Ok so heres a story . i went to a bar last week in Australia and met a Russian woman who had just arrived from Moscow.... It seems a little strange to me.... She came to Australia on a fiance visa..... But a week before she left she brok up with her aussie fiance. Im still trying to find out how she got the money to come here. Surely her fiance wasnt stupid enough to pay for it. She also told me thevisa only lasts 3 months and shes looking for a guy ..... Shes hot no question but My head has to prevail here
The Question
How does a fiance visa work. Will she have to return to Russia if she doesnt marry the fiance on the documents? or can a situation change and she can meet a guy here and just get married... is there a way around it now that she is in Australia? personally for me it would be ideal if i could somehow help stay here on another visa... Convert etc? I mean does the government help a russian girl whose fiance dumps her in Australia to Stay in Australia or do they just send her back? is there a workaround?
Any ideas?
Please tell me you aren't thinking about marrying .... a Russina woman .... you just met in a bar .... who just dumped her fiance .... and her visa is about to expire.
Adman, why on earth do you think she is in violation of her visa ? She was granted a 3 month visa. She broke up with her boyfriend. That doesn't mean she has to leave the country-- not until the visa expires.
Or, in her case, once she was granted the visa-- she had a valid visa to enter the country and stay up to 3 months. Just because she broke up with the guy doesn't make the valid visa disappear out of her passport.
Vanechka, for marrying a girl that was sponsored by someone else, I can only speak about how it works in the USA. In the USA, it is a nightmare to try this. In the USA, from what I have heard, you are far, far better off letting her go back home, and then sponsoring her yourself. That or be prepared for hefty legal fees ($40,000?) for an immigration attorney. Ok-- again, this is USA.
When you write “I mean does the government help a Russian girl whose fiance dumps her in Australia to Stay in Australia or do they just send her back.” I think of what MY government thinks of this. They say ‘Hey, you came to marry this guy. That was the only reason you got a visa. You’re not marrying this guy. You must go back home.’
There may be exceptions in cases where there is domestic violence.
In the USA, when sponsoring, you formally agree to be financially responsible for this person. So, if she had no way back to Russia, and fell onto government resources for support, the government could enforce the Affidavit of Support against the fiancée.
That is, this guy that sponsored her could be held financially responsible for getting her back home. And, if she used government resources while here, he could be responsible for reimbursing the government.
Oh, and if she overstays this fiancée visa? Good luck to the guy in ever getting another one for a different girl. I can hear the Consular Officer now: “You promised that this other girl would get married to you, or go home. She did neither-- and now you want us to give one to another girl, whom you are also promising will get married or go home? Hmmmm. Didn’t work out like that last time...”
I can understand the visa-- she was sponsored, and then broke up with the guy before getting on the plane. But, she still had the visa in her passport, why not use it? I can understand the airline ticket to Australia. Her fiancée easily could have bought it many weeks in advance of the trip, before they broke up. So, she has a visa, she has a ticket-- she broke up with the guy-- why not use the ticket and visa?
But, I wonder where she is staying, etc? Maybe she has friends from Russia that were already in Australia and she is staying with them? Unless you have money, it would be very scary to get on a plane in Moscow bound for Australia without someone to go to. She wasn't going to join her fiancée-- I wonder where she went after arrival?
I wonder if she knew she was going to break up with this guy, but waited until the visa and ticket were in her hand first? That is, did she get the ticket and visa, then dump the guy, and fly over and stay with her sister or friends, in order to start looking for a guy that she really did want to marry?
That is, was her last fiancée just a ticket to Australia, where she could look for her real husband, and dump whoever sponsored her?
Or---- maybe he dumped her, and she had the ticket and visa and a place to stay, and she had already carved out time from her life/work/school in Moscow to go to Australia....why not go, and hope to meet someone new?
I know you didn't ask for this kind of feedback! Just visa info. But, being very respectful, I might proceed cautiously, and try to understand exactly how it is she got here, on a fiancée visa, yet was fiancée-free before ever leaving Moscow.
Also, do you know Moscow can be much more expensive than New York City? There is serious money in Moscow. There are parts of Russia where people live on $100 per month, but not in Moscow, not the center. So if she is a Muscovite, it might not be unreasonable for her to have a little cash available to her, enough to pay for the incidentals of her trip.
