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[2018] AATA 1897
appellant. The Tribunal remits the application for a Partner (Temporary) (Class UK) visa, with the direction that the applicant meets cl.820.211(2) and cl.820.221(1) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations
This case involved a man who applied for a Partner visa after his tourist visa had expired, making him an unlawful non-citizen. The visa was refused because he didn't meet certain criteria for people without valid visas. He appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), but his migration agent missed a deadline to provide extra information, which meant he lost his right to a hearing. Despite this, the AAT looked at all the documents provided and found that the man had only become unlawful because he followed advice from an immigration officer about when to apply and how much to pay. The AAT also found he was in a genuine marriage with his Australian partner. The AAT sent the case back to the Department with instructions to grant the visa, finding that the man met the necessary requirements.
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Lau (Migration) [2018] AATA 1897 (6 April 2018)
DECISION: The Tribunal remits the application for a Partner (Temporary) (Class UK) visa, with the direction that the applicant meets the following criteria for a Subclass 820 (Partner (Temporary)) visa:
Migration - Partner (Temporary) (Class UK) visa - Subclass 820 - The applicant lost their right to hearing - An unlawful non-citizen at the time of application - Compelling reasons to waive Schedule 3 criteria - Sufficient evidence of genuine and continuing relationship - Decision under review remitted
Migration Regulations 1994, r 1.15A, Schedule 2, cls 820.211, 801.221, Schedule 3, Public Interest Criterion 3001,3003,3004
Jayasinghe v MIMA [2006] FCA 1700
Hasran v MIAC [2010] FCAFC 40
Does the applicant meet the Schedule 3 criteria, or should those criteria be waived?
Whether the parties are in a spouse or de facto relationship
Are the other requirements for a spousal relationship met?
**ATTACHMENT - Extract from Migration Regulations 1994
(1) For subsection 5F (3) of the Act, this regulation sets out arrangements for the purpose of determining whether 1 or more of the conditions in paragraphs 5F (2) (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the Act exist.
(2) If the Minister is considering an application for:
the Minister must consider all of the circumstances of the relationship, including the matters set out in subregulation (3).
(a) the financial aspects of the relationship, including:
(i) any joint ownership of real estate or other major assets; and
(iii) the extent of any pooling of financial resources, especially in relation to major financial commitments; and
(iv) whether one person in the relationship owes any legal obligation in respect of the other; and
(v) the basis of any sharing of day to day household expenses; and
(i) any joint responsibility for the care and support of children; and
(iii) any sharing of the responsibility for housework; and
(c) the social aspects of the relationship, including:
(i) whether the persons represent themselves to other people as being married to each other; and
(ii) the opinion of the persons' friends and acquaintances about the nature of the relationship; and
(iii) any basis on which the persons plan and undertake joint social activities; and
(d) the nature of the persons' commitment to each other, including:
(ii) the length of time during which the persons have lived together; and
(iii) the degree of companionship and emotional support that the persons draw from each other; and
(iv) whether the persons see the relationship as a long term one.
(4) If the Minister is considering an application for a visa of a class other than a class mentioned in subregulation (2), the Minister may consider any of the circumstances mentioned in subregulation (3).
(1) The application is validly made within 28 days after the relevant day (within the meaning of subclause (2)).
(2) For the purposes of subclause (1) and of clause 3002, the relevant day, in relation to an applicant, is:
(a) if the applicant held an entry permit that was valid up to and including 31 August 1994 but has not subsequently been the holder of a substantive visa - 1 September 1994; or
(b) if the applicant became an illegal entrant before 1 September 1994 (whether or not clause 6002 in Schedule 6 of the Migration (1993) Regulations applied or section 195 of the Act applies) and has not, at any time on or after 1 September 1994, been the holder of a substantive visa - the day when the applicant last became an illegal entrant; or
(i) ceased to hold a substantive or criminal justice visa on or after 1 September 1994; or
(ii) entered Australia unlawfully on or after 1 September 1994;
(iii) the last day when the applicant held a substantive or criminal justice visa; or
(iv) the day when the applicant last entered Australia unlawfully; or
(d) if the last substantive visa held by the applicant was cancelled, and the Tribunal has made a decision to set aside and substitute the cancellation decision or the Minister's decision not to revoke the cancellation - the later of:
(i) the day when that last substantive visa ceased to be in effect; and
(ii) the day when the applicant is taken, under sections 368C, 368D and 379C of the Act, to have been notified of the Tribunal's decision.
(a) the applicant has not, on or after 1 September 1994, been the holder of a substantive visa; and
(ii) the holder of an entry permit that was not valid beyond 31 August 1994;
(c) the applicant last became an illegal entrant, or, in the case of a person referred to in subparagraph (b)(ii), last became a person in Australia without a substantive visa, because of factors beyond the applicant's control; and
(d) there are compelling reasons for granting the visa; and
(e) the applicant has complied substantially with the conditions that apply or applied to:
(i) the last of any entry permits held by the applicant (other than a condition of which the applicant was in breach solely because of the expiry of the entry permit); and
(f) the applicant would have been entitled to be granted an entry permit equivalent to a visa of the class applied for if the applicant had applied for the entry permit immediately before last becoming an illegal entrant or, in the case of a person referred to in subparagraph (b)(ii), if the applicant had applied for the entry permit on 31 August 1994; and
(g) the applicant intends to comply with any conditions subject to which the visa is granted; and
(h) the last entry permit (if any) held by the applicant was not granted subject to a condition that the holder would not, after entering Australia, be entitled to be granted an entry permit, or a further entry permit, while the holder remained in Australia.
(a) ceased to hold a substantive or criminal justice visa on or after 1 September 1994; or
(b) entered Australia unlawfully on or after 1 September 1994 and has not subsequently been granted a substantive visa;
(c) the applicant is not the holder of a substantive visa because of factors beyond the applicant's control; and
(d) there are compelling reasons for granting the visa; and
(A) the last of any entry permits held by the applicant (other than a condition of which the applicant was in breach solely because of the expiry of the entry permit); and
(A) the last of any substantive visas held by the applicant (other than a condition of which the applicant was in breach solely because the visa ceased to be in effect); and
(i) in the case of an applicant referred to in paragraph (a) - the applicant would have been entitled to be granted a visa of the class applied for if the applicant had applied for the visa on the day when the applicant last held a substantive or criminal justice visa; or
(ii) in the case of an applicant referred to in paragraph (b) - the applicant would have satisfied the criteria (other than any Schedule 3 criteria) for the grant of a visa of the class applied for on the day when the applicant last entered Australia unlawfully; and
(g) the applicant intends to comply with any conditions subject to which the visa is granted; and
(h) if the last visa (if any) held by the applicant was a transitional (temporary) visa, that visa was not subject to a condition that the holder would not, after entering Australia, be entitled to be granted an entry permit, or a further entry permit, while the holder remained in Australia.
Jayasinghe
MIMA
The Tribunal remits the application for a Partner (Temporary) (Class UK) visa, with the direction that the applicant meets cl.820.211(2) and cl.820.221(1) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations