Partner visa in Australia

• Enroll in an accredited course (CRICOS).
• Have a Confirmation of Enrollment (COE).
• Possess a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months.
• Draft and submit a Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) letter.
• Secure Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
• Pay the student visa fee for the couple ($1,240 AUD).

Depending on your nationality, the Australian Government may request additional requirements, such as proof of financial funds or medical examinations.

Additionally, although not mandatory, the Australian Immigration Department recommends submitting all documents translated into English by an official translator.

Ideally, provide your marriage certificate or, at least, the certificate of being registered as a de facto couple. However, fret not, lovebirds; you don’t need to rush to Las Vegas for a quick wedding with an Elvis Presley impersonator. There are simpler ways to prove your genuine relationship, such as:

• Joint bank accounts.
• Evidence of being a couple for more than 12 months, like rental agreements, utility bills (water, electricity, phone, etc.).
• Affidavits from family members (a perfect excuse to reconcile with in-laws and siblings-in-law).
• Any document certifying shared assets: jointly owned car, mortgage, etc.
• Airplane or train tickets and reservations in both names for trips taken together.

You don’t need all of these, but the more evidence you provide, the better.

Let’s go over the requirements you’ll need to meet to include your minor children in your student visa and travel to Australia with your family.

We want to mention that all the documents you’ll need, listed below, must be translated into English by a NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) translator.

Passport

All family members must submit a copy of their passport.

Birth certificate of your minor children

This document is essential for the Australian immigration department to verify the legal relationship your children have with you (the main applicant).

Family health insurance

All family members must have health insurance covering the entire duration of the main applicant’s student visa, including the study period and vacation.

Enroll your children in an Australian school

If your children are between 5 and 18 years old, you’ll need to include them in the Australian education system.

To find out the enrollment process, you can visit the official education websites of the Australian state where you plan to live:

• Australian Capital Territory’s Education and Training department.
• New South Wales – Department of Education and Communities.
• Queensland – Education Queensland International – Department of Education, Training and Employment.
• South Australia – South Australian Government Schools
• Tasmania – Department of Education.
• Victoria – Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
• Western Australia – TAFE International Western Australia.

Demonstrate financial funds

Another requirement you’ll have to fulfill to travel to Australia with your family is to demonstrate that you have enough money to cover your stay, as well as that of your partner and children.

You won’t be obligated to spend or pay this money during your stay in the country; you just need to prove that the funds are available in your bank account.

Keep reading because next, we’ll tell you the amount of funds you’ll need to demonstrate and the rest of the expenses involved in traveling with your family to Australia. Let’s continue!

Now that you know the requirements you must meet to travel to Australia with your family, let’s see how much it will cost you.

Course for the main applicant of the student visa

The first expense you’ll have to cover to apply for your student visa and include your partner and minor children is the payment for the course you choose. The cost will vary depending on the type of course, its duration, and the school where you decide to study.

To give you an idea, an English course for 12 weeks can cost you from $2,400 AUD.

Family health insurance

The price of family health insurance must be of the OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) type and has a cost of $427 AUD per month.

To know the total cost for family health insurance, you’ll need to calculate it for the number of months the main applicant’s student visa lasts

Visas

The price of the student visa for the main applicant is $710 AUD. If you include your partner, you’ll need to add $530 AUD. And if your minor children accompany you, you’ll have to pay $175 AUD for each of them.

As an example, if you travel with your partner and one child, the total visa cost will be $1,415 AUD.

Airplane tickets

Airplane tickets are another expense you’ll have to assume if you decide to travel to Australia with your family. This expense will depend on how early you buy the tickets, the airline you fly with, the number of layovers, and even the time of year you plan to travel.

To give you an idea, the price of each airplane ticket can be around $1,500 AUD.

Education in Australia for your minor children

The cost of enrolling your minor children in an Australian school will vary depending on the state of Australia you’re traveling to, the educational institution you choose, and the academic level (primary or secondary education) the child will study. Thus, this expense will be approximately between $250 and $500 AUD per child per week.

Financial funds

The money you’ll need to have available in the bank account will be:

• Main applicant: $1,756 AUD/month
• Partner: $640 AUD/month
• Each minor child: $262 AUD/month

To know the total amount of money you’ll need to demonstrate, you’ll have to calculate it for the number of months the main applicant’s student visa lasts.

Advantages

• Both the main applicant and the partner can work part-time (24 hours/week). Additionally, the main applicant can work full-time (48 hours/week) during the vacation period.
• If the main applicant travels to Australia to pursue a research master’s or doctorate, the partner can work full-time throughout the duration of the main applicant’s student visa.
• Minor children aged 16 and older can work part-time with their parents’ permission.
• If the main applicant obtains Australian permanent residency, the partner and children will automatically obtain it as well.

Disadvantages

• The partner of the main applicant can only study for a maximum of 3 months.
• If the partner of the main applicant wants to study in Australia for more than 3 months, they will have to apply for their own student visa.
• The high expenses involved in traveling to Australia as a family, especially those related to demonstrating financial funds and the education of minor children.