# Should I marry?



## hugovindas

Dear all,

I am an Australian citizen and my girlfriend is Mexican. We are currently living in Mexico but in may I will go back to australia. I met her two years ago and we have been living together for almost 1 year. I am currently checking how to get her in Australia as soon as possible? But I am not sure about the fastest and most secure options. Any suggestions? I am not pro marriage, however maybe this might accelerate the processing time. Not sure if we should go for a spousal visa ( marry in Mexico) or a fiancée visa and marry in Australia . Thanks. Any recommendation is welcome...


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## Pinky

Hi there!

I've accepted your friend request and had a look at your post. The main obstacle that most couples that want to apply for a defacto visa is that they do not meet the 1 year living together requirement. But from your post, that doesn't seem to be an issue. My husband (then boyfriend) and I decided to get married in Australia and then I went back to Mexico to submit the paperwork, we just thought things would be easier and faster if we applied as husband & wife rather than fiancee. It is definitely a personal choice. For us, it worked perfectly because we got approved after only 6 weeks. I'm not saying you have to marry your girlfriend, but it may something that you could consider. But like I said earlier, you do meet the requirements for a defacto spouse visa, it would just be a matter of getting together as much evidence as possible (stat decs, pictures, phone bills, emails (especially if you were apart), etc etc).
Hope all of this makes sense and if you have any more questions feel free to shoot me a message or continue on this thread 

Good luck!


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## pressurewashing

Wasn't sure of the time frame required but yes agree you could comply for a defacto visa.


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## AIT

Why don't you just go for a partner visa? Especially if you're not pro-marriage. You can secure a visa and move both of you back to Australia without having to be married. My understanding is that you have to prove:

1. That you've been in a committed relationship for a minimum of a year.
2. That you are both invested and contributors to that relationship.

Another option (the one I'm personally chosing) is to try to get your partner a working visa either by applying for one directly or by applying for open positions to companies willing to sponsor employees. Your girlfriend isn't a teacher by chance is she? She might be able to teach Spanish. Nurses get in very easily. Is she a nurse or work in the medical field?

Good luck! Where there's a will there's a way!!!


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## hugovindas

Dear all,

First of all, thank you very much for your helpful recommendations.

I have some questions to those who have applied for a PARTNER VISA as a MEXICAN Citizen.( PINKI, tu experiencia nos puede servir un chingo ;-)). My girlfriend is from MEXICO (Chiapas). We have some doubts concerning the application:

*INQUIRIES*

Apparently all inquiries should be asked directly to the Australian embassy in Otawa (canada) by phone or email. Do you have a contact email of a person who is working there and that can help us?

*CERTIFICATION*

How can we certify documents?

Can an Australian citizen with as occupation Justice of Peace certify all Mexican and Australian documents?

Can a Mexican engineer certify the documents?

Who else can certify documents?

* TRANSLATION:*

Can a Mexican University translate and certify translated documents?

*HEALTH*

Is there a list of recognized doctors in Mexico (Chiapas)?

Which test should be done?

Which format should be used?

*CHARACTER*

Which format should we use?

Do we need a police report at State AND federal level?

Where can we do this? In mexico city?

* THE NATURE OF COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER*

What do they mean?

* DECLARATION OF RELATIONSHIP*

Almost all our friends speak Spanish. Can they write a declaration in Spanish or should it be in English?

Any other helpful recommendation is welcome!

Thank you so much for your help


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## Pinky

hugovindas said:


