Partner visa application: How can I establish my spousal or de facto partner or relationship?

If you are married or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand Citizen, you may qualify for a partner visa. However, partner visa applications have a refusal rate of almost 40%. Therefore, you are unlikely to be successful if you do not prepare your application correctly. This was the situation with a real-life case heard by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), after the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) refused an application for a partner visa. The applicant was ultimately successful in overturning this decision because he was able to demonstrate that his relationship with his Australian spouse was genuine and continuing. This article outlines the facts and reasoning applied in this case to secure a partner visa application.