Will We Have an Interview for a Spouse Visa?

When does the Department interview spouse visa applicants?

The Department interviews spouse visa applicants when it needs more than the documents to decide whether the marriage is genuine and continuing. Common triggers are a short relationship before the wedding, inconsistent dates or details between the applicant and sponsor, earlier visa applications that tell a different story, a large age gap combined with little shared history, or information from a third party. An interview is a way of testing the evidence, not a sign that the visa will be refused.

Will the applicant and sponsor be interviewed together or separately?

The applicant and sponsor in a spouse visa interview may be interviewed together or separately, and separate interviews are common where the Department wants to compare answers. Each spouse may be asked the same questions about how they met, the wedding, daily life, finances, family and plans for the future. Our article on partner visa interview questions sets out the kinds of questions usually asked.

What should we do to prepare for a spouse visa interview?

Preparing for a spouse visa interview means rereading the relationship statement, the Form 888 statements and the evidence already lodged, so that both spouses answer from the same facts. Preparation is not rehearsing scripted answers. The aim is to remember accurately and to be able to explain anything unusual, such as time apart or a change of plans. Our guide on preparing evidence of a genuine relationship helps couples see their case the way the Department does.

What happens if our answers differ in the interview?

Different answers in a spouse visa interview do not automatically lead to refusal, because the Department expects some differences in how two people remember the same events. Serious or repeated differences on basic facts can raise doubts. If the Department intends to rely on adverse information about the applicant or another person, it must generally invite comment under section 57 before refusing. Our article on the section 57 natural justice letter explains how to respond.

Can a lawyer attend the spouse visa interview?

Whether a lawyer can attend a spouse visa interview is a matter for the Department in each case, so a written request should be made before the interview date. Even where the lawyer does not attend, the lawyer can prepare both spouses beforehand and deal with any follow-up request afterwards. Notes of the interview can later be requested under freedom of information, as our article on the partner visa FOI request explains, which helps if the interview is later relied on in a refusal.

How does My Migration Lawyers prepare couples for a spouse visa interview?

My Migration Lawyers prepares couples for a spouse visa interview by first reading everything already lodged with the Department, including earlier visa applications, and identifying where the record could raise questions. The firm then explains to each spouse the topics likely to be covered and how to deal with sensitive matters honestly. Where the interview leads to a request or a natural justice letter, the firm prepares the response. Couples can speak with our partner visa lawyers, and if a refusal follows, the firm acts in partner visa refusal reviews.