Let us know what happens! I wish I was meeting a hot Russian woman in a bar here!
Thanks Jonny
yes its bazaar isnt it. Considering I travel to Russia regularly and have never felt comfortable sponsoring a woman from there and going through all the crap... Its nearly impossible for an aussie to get a russian girl here... So I have no doubt whoever this aussie guy was he has spent a lot of time and money ..This is the reason i have been cautious doing something like this myself... But geeses when she lands on your dorrstep and you meet her in a bar you start thinking differently...i couldnt believe my luck ... I agree there are many mysteries involved and i would never get involved.. Im progressively going to find out more....Its a strange situation . I thought there might be a way for her to get another visa whilst she is here. Whther its a student or work .... It sucks we are inundated with asians and arabs and she cant stay here.... I want to suss her out.... I am sorry for the guy that sponsored her.. Ill keep you guys updated. thanks for the lengthy reply
Quite a story. For something to fall in your lap is unbelievable. If I had money on this, I would bet SHE is the one that did the dumping. Why would a guy spend all that money and time and be the one to dump. At the very least, he would see if he can get his money's worth. She has an all expense paid trip to Aussieland( at least the most expensive part) and she is free to do what she wants. She may be out for looking for the best offer!!!
Jonny
My thought was, the woman was given a fiance visa to allow her to travel for the purpose of marrying her fiance. When she entered Australia she did not have a fiance, she was mearly a tourist and a tourist that wanted to stay in Australia. She was entering Australia under false pretences. Her visa wasnt given to her so she could be a tourist. If immigration new this at her point of her entry they would have almost certainly revoked her visa and refused her entry. Its just what they do.
Your thoughts on her sponsor are more of interest. So much for being the nice guy and allowing her to come even though they have broken up. It gets worse. In NZ and I think it is the same in Australia, if you sponsor a woman on a fiance visa, you can not sponsor another one for five years. It would seem if you break up before she arrives you need to be a little hard nosed and stop her coming.
Vanechka
I think Jonny is pretty much on the money and if you were to ask immigration, they would tell you she has to go.
If you wanted to give the student visa a go, I would go to an English school and get them to help with the visa application. You wll have to stump up for the school fees but if her visa fails this will be returned.
If you are prepared to pay for the school fees if she stays, it just might work.
No loss if it doesnt.
The 3 month fiancee' visa is total bullshit. The Au version is an SC300 (Prospective marriage visa) and is issued for a period of 9 months. She has 9 months to complete formal marriage IN AUSTRALIA from the time OF VISA ISSUE. It is vaguely possible that she did not arrive until long into that period, but I would be highly doubtful.
The visa is conditional upon upholding all certifications made in the original application. That includes the registered marriage date, TO THE Fiancee'. If she fails to uphold any of the original certification she MUST leave the country.
She CAN NOT apply for any other type of visa whilst she is in Australia with the exception of the application to convert her SC300 (PMV) to an SC309 (Temporary Spouse Visa) AFTER her marriage to her Fiancee'. She CAN NOT change sponsor relevant to one application of visa. She would be required to leave the country and start the process again, and from my information and experience, it is EXTREMELY UNLIKELY she would be granted another SC300 inside 2-5 years.
If her story to you is factual, which again, I seriously doubt, her only option is to seek "Leave" from conditions on humanitarian grouds. Again doubtful, but possible.
If this visa is in fact a 3 month visa, it is almost certainly a "Visitor Visa". Most citizens are granted a 12 months multi entry Visitor Visa with maximum stay of 3 months at any one time. Russians are not granted this generally speaking. 3 months single entry Visitor Visa is standard issue for a Russian woman.
The only other possability she may have right now is some kind of Student visa, but again unlikely.
Regardless of what type of visa she has, she MUST leave the country before she can apply for ANY new type of visa. She CAN NOT change a spousal sponsor on this visa.
The below link will join you back to all the information you will need. I think your "Bar Friend" was either very drunk or bullshitting you.
hey I/O
thanks for the info. Ill let you guys know whats going on... its fascinating me.... Ill get the truth out of her..... i am suprised there are no other options.. ie fiance in Aus could have abused her , or whatever... Anyway Ill keep you all posted
I would imagine that it is within the terms & conditions of her visa issue, and her entry into Oz, that she be domicile at the address of her ex and indeed he will probably be liable should she start working illegally or whatever.
