I’ve been talking a lot about Forms lately, and if you aren’t already across the basics of Partner Visa Forms, then I would recommend you have a read through the Forms overview blog, Form 80, Form 956, Form 1221 and Form 40SP blog.
But here, we’re going to talk about the most important of them all – the Form 47SP!
What is the Form 47SP?
This is the Visa Applicant’s application form (the person applying for the Partner Visa). Without this form, you’re not actually lodging a Partner Visa.
The Department of Home Affairs will ask detailed questions around your identity, family details, address history, travel history, your relationship details and your character history.
Where can I find the Form 47SP?
In my experience, when I talk about the Form 47SP, couples immediately think it’s a PDF form that’s downloaded. Although there are PDF versions of this form floating around the internet, it can only be submitted electronically via your Immi Account.
If you don’t have an Immi Account, then the first step for you is to set one up so that you can start to generate the Form. It’s a ‘fill as you go’ type form, so the more answers you input, the more sections that will open up.
Questions that are often answered incorrectly on the Form 47SP
I review at least 10 of these forms per month, so I’ve come up with a list of questions that are often answered incorrectly. A lot of the time, it’s because of the way the question on the Form 47SP is worded – it’s not always straightforward. But here’s a list of questions that I see couple’s get wrong, and hopefully it will help you ace the Form 47SP.
- Your usual country of residence
If you are lodging an onshore Partner Visa, then your usual country of residence is not going to be your home country, but rather the country you are living in at time of application.
Here is what the question looks like in the Immi Account:
- ‘Non-migrating members of the family unit’
There are three questions immigration asks around your family. The first is whether there are ‘migrating members of the family unit’. This means if you have members of your family who are also applying for the Partner Visa.
The next question is around ‘non-migrating members of the family unit’. Here is what the question looks like in the Immi Account:
This is where applicant’s get confused. The definition of ‘family unit’ under immigration policy is different than what you and I may think of ‘family unit’. For Partner Visa purposes, you are only going to answer ‘yes’ to this question if you have dependent members of your family unit who are not applying for the visa. For example, if you have a child who is still dependent on you but for any reason is not being included in the visa application.
The final question around family is whether the applicant has ‘immediate family members’. This is your opportunity and the correct place to list details of your siblings and parents.
- There is a question towards the end of the form that asks if you have lived in any country (including Australia) for 12 months or more over the last 10 years.
In most cases, the applicant ticks ‘no’, but the answer should 99% of the time be ‘yes’. This question is asking if you as the applicant have been living in any country for 12 months or more.
Here is what the question looks like in the Immi Account:
What if I don’t know an answer on the Form 47SP?
This is a common worry. If there is information required that you just simply don’t have access to, then it would be in your best interests to upload a separate cover letter when you’re lodging your Partner Visa to explain what information you don’t have, and why.
A common scenario is when the Form 47SP is asking for information around immediate family members. You may not know the date of birth of your parents, or one of your siblings because you might have no contact with them/be estranged from them.
This is different to not wanting to obtain the information. For example, where the Department asks about your travel history over the last 10 years. Not completing this part of the form, or taking shortcuts here could potentially jeopardise your application. It’s in your best interests to make every effort to find out this information. For example, you can check flight itineraries, photographs, hotel bookings, correspondence you have had with friends and family around travel.
Do I need to complete the Form 47SP in one go?
The good news is that you can start and stop the Form 47SP. It doesn’t need to be completed in one sitting as you can save the information and come back to it later.
How long will it take me to complete the Form 47SP?
The Form 47SP is a long form – so if you have ALL the information you need then I would probably put aside a few hours to complete it. If you don’t have all the information handy, it’s going to take you longer.
As part of the Academy, our Registered Migration Agents step you through each page of the Form 47SP and discuss what some of the more ‘confusing’ questions really mean.
What happens after I complete the Form 47SP?
If you’ve finished the Form 47SP then before submitting it you want to make sure that you have completed all other relevant forms, collated your documents, and have your application in a state that’s ready to lodge.
The final step of completing your Partner Visa is to submit your Form 47SP which will then allow you to upload your supporting documents and then pay the visa application charge.
I submitted my Form 47SP but I made a mistake
Don’t panic! If you’ve made a mistake on the Form 47SP and you’ve realised after lodgement, then you can fix it. You will see in your Immi Account there is a tab on the left hand side called ‘Update Us’. Once you’ve clicked on that tab, you will then see another tab called ‘Notification of Incorrect Answers’. You can use that tab to explain what mistake was made, and what the correct information is.
What do I write under the ‘Four Pillars of Relationship’ section?
You will see that in the Form 47SP, the Department wants information around the ‘four pillars of relationship’. If you’re not familiar with this term, I recommend you read my blog on the topic.
In the Form 47SP the Department only gives you a certain amount of characters you can use to complete this section. This is why I recommend that you simply write ‘Please refer to the Applicant and Sponsor’s Relationship Statements and supporting evidence uploaded to the Immi Account’.
This will prompt immigration that all this information is found in your Relationship Statements and you don’t need to repeat yourself on the Form 47SP.
As you know by now, forms are critical for your application. The Form 47SP is mandatory, so you can’t get around this requirement and it’s mandatory you complete it. It’s always a good idea to get your forms and application reviewed before lodging your Partner Visa.
If you need tailored advice and want more guidance around your Partner Visa, reach out to me and book a free introductory session to learn more.
IMPORTANT: Please note, this does not constitute Immigration advice. Always seek advice from a Registered Migration Agent before applying for an Australian Visa. Migration Law is constantly changing. This information is accurate only at the time of publication.
