# Proof of living together on a tourist visa



## rywo (Sep 28, 2011)

Hi,

I am moving to Australia soon and I would like my girlfriend to come with me, later becoming a dependent on 457 visa after 6 months or so of living together. We have exhausted all options and as we haven't previously lived together she has to get a tourist visa.

What I am asking is that if she comes on a tourist visa how will we be able to prove that she has been living there? She won't be able to go on a tenancy agreement as a tourist or any other formal document will she?

Also providing she doesn't have the no further stay condition will she be able to get a bridging visa from a tourist to a 457?

Thanks


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## Mari (Jun 15, 2011)

Hi,
she will not be able to go on the lease, however, there are heaps of other stuff you can do. 
I am on a tourist visa and me and my girlfriend did the following: first week I got here we opened a mutual bank account, 2 weeks before I got here she had my name added to the electricity bill, we can have our flatmates and the landlord to right a statement if we need it and after 4 months of living together we went to the NSW BDM and got registered.
having your partner here on a tourist visa is a common thing and you can still get a lot done to prove your commitment and living arrangements. the lease is not a big deal.


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## SarahM (Feb 8, 2011)

Mari has some good ideas, additionally she could convert her UK driver's license to an Australian one - you should be able to do this once you have a letter with her name and your address (eg: from the bank). This means she'll have an official card with your address on it.

_Also providing she doesn't have the no further stay condition will she be able to get a bridging visa from a tourist to a 457?
_A bridging visa is usually when someone on a valid, substantive visa applies for another visa. She will not be *applying* for another visa, rather she'll be added to your visa so I don't know if a bridging visa would come into effect. You should definately not let her tourist visa expire before you find out what to do. For example, it may be that within a few days/weeks of making the request she'll become your dependant - I suggest you contact DIAC as soon as you arrive in Aus.


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## Turboadam (Apr 19, 2011)

Mari said:


> Hi,
> she will not be able to go on the lease.


I don't know if it is illegal or otherwise, but my Thai wife is on our Residential lease whilst here on a TV.


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## rywo (Sep 28, 2011)

Cheers for the info.

In addition to this would it be ok if she put her reason on her 6 month visa as staying with boyfriend?

If immigration sense she using these 6 months to stay on a more permanent basis is there a chance she could be rejected.

Is there anything we can do apart from maybe leave the country after the 6 months is up and we are waiting for her to be added to my visa. (I say 6 months as this is what the people at work have said). In this instance it would be ok for her to possibly come back to UK while a decision is made? Then return asap if accepted?


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## dan (May 16, 2011)

rywo said:


> She won't be able to go on a tenancy agreement as a tourist or any other formal document will she?


i don't see why not?? i doubt the landlord would ask to see your visa? would the electricity company want to see your visa? the gas company?

and there is no government rule that says you can't... like what if you were a rich tourist and you wanted to come and live in sydney for 6mo? would you not be able to rent a fully furnished apartment for your visit - would you have to stay in a hotel the whole time?

so, document away!


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## Turboadam (Apr 19, 2011)

rywo said:


> Cheers for the info.
> 
> In addition to this would it be ok if she put her reason on her 6 month visa as staying with boyfriend?
> 
> If immigration sense she using these 6 months to stay on a more permanent basis is there a chance she could be rejected.


Correct, you must show that the intent is to be a visitor/tourist. You should also show that there is reason to return home at the end of the T.V and that there are sufficient funds to last the stay or that the applicant has sufficient support - financial and place to stay etc etc


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## rywo (Sep 28, 2011)

Turboadam said:


> Correct, you must show that the intent is to be a visitor/tourist. You should also show that there is reason to return home at the end of the T.V and that there are sufficient funds to last the stay or that the applicant has sufficient support - financial and place to stay etc etc


There are instances and circumstances where people stay beyond their tourist though isn't there?

For instance, my girlfriend being added as my dependent after the 6 months?


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## aussiegirl (Dec 15, 2009)

You have just discovered one of the problems with applying for a tourist visa with the intent of then applying for a partner visa onshore. If you tell DIAC when applying for the tourist visa what your real intension are it's possible they won't grant the tourist visa, since tourist visas are meant for travel. 

A lot of people do manage to get it, of course, but then they run into evidence gathering problems, since they don't have a visa that allows them to enter legal contracts etc.

If she can get in on the tourist and you can get the application together and apply before the tourist visa expires, she'll go onto a bridging visa to let her stay until a decision is made.


