There’s no denying that AI tools are quickly becoming everyone’s best friend. Partner Visa applications are no exception. But can your best friend help you get your Partner Visa approved, or be a major red flag for your case officer?
Can you use AI for your Australian Partner Visa?
Yes. You can absolutely use AI to help you with your Partner Visa, but as a supporting tool. I like to think of it as your admin assistant or the tool that might talk you through how to put some documents together (not actually giving it documents).
Would I upload Partner Visa documents to an AI tool?
No. The Partner Visa process can feel invasive as it is. You have to provide highly sensitive information as part of your application such as passport details, bank details, identity documents, and health information.
Sharing this data with an AI chatbot means potentially transmitting it to external servers which comes with its own risks such as where the information is being stored, who is accessing it, and how your data is being sold.
You will also need to remember that AI is not bound by any confidentiality privilege. Anything shared is simply data that’s submitted.
If you’re planning on providing it with documents like timelines or photographs and messages, you should also be aware of any third parties whose name or photo are included. Have they consented to their data being shared with an AI system?
I don’t know about you – but I wouldn’t be comfortable giving AI tools all of my personal information, evidence and data.
Will Immigration know if I used AI?
Yes.
To a trained eye, AI is easy to spot. Your relationship statements for the Partner Visa are such an important piece of evidence that helps tie all of your evidence together. It’s easy to see when a couple has used AI to write their statements for them. It takes away the authenticity of their love story and often you’re just left with a robotic sounding statement.
This is a great example of where AI can be useful for your Partner Visa if used correctly. You shouldn’t be relying on AI to write a relationship statement for you, but rather having it help you polish it.
Although there’s no ‘AI’ detector that immigration has for Partner Visas, they will be able to tell how much you’ve relied on AI when assessing your credibility, consistency and genuineness.
Will using AI affect my Partner Visa outcome?
Using AI as a tool in your Partner Visa toolbox isn’t going to affect the outcome of your Partner Visa.
There is a lot that goes into the preparation of Partner Visas and AI can’t do most of it. Remember that Partner Visas have so many different components like drafting forms, relationship statements, collecting evidence, having friends and family write Form 888s for you. AI isn’t capable of finding and collecting your evidence – this is something that you need to take ownership of.
So if you’re simply using AI as a ‘polishing’ or ‘administrative’ tool then it’s unlikely your Partner Visa is going to be negatively impacted by it. On the other hand, if you’re relying on it to draft your forms, your relationship statements and witness statements, then you might find yourself in hot water.
Can our witnesses use AI for their Form 888s?
Yes. They can definitely use AI to polish their statements, but I would strongly discourage anyone from using AI to write a Form 888.
I’ve unfortunately seen it so many times. I’ve reviewed some really great Partner Visas where the couple has put so much time and effort into the whole application. There will then be one or two really unauthentic Form 888s that have not been personalised at all.
Again, to someone who looks and assesses Partner Visas all day, this is so easily noticed and a potential red flag for your case officer. You want all of your Form 888s to add value to your Partner Visa, not undermine it.
Where do I draw the line with AI tools?
I’m not a data and IT expert, but with all the information and research coming out around AI tools, there is a lot I wouldn’t be using AI for. This includes providing it with documents like my passport, lease agreements, photographs, personal messages, and financial records.
I might use it for guidance on whether something sounds grammatically correct or creating general checklists or understanding quite generic requirements, but that’s the extent of what I would use it for.
Can AI replace professional Partner Visa advice?
Absolutely not.
AI, as much as we all love it, is not a Registered Migration Agent. It cannot give you immigration advice and if it does, how will you know if it’s correct?
We know that Partner Visas can be subjective. At the end of the day, the Department needs to be satisfied that your relationship is genuine and continuing. They assess this through the quality of your evidence which is going to look different for every couple.
AI can’t have a personalised session with you where they map out your evidence and find gaps in evidence and help you strengthen what you’re missing. It also can’t review the entirety of your application and tell you whether you meet the legal criteria for a Partner Visa or not.
This is where having Partner Visa expertise is key. At the Partner Visa Academy, we have reviewed hundreds of Partner Visas and unlike AI, we actually tailor our advice specific to you and your circumstances.
When it comes down to it, AI is a helpful friend but they won’t be your Partner Visa expert.
At the Partner Visa Academy, we won’t judge you for using AI to help you with your application, but if you want real support with how to prepare your Partner Visa, then reach out to us today.
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.
