See below for some great news for victims of family violence on provisional partner visas. Please note that although the media release refers only to “women” (for gender-political reasons), the law actually applies to all persons regardless of their gender.

Sunday, 17 June 2012

Joint media release with Chris Bowen MP – Minister for Immigration and Citizenship and Julie Collins MP – Minister for the Status of Women.

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and the Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins MP, today announced new measures to help victims of family violence on provisional partner visas.

Mr Bowen said the changes would improve the assessment of family violence under migration law and provide for a wider range of evidence to support such claims.

‘Under the new arrangements, in order to improve the accessibility and operation of family violence provisions, we will streamline the evidence requirements claims for a visa on the basis of family violence,’ Mr Bowen said.

‘The current process of obtaining statutory declarations, with a set of technical requirements, can be quite difficult for some victims.

‘In some cases, people who have suffered family violence will have already come into contact with a range of service providers or government agencies and records of this will exist. It is both fair and sensible to allow them to provide these documents instead.’