Proving a De Facto Relationship: Partner Visa 2022

Posted by ONEderland Consulting on January 10th, 2023

De Facto Relationship: How Important It Is to Prove Your Relationship

Are you looking for a partner visa to stay in the country with your companion? That’s classic. However, you require more than just basic eligibility to get the visa.

One important thing to be met is that you must be married or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident.

But, what is considered as De Facto Relationship in Australia?

ONE derland Consulting has summarized all information that you need, starting from what defines a De Facto Relationship to the point about how to prove your De Facto Relationship.

What is a De Facto Relationship?

When you are not formally married but live together, you have a de facto relationship. It’s all about the financial aspects, natural households that rely on shared expenses, and evidence of all social contexts. It counts as someone with whom you must live in the country.

De Facto Relationship is one of the conditions when applying for an Australia Partner visa. To be eligible for a partner visa in Australia, you must intend to stay in the country for a spouse relationship rather than for leisure purposes.

In any case, you must have previously held another Australia visa and a genuine relationship with Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents. That is just one of the pathways for you to be a permanent resident in Australia.

If you are currently in a de facto relationship with Australians and interested to apply for Australia partner visa, here, we will give you complete terms below on things considered a de facto relationship.What is considered a de facto relationship in Australia?

As we all know, one of the criteria for obtaining a partner visa in Australia is a de facto relationship. Obviously, you could be proved to be in a de facto relationship for the following reasons:

  1. Aspects of the relationship’s finances,
  2. The household’s nature,
  3. The relationship’s social aspects,
  4. The presence or absence of a sexual relationship, and
  5. The commitment’s nature

However, there’s basic eligibility for a sponsor and their partner who intend to make a visa to offer the following list below:

  1. You could prove to be in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months living under the same roof or have registered your de facto relationship
  2. If you are living apart, you must be living apart only temporarily except there are external circumstances.
  3. The applicant must be over 18 and non-Australian residents. While the sponsor must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
  4. Both must have one commitment to a shared life as partners in a genuine relationship.

“Isn’t Our Mutual Feelings Enough?” Why proving your relationship is required

Department of Home Affairs is blind about your relationship. They have no idea about your first meeting, your first kiss, your first time moved in together, etc. Hence, the Department of Home Affairs needs the evidence and documentations so they can assess your visa application.

In this case, a harmonious cohabitation with your partner is one of the important factors in proving a de facto relationship. Here are some ways of proving a de facto relationship:

1. Validation from the Society! (Social Aspects).

Recognized as a couple? It could be a society’s validation as evidence for your de facto relationship. It is admitted by your friends and relatives; For example, if you attend a party or participate in a travel activity with your partner, all of your friends and relatives will constantly acknowledge your relationship. More evidence comes from the awareness of those folks about your partner when anything happens for you through calls, text messages, and social media.

2. Shared Financial Resources as Relationship’s Confidence (Financial Aspects).

You have known each other about financial resources; For example, both of you shared bank accounts to make a little allowance for both of your privacy for the sake of respective responsibilities.

We know well that a bank account and transfer activity are essential to keep financial aspects, but as one of the conditions, it counts as proving a de facto relationship. Bills are always getting back on track, so you both have similar responsibilities. Additionally, due to the trend that couples could have their individual financial plan; this shows that financial aspects can be an important factor–and strong financial independence isn’t considered necessary to be a strong indicator that you and your partner aren’t in a de facto relationship.

3. Commitment Is The Key (Nature of the Commitment).

Both of you see your relationship as long-term and have made plans for the future. It’s more than like you’re knowledgeable about your similar responsibilities with your partner, and there is still a long journey ahead for your and your partner’s relationship. The commitment would be included as your shared material or the genuine feelings of you and your partner. Of course–the officer would be aware of everything.

How About Physical Evidence?

It is obligated for both you and your partner. Physical evidence is concerned with how shared material could affect the spouse’s relationship, and it could affect the country too. As long as you have faith in your partner, these material possessions may be your piece of a peanut in obtaining an eligibility brief partner’s visa applications:

  1. Shared all of your and your partner’s property lease or property ownership, (e.g., a title deed, rates notice, mortgage documents, lease agreement)
  2. Shared bank accounts or transferring of funds- No self-expense on household bills (e.g., electricity, gas, telephone, insurance, etc.); it’s your similar responsibilities with your partner.
  3. The exact address for coastal correspondence means that you live together despite other external circumstances.

Like it? Share it!


ONEderland Consulting

About the Author

ONEderland Consulting
Joined: September 29th, 2022
Articles Posted: 64

More by this author