may make you eligible for a Family Migration visa but not for a Skilled Migration visa.
SKILLED MIGRATION
For General Skilled Migration there are other determining factors, such as skill, age, English language ability, employment experience, qualifications. If you do have a close relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you, it may increase your total points score but it will not make you eligible for a visa if you cannot meet the other criteria. The age band for this visa category is 18 to 44 years. Once you turn 45 you cannot apply for General Skilled Migration regardless of whether you have relatives in Australia or are able to meet any of the other criteria.
It is also necessary to reach a specific points total to have any realistic chance of succeeding with a visa application. Points are awarded for some of the determining factors mentioned above but there are also other ways to add points to your total, such as Spouse Skills, English Language Testing, having an occupation in demand or job offer. In some instances it is possible to be sponsored by a particular State or Territory, instead of a close relative, but this would generally be linked to specific skill shortages in that State or Territory.
SPOUSE/PARTNER/FIANCÉ VISAS
You could apply for a Spouse/Partner/Fiancé visa if you are married to, engaged to or living in a defacto relationship with an Australian Citizen or permanent resident partner. You would have to prove that your relationship is genuine and on-going, be sponsored by your partner and meet the health and character requirements.
A defacto relationship means having lived together as a couple for at least 12 months prior to lodging the visa application.
PARENT VISASIf you have a child who has lived permanently in Australia for at 18 months - 2 years, you could apply for a Parent visa. If you and your spouse/partner have more than one child then you must meet the Balance of Family test. This test means that at least half your children must be permanently resident in Australia OR you must have more children permanently in Australia than in any other single country.
You must be sponsored by your son or daughter in Australia, meet the health and character requirements, have a financial assurer and pay both a bond and a health charge.
For some parents, the process of dealing with Government Departments and completing official paperwork can be daunting.
We have particular empathy with Parents and are happy to take the time to chat with our older clients if they're anxious about anything.
The process is lengthy and it's nice to have a reassuring voice at the other end of the phone.
If you think you may be able to meet the criteria for any of the above visas, please ring either Sheila or Shirley on 0161 776 9839 for a free initial assessment.
Essential Information |
Permanent Visa Information |
Temporary Visa Information |
