My funniest case or client ever!
Same as love – unique and funny …
Two very stylish and attractive French clients applied for an Australian Spouse Visa.
The man had become an Australian and his partner was a very, very stunning French blonde.
Both of them dressed with impeccable French style and flair and were as good looking as any movie stars. They were both from the South Pacific former French colonies where they had an oceanic industry business.
All very romantic in every possible way.
Evidence required for the spouse visa application
The law requires unmarried couples to prove they have lived in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months generally. What’s more, the visa applicants need to prove the relationship is genuine and ongoing – various categories of evidence are accepted to do this.
However, after we started preparing the evidence of their genuine relationship, they both asked to see me separately.
Complete evidence yet two sides of the story unfold …
First, she came to see me alone in the office to tell me she was having an affair with another Australian man and wanted me to put the case on hold, even though we had already lodged the spouse visa application and were in the process of sending in all the evidence.
Then he came to see me alone in the office and said he thought she was having an affair because he had found the same mobile phone number on her phone bill many, many times and it belonged to another man.
They both sought my advice and it was a very hard situation to be involved in for many reasons, least of all the ethical dilemmas as to who my client really was and to whom who I owed duties of confidentiality.
Direct approach to the immigration office
The French woman was very smart however, and before I could even decide what to do she went into the immigration department and charmed their female case officer.
Between them they formed some instant “sisterhood” and with a nod and a wink it was agreed the case would be put on the back burner until my client decided where her spousal allegiances really lay for the future.
Case solved and relationship repaired!
Eventually the affair fizzled out and the French couple reunited in a truly French spirit of “laissez faire”: they decided to forgive and forget, moving on with their relationship and their partner visa application as if the affair had never happened.
The French man was very happy to have his beautiful partner back and she was very happy to be back with the man who was also her business partner and with whom she had many things in common in the South Pacific and, of course, a shared Australian future.
The relationship problem was solved and their female case officer continued in her role of the secret sisterhood of women who understand beautiful French women who have affairs. She retrieved her file from the dusty back corners of the immigration office and processed an approval for their spouse visa application.
I escaped any ethical dilemmas and everyone was very happy. Voila!