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## dan (May 16, 2011)

aussiegirl said:


> since they don't have a visa that allows them to enter legal contracts etc.


have you got a source for this? i thought a tourist visa just prevented you from seeking employment... everything else is ok. if you couldn't enter legal contracts on a tourist visa then how could you rent a car?


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## Turboadam (Apr 19, 2011)

dan said:


> have you got a source for this? i thought a tourist visa just prevented you from seeking employment... everything else is ok. if you couldn't enter legal contracts on a tourist visa then how could you rent a car?


Agreed Dan, talking junk.


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## aussiegirl (Dec 15, 2009)

I'm not an expert here, so I'm just going by what I've read from various sources and the experiences of people on this forum.

Maybe I was too general in using the term legal contracts. Obvioulsy a tourist can rent a car, but that's not what I'm getting at. I mean here things like leases. I'm in a country that doesn't allow even people with a spouse visa to get a credit card or even a phone plan very easily, so this is also what I'm trying to get at. Maybe it's much easier in Australia, but don't assume that you won't run into any other problems on a tourist visa. Although those on partner visas can work legally, employers are sometimes reluctant to take them since they are just temporary. So though legally they are allowed to, in reality they can run into hiccups. 

Yes, tourists can't work legally, but if they have a no further stay condition, they also can't apply for any further visas onshore. I trust that you've already looked into this.

Sorry if I caused any misunderstanding here, I'm only trying to help.


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## whatnext (Aug 3, 2011)

I think the main issue with getting a lease on a tourist visa is that you have to prove you can pay the rent without employment. If on a joint lease the other person can cover the rent it may not be a problem. The problem is finding a rental agency that will take you over a 2 income couple. The rental market in Australia is highly competitive. It took us a few months to find somewhere even though I earn a very good income but my partner was on a student visa which restricted his work hours. We were often beaten by double income couples.


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## dan (May 16, 2011)

aussiegirl said:


> I'm not an expert here, so I'm just going by what I've read from various sources and the experiences of people on this forum.
> 
> Maybe I was too general in using the term legal contracts. Obvioulsy a tourist can rent a car, but that's not what I'm getting at. I mean here things like leases. I'm in a country that doesn't allow even people with a spouse visa to get a credit card or even a phone plan very easily, so this is also what I'm trying to get at. Maybe it's much easier in Australia, but don't assume that you won't run into any other problems on a tourist visa. Although those on partner visas can work legally, employers are sometimes reluctant to take them since they are just temporary. So though legally they are allowed to, in reality they can run into hiccups.
> 
> ...


no problem, i just wasn't sure if there was something i was missing 

FYI, my partner is on a tourist visa and she is listed on our lease.... so i was a little worried maybe i did something wrong!

the practicalities about getting a phone service, lease, etc are all true - but they are not because of some legal requirement. it is just because the phone company/landlord/etc does not want to offer their services to people on temporary visas - it is too easy for the person to leave the country and too hard to chase them for the debt once they do!


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## rywo (Sep 28, 2011)

Cheers for the info guys. If it does come about that she gets a 6 month visa and we lodge providing sufficient evidence, if the 6 month one does run out would we be able to leave the country and apply for an eVisitor (3 month ETA) so that we are not waiting for the decision to be made in the UK?


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## SarahM (Feb 8, 2011)

rywo said:


> Cheers for the info guys. If it does come about that she gets a 6 month visa and we lodge providing sufficient evidence, if the 6 month one does run out would we be able to leave the country and apply for an eVisitor (3 month ETA) so that we are not waiting for the decision to be made in the UK?


Once the tourist visa expires, as long as you've applied for the partner visa a Bridging visa will be graned (you don't need to fill out any forms). They will grant a Bridging visa which gives her permission to stay in Australia while a decision is made. Note: the Bridging visa will have the same conditions as the tourist visa.


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## rywo (Sep 28, 2011)

SarahM said:


> Once the tourist visa expires, as long as you've applied for the partner visa a Bridging visa will be graned (you don't need to fill out any forms). They will grant a Bridging visa which gives her permission to stay in Australia while a decision is made. Note: the Bridging visa will have the same conditions as the tourist visa.


The thing is the visa that she will be added to will be a dependent on my 457 visa, so as it won't be a separate visa will the bridging visa still be granted?


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## SarahM (Feb 8, 2011)

rywo said:


> The thing is the visa that she will be added to will be a dependent on my 457 visa, so as it won't be a separate visa will the bridging visa still be granted?


In that case I'm not 110% sure, I'd assume she'd still be granted a Bridging visa - it seems logical.


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