I had a similar situation some 5.5 years ago, we split up and she, the know it all that she was, decided and took it upon herself that she would remain in UK despite her visa, efectively, no longer being valid. That was until I contacted the authorities and then the sh1t seriously hit the fan :)
No. there is no such conditions on the SC300 (Fiance') visa. She is not required to live at any stipulated address, she is entitled to apply for a Medicare card (National health) from day one, providing she registers for a Tax File Number, (TFN) she is free to work any job from day one.
The only restriction which applies is that she cannot access subsidised education for two years and including after she is married. (Married being kinda obvious if you think it through)
Unless the Au sponsor is a complete idiot, the only way he would have allowed this to proceed is if she paid him to do so and it would want to be a pretty large sum. Certainly, it is vaguely possible that they rigged the thing from day one and she is pitching a bit of an excuse that he dumped her. Why else would he have not withdrawn his sponsorship? He has every right to do this at every stage and it is clearly posted on the Dept of Immigration website. Then add to that the 3 month thing which is incorrect, the story just simply doesn't gel as being a genuine fiancee' SC300 visa at all.
Obviously, she doesn't know all the regs and is hoping to stay. She simply can't do it under any circumstances other than humanitarian grounds. There is a loop in the act which states you may apply for extension on "Compelling and Compationate" grounds which were entirely unknown at the time of application and have occurred since arrival. Enough to say, I have a fair knowledge of this one and a simple split between her and her fiance' won't envoke that part of the act. It would need to be much more serious than that. Example: Entire family in Russia killed in a road accident and the only remaining living relatives being in Australia. It does need to be that extreme before it will be envoked. Splits with her fiancee', she is on her bike away back north. (Or plane in this case unless she is a bloody good swimmer):-)
Th more I look at this one, the more I smell money involved. She is obviously not poor or she wouldn't be here. I am thinking mercenary visa jockey. But who knows, it will be interesting to see if any facts appear out of it. I suspect that as soon as someone starts to dig seriously into her visa and conditions, she will take steps, big long steps.:-)
I/O,
Many a guy will not see the facts staring him in the face, if he did enter into this totally genuinely, if indeed naively, then he may still be believing that she will return to him etc. and he doesn't want to take any action(s) that may jeopardise this.
I think you are right Martin. Her ex is most likely to be the fool. I dont think a woman with money would have taken such a dubious course. If the woman had money she can get a tourist visa or a student visa no problems. They can come and go as they please.
This woman is hanging around in bars looking for the next victim.
The thing is, she has got to be none-to-smart, or she wouldn't be trying to pass of the bullshit, because if she has been through the fiancee' visa thing she would HAVE to know the regs. There is just no way anyone can go through that process for an SC300 to Au without ending up clued in on what you can and can't do.
Would be very interesting to ask her the name of the embassy person who did her face to face interview. Methinks she might struggle to imagine a name. Methinks she is here on tourist visa and trying to get some means to stay here AND she doesn't know the rules. But methinks many things and of course it could be wrong.
The three month thing just reeks tourist visa all the way. Time will show. Regardless, the guy here needs to understand that there is no way to short cut the process. Whatever visa she is here on, she CAN'T exchange or change it whilst she is in Au. She must first leave the country. (For those who havn't clicked on, there is more in what I am saying about leave the country than meets the eye.)
"Intent to marry" is part of fiancee visa. So, at anytime the intent ceases to exist, the petitioner is supposed to notify the immigration service, which is supposed to initiate applicant's deportation proceedings. Remember, these "supposed to"s are for the US. I don't know how it is supposed to work in Australia.
I/O,
As with my experience 5.5 years ago a lot of these females can be very short sighted, they don't care for rules or regulations, they just want the visa.
They come from a nation of corruption thus to many it is the way things are done, less than honestly!
It is hard to figure a good reason for her to lie about her visa. If she is here on a tourist visit, it would be easier to say that than make up some elaborate story that is going to come undone eventually.
I still think its worth applying for a student visa. The beauty of is it will fail but in the mean time I am sure she is going to be very appreciative of your help.
I agree with your observation on the issue of corruption. In reading the women's portion of this forum, there are complete threads on "how to forge documents for US Embassy" ..... giggle .....