> Dear all,
> 
> First of all, thank you very much for your helpful recommendations.
> 
> I have some questions to those who have applied for a PARTNER VISA as a MEXICAN Citizen.( PINKI, tu experiencia nos puede servir un chingo ;-)). My girlfriend is from MEXICO (Chiapas). We have some doubts concerning the application:
> 
> *INQUIRIES*
> 
> Apparently all inquiries should be asked directly to the Australian embassy in Otawa (canada) by phone or email. Do you have a contact email of a person who is working there and that can help us? When I submitted my paperwork, it had to be sent to Washington DC, I am not sure when or why they changed this to Canada. Are you in Australia? If so, I know there's a contact phone number you can call and they are pretty friendly and give you advice on what you should and shouldn't do. My husband (then boyfriend) before we applied called them a handful of times and they were always very helpful and shed some light on our situation. I will ask him today if he can remember that number, and I'll post it here for you.
> 
> *CERTIFICATION*
> 
> How can we certify documents? If you are in Australia, you can certify them at any police station. You just bring the original & a copy and the cop will stamp and sign them with NO cost. If you're not in Australia, you will have to go to a Notaria Publica, but that will have a cost, and since you're going to have to certify several documents it will be a high cost. I recommend maybe having someone from your family here in Australia to do all of this for you.
> 
> Can an Australian citizen with as occupation Justice of Peace certify all Mexican and Australian documents? Yes. A Justice of Peace can certify all of them here in Australia - both the Australian and Mexican documents. I just sent my paperwork for my 2nd stage Permanent Residency, I went to the police station and the Justice of Peace is there everyday at noon. She signed and stamped everything (copy of my Mexican passport, copy of marriage certificate, etc etc) at no cost.
> 
> Can a Mexican engineer certify the documents? No. You would need to go to the Notaria Publica to have them certified.
> 
> Who else can certify documents? In Mexico just at the Notaria. In Australia, there's a very long list of people that can certify documents. But the easiest is to go to the police station as I mentioned above.
> 
> * TRANSLATION:*
> 
> Can a Mexican University translate and certify translated documents? Only if they are certified translators. In Mexico they are called PERITO TRADUCTOR. You can always find them on the yellow pages or some government offices have contact information for them. If you're in Australia, it will have to be someone from that is certified with NAATI.
> 
> *HEALTH*
> 
> Is there a list of recognized doctors in Mexico (Chiapas)? If you to this website, Mexico - Panel Doctors you can see that there's only a handful of doctors that recognised in Mexico. Probably the closest one to you guys would be in Merida? The others are in Mexicali, Guadalajara, Mexico City & Monterrey. It is up to you where to go, but I do recommend going to Mexico City - seeing how you will need to go there anyway to get the FEDERAL Police Check.
> 
> Which test should be done? There's a specific form you have to bring in to your appointment - sometimes the doctor already has all those forms, you will have to ask when you make the appointment. I had my tests done in the USA because I used to live in San Diego California. So I called up and they already had all the forms and everything there. You just need to bring 2 pictures I believe... There's more information about that in the application form for the visa.
> 
> Which format should be used? I honestly do not remember, but like I mentioned above, have a read through the defacto/spouse visa application and they mention it there.
> 
> *CHARACTER*
> 
> Which format should we use? Same as the answer above, that form is mentioned in the application booklet, have a read through it and start printing those off. But PLEASE make sure you keep up with form updates, they tend to update forms every year or something like that, and if you do not use the most recent version, they will knock them back and tell you to send them the most recent one. You can find the date/version of the documents at the bottom part of the page.
> 
> Do we need a police report at State AND federal level?I made the mistake of only sending the state police check, but the one they are after is the Federal one, from Mexico City. I had family in Mexico CIty and my aunt went to get it for me. BUT they didn't want to do it, because they said that I had to be there in person, etc etc.. but finally someone there offered to help and she got the letter the same day at no cost. (this was back in 2010) You will need to have this translated too...
> 
> Where can we do this? In mexico city?Yes, Mexico City.
> 
> * THE NATURE OF COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER*
> 
> What do they mean? I believe in the booklet for the defacto/spouse visa they give you some examples. But from what I remember, I think it wants some proof of your commitment such as: joint bank account, bills in both your names, or a lease agreement, anything that is owned by you guys. In my case since we had really never lived together it was N/A, but we did mention that my husband did help some of my school, and trips, and things like that. Basically they are looking for anything that ties you and your partner together. If you have spent any money on her or vice versa, mention it.
> 
> * DECLARATION OF RELATIONSHIP*
> 
> Almost all our friends speak Spanish. Can they write a declaration in Spanish or should it be in English? They can if they do not speak spanish, but I would strongly recommend that everything you submit is in english or it comes with a translation. Think of it this way, if your CO doesn't speak spanish, then your CO can't read those documents, which means that everything will be delayed either getting you to submit a translation or your CO trying to find someone in the office that can give them a rough translation. SO, I just think it's a no-no to submit something in spanish without a translation.
> 
> Thank you so much for your help


Any other helpful recommendation is welcome! Make sure you get statutory declarations from YOUR family & friends. Also, once you submit your application, I recommend you put together a contents page/index and some tabs for easy access. I did this when we submitted ours and I believe it really made things move faster because our CO really didn't ask for any further documents or evidence and I got approved in just 6 weeks!! If I think of anything else I'll shoot you a message. Good luck and congratulations. Tell your girlfriend that she couldn't have made a better choice than having an Aussie bf.. hahah


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## hugovindas

Que buena onda! many many many thanks pinky for having taken the time to answer us in such details. We will keep in touch! Saludos desde Chiapas!


