The Sponsorship Obligation and Law is Changing – Lodge Your Partner Visa Application!

The Australian sponsorship obligation and law for the Partner visa application is changing. You must, therefore, lodge your partner visa application immediately!

As most of us know, the ‘Migration Amendment (including Family Violence and Other Aspects) Bill 2016’ was approved in the Senate on 28th November 2018. However, it is still awaiting the royal confirmation to become a law.

Expected Legal Amendments for the Partner Visa

The expected changes and how it may affect you.

• The assessment process for the sponsorship application will now be different from the visa application process

It implies that you may now have to wait first for the approval of sponsorship application before you can file a visa application for your partner visa.

• For Individuals Whose Visa Will Expire Soon

If your Australian visa is expiring soon and you wish to lodge an application for onshore partner visa then you might experience some difficulty. It is because now if you are not able to lodge the visa application then you will not be able to secure a bridging visa to remain in the country.

• If You Don’t Hold a Bridging Visa

For individuals who don’t possess a bridging visa, they now have to depart the country before the expiry of your visa. Additionally, you have to wait to seek approval for the sponsorship application before you lodge your visa application.

• Your Sponsor may Legally Bind to Sponsorship Obligations

This is another expected change in the partner visa Australia application. As per this change, your sponsor will be exposed to sanctions, for instance, obligatory refusal of the sponsorship application. Additionally, it will expose the sponsor to not able to meet the character requirement or barring the same.

• The release of Personal Details

Finally, in special cases, the Department of International Affairs holds the right to disclose personal information to agencies within your home country as well as agencies in Australia. These agencies can be Centrelink, Tax office, National Disabilities Scheme, and others.

To know more about the amendments or changes that are expected, you may visit the link.

The Sponsor Obligations for Partner Visa

For the sponsor of the partner visa, there are certain obligations that can help their partner as well as children, who possess an approved visa by offering them with certain facilities.

These facilities include, but are not limited to:

• Financial assistance
• Accommodation
• Childcare support
• English language courses, if needed

However, if you are granted approval for the visa then you cannot withdraw as a sponsor. But if in certain cases you are not able to abide by the principles or guidelines of the sponsor obligations then the Department of Home Affairs holds the right to cancel your visa.

It is expected that these changes will implement soon. Hence, if you aim to lodge a partner visa application in Australia then make it immediately so that you don’t have to meet any issues.

If you wish to lodge a partner visa application or your visa is expiring soon, then you must do it immediately.

However, if you are not aware of the process then we advise you to contact the expert Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers like us. We will assess your eligibility criteria and inform you about all vital policies and legislation as well.

Amitava Deb

• Amitava is a gold medallist from India’s premier technical institute, IIT Kharagpur.
• He has worked with some of the world’s top companies such as Sony Australia Pty. Ltd., Siemens AG Germany, Clarity International Ltd., Reliance Communications and Optus Sydney.
• Amitava is a Chartered Professional Engineer accredited by Engineers Australia. He is a full member of this esteemed association.
• He is a member of the Australian Computer Society, Tele Management Forum and Worldwide Institute of Software Architects.
• Amitava is a well-recognised name in the ICT Professional Community in Australia.