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Partner Visa: Tips for Gathering Evidence During a Long-Distance Relationship
Hi Everyone – First – what a great place – I’m very glad I found you! Secondly, sorry for the long post, though I hope you can help with some questions I have about Gathering Evidence During a Long-Distance Relationship for an Australia Partner Visa Application
Background:
I am a German citizen and my partner is Australian. We have been a couple since the end of 2018. My partner lived in Germany until late 2019. During that time, we shared experiences by living together, traveling, and meeting each other’s families. However, my partner had to return to Australia when their visa expired.
I intended to apply for a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) in 2020, but the onset of COVID-19 forced us into a long-distance relationship until Australia reopened its borders. Between April 2021 and the end of 2023, we made several trips to see each other, but since our jobs were not remote, our opportunities to visit were limited. I spent most of 2023 trying to secure a sabbatical from my job and ultimately succeeded.
In 2024, I was in Australia on a WHV for the entire year. We lived together under a sublease, began merging our finances, and made the decision for me to move to Australia permanently for the sake of our relationship. We have officially registered our relationship with the state.
As my visa was nearing its end in early 2025, I returned to Germany to sell my property, resign from my job, and prepare for our visa application, which I am currently in the process of completing. We plan to submit the onshore 820/801 partner visa application, so I will return to Australia on a tourist visa.
Question 1:
When can we officially claim a de facto relationship? We started living together in 2018 and have been treating each other as de facto partners since then. The long-distance phase from 2020 to 2023 was mainly due to COVID-19 and the complexities of our post-pandemic work situations. I am concerned about how convincingly we can present this in our application.
Question 2:
What is the best way to demonstrate communication during our long-distance relationship? Should we simply provide screen recordings of call logs, screenshots of text messages, and similar evidence? We communicate daily with around 20-30 texts, but I don’t want to inundate the authorities with excessive information. How do we select the most relevant messages from years of correspondence, and how much documentation do we need to provide?
Question 3:
What other significant evidence should we gather in the coming months before we submit our application? We have traveled together frequently in recent years, my partner has attended family events with me, and we enjoyed a holiday with my parents last year.
I am integrated into their social circle in Australia, we are drafting wills, my partner has added me to their superannuation, and we share a bank account while exploring investment opportunities together. We are also collecting witness statements from my family and friends in Australia.
Though we are not very active on social media, we have been posting more recently to support our application. What additional steps can we take to strengthen our case while maintaining a long-distance relationship?
Sorry again for the long post but thank you for any insights in advance
Grace
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1 Reply
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Hi Grace,
Welcome to the community and thanks for your nice opening comments! We are really pleased you found us 🤗
Thanks also for sharing your detailed background as it really helps in providing better guidance and advice.
Here’s how you can approach your partner visa application and strengthen your evidence:
Question 1: When can we officially claim a de facto relationship?
The Department of Home Affairs requires proof that you have lived together for at least 12 months unless you have registered your relationship in Australia (which you have). Since you lived together in Germany in 2018–2019 and again in Australia in 2024, you can claim your de facto relationship from when you first started cohabitating. However, you’ll need strong evidence to show continuity despite the long-distance period.
Given that your time apart was due to COVID-19 and work commitments, explain this clearly in your statement. Include proof of ongoing commitment, such as financial ties, visits, and communication logs. Your relationship registration in Australia also helps support your claim.
Question 2: How to demonstrate long-distance communication?
You don’t need to submit every single message, but instead, provide representative samples that show regular communication over time. Here’s an effective approach:
Call logs & chat history: Take screenshots of call records showing consistent communication across months/years.
Message samples: Select meaningful conversations (e.g., discussing life plans, emotional support, making travel plans together). A mix of texts, emails, and video call records will help.
Letters or cards: If you exchanged physical letters or gifts, include receipts or photos.
Social media interactions: Even if minimal, any posts or tags showing your relationship can support your case.
You want to balance quality over quantity—aim for snapshots that demonstrate ongoing commitment rather than overwhelming them with excessive detail.
Question 3: Additional evidence to gather before submitting
You’re already taking great steps, but here are some more ideas to strengthen your case:
Financial ties: Continue merging finances—joint bank statements, shared bills, and investment plans show commitment.
Official documentation: Update wills, superannuation beneficiaries, and emergency contacts to include each other.
Travel records: Provide boarding passes, hotel bookings, and photos from your trips together.
Social proof: Witness statements from both your families and friends confirming the nature of your relationship.
Plans for the future: Document emails or chats discussing long-term goals (e.g., future home, children, financial plans).
Since you’re temporarily apart while preparing for the visa, continue collecting evidence of ongoing communication and planning for your life together in Australia.
Your case is strong, especially with your history of living together, financial merging, and official relationship registration. If you present your timeline clearly and provide solid evidence, you should have a compelling application.
Some additional tips we wrote on one of our other websites here: Australian De Facto Visa Tips To Prove Your Relationship
Best of luck with your visa process! Let me know if you need any more help.
All the best
Mark
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