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## Pinky

Not a worry! I hope I was helpful and explained myself correctly.

In regards to the phone number for immigration, please visit this website National Telephone Numbers and there's some numbers there to contact them in Australia. I don't think you told me, but are you in Australia or in Mexico? Where exactly are you living?

Good luck, saludos desde Australia


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## hugovindas

Oh yeah, indeed I forgot to tell you...we are currently living in Chiapas, but in June I will move to Queensland (got a job offer)...and hopefully my chiqui lady will join me as soon as possible...

Where in Mexico are you from and where in Australia r u living now?

saludos


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## hugovindas

Oh yeah pinky, I forgot to ask you,

where in el DF should we get the character (federal police) document?

thx


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## hugovindas

Mail received from aust. embassy otawa. This might interest anyone applying outside australia

1) A certified document is a photocopy of an original document which has been notarised as a true copy of an original. Please note that the document must be certified by someone authorised to do so such as a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public. Most lawyers/solicitors also have the ability to notarise/witness documents.

Do not supply original documents with your application unless asked to do so. If an original document is required at any stage, the department will ask for it. Please note that police checks are the exception. You must provide original police checks.

2) Documents provided as part of a visa application for permanent migration to Australia that are written in languages other than English must also be accompanied by an accurate English translation of each of those documents. When applying for your visa from outside Australia, and having documents translated outside Australia, it is recommended that you use a professionally qualified translator of your choosing.

3) It is recommended that you wait until your Partner Migration application has been assessed and you are advised by your case officer to complete the medicals. If you choose to complete your medicals prior to submitting your application, this decision will be at your discretion, as the costs of medicals are not refunded if your application is refused. 

Another factor to consider is that health assessments and police clearances are only valid for 12 months, and should a visa be granted, you will be required to enter Australia before either of the clearances expires. If you have a planned entry date, you should take the timing of the clearances into account. 

4) Your family and friends should make statutory declarations, affidavits or another appropriate declaration that will legally bind them to their statement. If the statements are written in a language other than English they will need to be translated.

Please note that the statement must be witnessed and notarised by someone authorised to do so such as a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public. Most lawyers/solicitors may also have the ability to notarise/witness documents.


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## Pinky

Hi again!

I had to google where to get it, because I remember that my CO had given me a wrong address. They used to do it where she told me, but for the last 2 or 3 years they had changed it to another address. This is where my aunt went to get mine...

Secretaría de Seguridad Pública Federal - Xola 324, Colonia Del Valle, monday to friday from 9:30 to 12:30, your gf will need to bring a copy of her birth certificate, her IFE id and a gas/telephone/cable tv, etc bill to prove where she lives.

As I mentioned on my previous posts, we got the letter the same day in maybe like 20 minutes? I'm not sure if that's the norm or not. I have read that some take 10 days? I have no idea why. But hopefully that's not true.

In regards to your question, I was born in Mexico City, after a few years my family moved to Baja California (up north). Met the hubby while I was studying in San Diego, California. And now we live in Warrnambool, Victoria (where the Great Ocean Road ends). I love this small regional city, just a pleasant lifestyle 

Hopefully you're gf will love Queensland. Seems like all the Mexican girls that I've met on this forum that are moving to Australia go to Queensland! I'm the only one that moved to cold Victoria! LOL

Anything else, just send me a message.


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## Vyktoria

I'd like to add, all the questions that have been asked are answered in Booklet 1. Read it carefully as it gives you examples of proof they are looking for and the documents they need.


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## shakilahmed

HI I am shakil new registered user here.I am.I am from Melbourne.


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## epicloud

I have a question for my application since my fiance is mexican. She is in the process of getting some statements from her parents citing our relationship, that i lived with her in Monterrey etc However as far as i know here, I just printed a stat dec and my parents wrote the statement signed it witnessed by a JP. 

My question is would be correct that her parents write the statement and it can only be witnessed/certified at the Notaria Publica? Or can it just be a regular standard letter they can write without it being a stat dec sighted by the NP? im doing all the certifying of doc's here (minus the passport since im now back in oz).

i hope for a reply! cheers!


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## Pinky

epicloud said:


> My question is would be correct that her parents write the statement and it can only be witnessed/certified at the Notaria Publica? Or can it just be a regular standard letter they can write without it being a stat dec sighted by the NP? im doing all the certifying of doc's here (minus the passport since im now back in oz).
> 
> i hope for a reply! cheers!


As far as I know, in order for your girlfriend's parents declarations to hold any weight or validity to the Immi officer, it will have to be witnessed at the Notaria Publica. Best to do it that way and avoid any run arounds later on.


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