# Defacto visa 820 and Centrelink



## Vmoo (Jan 7, 2014)

Hi!

First of all happy new year to all of you!

I have got a few questions in regards the Defacto visa 820.

I have been living in Sydney for the last 9 months on a 457 visa. I came to Australia as I met my girlfriend when she was travelling overseas (she's Australian). During these first months we have been living separately but in a few months we will move in together. 

She's 22 and from March on she will start her University studies. As she will be unemployed she will get around $450 fortnightly from Centrelink. In my case I will still be working and having my usual income.

Here it comes our doubt. If we move in together and after a year we apply for our Defacto visa, how does it impact to my girlfriend's centrelink benefit? My income is "high" ($65K base salary + $65K commission) so we would like to understand if the CentreLink would keep helping her, if it would be cut off or completely over.

Hope you can help us!

Thanks!!


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## speedyetz (Jul 29, 2013)

Vmoo said:


> Hi!
> 
> First of all happy new year to all of you!
> 
> ...


This page may help: Personal income test for ABSTUDY, Austudy and Youth Allowance

At the bottom of the page it reads that for Recipients with partners, "your payment will be reduced by 60 cents for every dollar your partner earns over the maximum amount. Your partner's maximum amount is determined by their circumstances".

I'm not familiar with this at all but I would think that your girlfriend's Centrelink benefits would be affected as soon as you move in together (and become 'partners'), and not only upon applying for the partner visa. When you start receiving Centrelink benefits you are under an obligation to advise of changes to your circumstances (including whether you have a 'partner'). Hope this helps.


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## GBP (Jun 1, 2013)

I suggest you give Centrelink a call to find out the answer.


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## tulauras (Sep 1, 2013)

Centrelink will generally send you a questionnaire about your relationship and determine whether you are partners based on that. They don't require you to wait a year, it counts from as soon as you move in together. 

You'll need to declare your relationship to them for a couple of reasons - first, there's a specific category on the partner visa application for 'declaring your relationship to government bodies', so it will look weird if you haven't declared your relationship to Centrelink. Second, if Centrelink find out (which they may well do as departments share information) she will have to pay back her overpayment. 

It's annoying,but I'm afraid there's really no way around it.


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## MrCAMEL (Jun 21, 2012)

There is no way you will get any payment with that large income, unless you have a baby or 2. You'll have to find another way to get your visa fee back. 
You can check everything like that here https://www.centrelink.gov.au/RateEstimatorsWeb/publicUserCombinedStart.do


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## Vmoo (Jan 7, 2014)

Hi!

Thank you all for your replies  Looks like she won't get anything if we register as defacto... Unlucky!!


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## dunan (Oct 5, 2012)

NO NOT UNLUCKY....you earn enough to support your fiancé so do so n not bludge on the Govt....wonder how much Spain would support you in this regard?


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## Vmoo (Jan 7, 2014)

Chill out, hopefully fiancé someday


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## esl (Dec 5, 2013)

Yeah/nah. I think $130,000 is quite enough for a couple to live on quite comfortably without having to even consider any form of government handout.

The general sentiment of the OP makes me feel quite uneasy.

First world problems.


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## tulauras (Sep 1, 2013)

Yeah, so I'm sure we'd all love to be on $130,000, at the same time it's a bit rough that as soon as you move in together, you're expected to fully support your partner, regardless of your actual situation, and you certainly don't get any tax breaks for doing so. It's also particularly rough when another government department (DIBP) will tell your girlfriend that she has financial responsibility for you. 

I'm sure the OP and his gf will survive on that money, but that doesn't mean he's not entitled to ask.


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## esl (Dec 5, 2013)

If you're not prepared to fully support your new partner in that situation, then you probably need to reconsider your interpretation of the term commitment.

This is an immigration forum and, at the risk of sounding like a bleeding heart, there are people who are in genuine need of government assistance and compassion, before a couple with no dependants and a six figure salary.

And, for clarification, I am not referring to myself in that sense. Moreso, the people who are on endless waiting queues due to lack of CO's in overseas Embassy's and within the department itself at home. And many of them are in third world countries, and many under genuine fear for their safety. Additionally, if you consider the current governments attitude to immigrants, this situation is highly unlikely to improve.

Like I said. First world problems in this thread.

I would be truly thankful for my six figure salary, the chance to live in Australia and move on to more pertinent matters.


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## Vmoo (Jan 7, 2014)

Again, chill out and take it easy guys.

I was just asking a plain question as I didn't know how it works. You don't know my exact situation neither do I yours, let's not judge anybody.

I think you might have been a bit too sensitive with the 'unlucky' word. If you had a two, three or four figures salary and you were entitle to any Government benefit (CentreLink, tax return, whatever it is), I can bet you that you all would apply for it, wouldn't you? Same here. 'Unlucky' my girlfriend won't get any help from the Government because of me, 'Lucky' that I have got a good job.

Enjoy the weekend and be happy!


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## rhirhi (Apr 14, 2013)

This situation worries us too....we are about to move back to Australia and my partner will earn around $900-$1000 a week gross.....by the time we have paid tax, rent (at least $300) and all the bills we will have hardly anything left for food.....it's disappointing for me as an Australian citizen to have to go without any help during my studies when most of my friends are in relationships and still collecting youth allowance while they study because they were not forced to register as a 'de facto' couple.....

I do feel really guilty having my partner work to pay for everything knowing even with a part time job i cannot contribute much while studying.....not only do people on youth allowance receive food/bill money but also rent assistance and half yearly bonus's to help cover text book costs.....again we won't see any of that. 

I've never been in the business of hunting benefits but i think when you're studying it is necessary.....it just makes me sad i'm ineligible when my parter really doesn't earn a lot of money..... It's going to be a struggle for us that is for sure.


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

As an Australian citizen you can still get help and as any normal Australian couple they take into account your partners income to determine if you qualify for Centrelink or not ... with $900 per week I would guess not.

When I was with my ex I could not get any assistance when I studied because of his income I only got some assistance when I split up with him and was like $250 a week!

Unless it has changed in the last 5 years I never got money from Centrelink for my textbooks.


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## davejochow (Mar 27, 2014)

Vmoo you still might get something. $65000 commission might not mean your guaranteed that income. You might only earn $10000 commission. That your right even if someone is earning a million dollars, people will see what they can milk to government for. Its human nature. People may call you out for it, but if its legal and your girlfriend can get money from centre link, why not?


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## waiting_is_happiness (Oct 3, 2013)

If I could make $130K per year and call myself "high-income", then I guess my partner does not need to get less than $12K ($450 x 26 weeks) from Centrelink. What a greedy world we live in!


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