Agents that assist in applying for dependent's pass LTVP etc

[Tamarin]

Thanks JR8 - succinctly put and, at last, most helpful. I simply thought, perhaps naively now, that I could go to an agent, answer a few simple questions and boom-boom, get a yes or a no - hopefully the former.

* I have a multiple entry e-visa {ETA} for Australia, and when she visits here she's relying on SVP-visas on arrival.

[JR8]

Thanks JR8 - succinctly put and, at last, most helpful. I simply thought, perhaps naively now, that I could go to an agent, answer a few simple questions and boom-boom, get a yes or a no - hopefully the former.

No problem. There are different folks here with different strokes: But I think what we have in common is that we don't tend to beat around the bush nor sugar-coat it. Anywayz...

No, what an agent here would do (most likely) is take your application, tell you it has a good chance, take your $000's, and then act all shocked if it fails. ... Oh, and then ask you if you want to pay another few $000's to appeal the decision. So consensus is agent's are a waste of time and money.

* I have a multiple entry e-visa {ETA} for Australia, and when she visits here she's relying on SVP-visas on arrival.

Yep, makes sense. It's tricky. As she's not behaving like a tourist for whom the SVP is intended. As the USCBP officer yelled at me... 'You keep coming back on a tourist visa, BUT YOU'RE EFFECTIVELY LIVING HERE!!!' And in many ways he was right.

So the disconnection with the visa and status of your GF is probably not as egregious as in my above case... but from what you described earlier the warning flag is up, and I'd suggest considering carefully how to proceed, as you can't carry on as you are much longer.

Good luck!

[x9200]

Tamarin, when you try to apply for her, do your best to document/prove your relationship as a long standing and solid. This should help (however hard to say how much). If you have bills or bank accounts under your both names it would probably be the best. All preferably a few years old. Pictures from traveling together few years back, plane ticks for the same etc. etc.

[JR8]

This goes back to discussions re: 'Common law wife', 'De facto marriage', and so on. This has been raised and discussed many times before so do a search on those word-strings in the 'SEARCH Website' box, top-right, and see what comes up.

I hadn't thought of suggesting that possible basis earlier, as you'd be taking it one step further by not even planning on living together here.

Don't rule it out yet though...

[Tamarin]

thanks folks

you have me scratching my head again though - yesterday it was 'rules are rules'; 'good luck with that one mate'; 'fraudster'; 'don't even go there'. Now, seemingly, hope springs eternal' That's not a dig - the last couple of posts have been really helpful and my apologies to those I upset earlier.

I'll continue to trawl the forums [note: not troll] and search for the key words suggested.

Thanks again - I'll come back with the results if anyone is interested - as someone else said there can't be many 9yr PRs around who are trying to 'sneek' their arab-ethnic GFs into the Republic [I might be Scots-ethnic soon - what a hornet's nest that might turn out to be]

[JR8]

You're going get to get a range of answers/suggestions back to a question for which there is no definitive answer. From the apparently negative, to avenues of possibility. If it's a mega issue for you today you might feel a bit thrown here and there, but all those taking time to reply only mean well.

Entirely normal and nothing to worry 'yahsel aboot hinnae'

[x9200]

ICA says "spouse" in the rules and by this typically wife/husband is meant but also of the common law marriage. It is up to you to convince ICA you are in this kind of relationship what in your case may be difficult.

Still I think you should go ahead and apply. You don't lose anything trying but having said that, keep your hopes low, very low.