# De facto- registering relationship in WA



## Roses (Aug 4, 2012)

Im from the UK and my partner is a Perth Aussie. We live in Perth.It would be great to register our relationship, to strengthen the evidence requirement.
Just wondering if there's something equivalent to the Relationship Register in WA. E.g declaring the de-facto relationship in a court or registry office. 

Have there been any attempts by people or pressure groups in WA to ask the WA state politicians to set this up here? 

Since the NSW relationship registry seems to recognise de-facto relationships between Aussies and those on a temporary visa (Im on 2nd yr of a WHV), could my partner and I temporarily move to NSW to register the relationship and receive the benefits of the registration in the eyes of immigration even if we move back to Perth when we miss friends and family too much? Our only link to NSW is that I have enrolled with the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board School of Law to study some Oz law to compliment my UK law degree and get qualified over here. So could we write on our statements that we tried to move there because its the cheapest place for me to study my law modules as an international student but we missed Perth too much.

Would love to hear any peoples' experiences from registering relationship in a state they don't live in... Thanks in advance.


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## dingo144 (Dec 5, 2011)

As far as I know there is no such thing like a relationship registration in WA...

the requirements for the NSW one are that (obviously) you're in a relationship and that at least one is registered as living in NSW, this has to be your partner as he is the Aussie...

So I think you can do that....the question is just if WA IMMI will accept the registration...

maybe you should contact immi in WA for this?!

Have a good day


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## chifin (Sep 30, 2011)

The trick to "de facto relationship" status in WA is which interpretation is used for immigration purposes? I don't know. Here is the Family Law courts version :

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What determines a de facto relationship?

The following factors set out in s 13A of the Interpretation Act 1984 are used to determine whether a de facto relationship exists between two people, but not all factors are essential:

The length of the relationship between them
Whether they lived in the same residence
The nature and extent of their common residence
Whether there is, or has been, a sexual realtionship between them 
The degree of financial dependence or interdependence, and any arrangements for financial support, between them
The ownership, use and purchase of their property (including property they own individually)
The degree of mutual commitment by them to a shared life
Whether they care for and support children, and
How their relationship as a couple is perceived by others
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A basic definition has previously been "2 years living together in same residence".

I don't know of an official "registry", but then I believe meeting the basic living together or the more detailed items above means you have "de facto status" anyway.


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