Is this your situation?
Your Australian partner or spouse has withdrawn their sponsorship of your partner visa application. They may have done this because the relationship ended, because a new partner pressured them, because family members told them to, or for reasons you do not fully understand. Whatever the cause, you were relying on their sponsorship and now you are not sure what happens.
What sponsor withdrawal means
If your sponsor withdraws, the Department will consider this when assessing your application. A withdrawal does not automatically result in refusal, but it creates a significant problem. The Department will likely issue a section 57 notice (natural justice letter) inviting you to comment on the withdrawal and provide your version of events.
What you can do
If the relationship has genuinely ended and there was no family violence, the partner visa will likely be refused because you no longer meet the requirement of being in a genuine and continuing relationship.
If the relationship is still continuing and the sponsor withdrew under pressure, duress, or because of a misunderstanding, you can present evidence that the relationship remains genuine despite the withdrawal. The Department will assess the evidence and make their own determination.
If family violence caused the breakdown and triggered the withdrawal, the family violence provisions in the Migration Regulations apply. The sponsor’s withdrawal does not override the family violence exception.
How Bullseye Consultant can help
Amanpreet Bhangoo (MARN 1573884) handles cases where sponsors have withdrawn. He will assess whether the application can still succeed and prepare your section 57 response. Call (07) 3519 7009.
FAQ
Q: Can a sponsor be forced to withdraw?
Sponsors withdraw under many different pressures: new partners, family interference, anger, or attempts to control the applicant. If the withdrawal does not reflect the true state of the relationship, you can present evidence of this.
Q: Can my sponsor reinstate their sponsorship after withdrawing?
The Department may consider a reinstatement, but it will closely scrutinise the reasons for the withdrawal and reinstatement. Inconsistency damages credibility.
