So, my partner and I received a letter today stating that our application has been declined. The letter goes as follows:
"Based on the evidence provided with your application, we are satisfied that both
you and your partner are living together however we are not satisfied that you
are in a stable relationship which is likely to endure. We came to the conclusion
based on the evidence provided.
You claim to be living with your partner for over 12 months however you have
not provided any factual evidence to support your relationship. You have not
provided:
o evidence of being financially interdependent such as
evidence of shared income
o joint bank accounts operated reasonably frequently over a
reasonable time
o joint assets
o joint liabilities such as loans or credit to purchase real
estate, cars, major home appliances
o joint utilities accounts (electricity, gas, water, telephone)
o mutually agreed financial arrangements. "
The reasons were: no evidence of joint income, or joint accounts. Which is essentially the same thing but listed as two separate points. We have never seen any reason to join income and I'm sure many other couples don't do this either. This woman also said that we don't have a joint utilities account: which we have clearly outlined several times that our utilities is included in the rent that we pay. She has ALSO been stupid enough to say that we have no shared assets, when we have also CLEARLY stated with PROOF that we own a car together, as well as a $3000 computer. If that's not joint assets then I don't know what is. And finally, as a final kick in the behind, she has said that we haven't showed any proof of a mutually agreed financial decision. We have literally printed out both sets of our bank statements since the beginning of time and HIGHLIGHTED where I have paid my partner rent money with the utilities bills included. HAS THIS WOMAN EVEN READ OUR APPLICATION. Sorry to computer rage, just fuming at the moment over the inherent lack of importance of our application. Every single point she has stated as a reason to decline our application, we can debunk!
We have decided to hire a lawyer as this silly immigration woman has already declined my partners work visa from last year. We took her straight to a lawyer who dismissed her as being ridiculous and sorted us out in a matter of days. Really losing faith in the whole system.
The only reason that hasn't been outlined as a reason to decline the application is that we have 11 years age difference between us. Would this be an unspoken reason that they could decline us on? They have said: "Your relationship appears to be of a boyfriend and girlfriend nature and does not meet the intent of the partnership instructions." How can they even judge this?
Another query we have is that the initial case officer who sent us a letter asking for more evidence was changed to this silly woman who declined us. Is that right? Can they do that?
We are BEGGING for help and at a wits end. Please, if anyone has anything that could aid us please let us know.
Thanks so much,
Rhiannon