F2.15 Minimum requirements for the recognition of partnerships (29/11/2010)

Partnerships will only be recognised for the purposes of these instructions if:

the couple are both aged 18 years or older at the time that the application for a residence class visa was lodged; or
(if one or both of the parties to the partnership are aged 16 years or older but are less than 18 years of age at the time their application for a residence class visa is lodged), they have the support of the parent(s) or guardian(s) of that (those) party(ies); and
the couple have met prior to the date the application under these instructions is made; and
the couple are not close relatives.

Note: For the purposes of these instructions relationships between close relatives are considered to be:

i. relationships specified as "forbidden marriages" under Schedule 2 of the Marriage Act 1955 set out below and
ii. relationships specified as "prohibited degrees of civil union" under Schedule 2 of the Civil Union Act 2004 as set out below; and
iii de facto relationships equivalent to the provisions under Schedule 2 of the Marriage Act 1955 and under Schedule 2 of the Civil Union Act 2004 as set out below

Forbidden Marriages - Schedule 2 of the Marriage Act 1955


A man may not marry his:		A woman may not marry her:
Grandmother	Sister	Grandfather	Brother
Grandfather's wife	Son's daughter	Grandmother's husband	Son's son
Wife's grandmother	Daughter's daughter	Husband's grandfather	Daughter's son
Father's sister	Son's son's wife	Father's brother	Son's daughter's husband
Mother's sister	Daughter's son's wife	Mother's brother	Daughter's daughter's husband
Mother	Wife's son's daughter	Father	Husband's son's son
Stepmother	Wife's daughter's daughter	Stepfather	Husband's daughter's son
Wife's mother	Brother's daughter	Husband's father	Brother's son
Daughter	Sister's daughter	Son	Sister's son
Wife's daughter		Husband's son
Son's wife		Daughter's husband

Note:

~ This applies to any relationship whether the relationship is by the whole blood or by the half blood.

~ Unless the context otherwise requires, the term 'wife' means a former wife, whether she is alive or deceased, and whether her marriage was terminated by death or divorce or otherwise; and the term 'husband' has a corresponding meaning.

Prohibited Degrees of Civil Union - Schedule 2 of the Civil Union Act 2004

Person A and person B are within the prohibited degrees of civil union if person A is person B's
- Grandparent
- Parent
- Child
- Grandchild
- Sibling
- Parent's sibling
- Sibling's child
- Grandparent's spouse or civil union partner
- Parent's spouse or civil union partner
- Spouse's or civil union partner's parent
- Spouse's or civil union partner's grandparent
- Spouse's or civil union partner's child
- Child's spouse or civil union partner
- Grandchild's spouse or civil union partner
- Spouse's or civil union partner's grandchild
The prohibited degrees of civil union apply whether the relationships described are by the whole blood or by the half blood.

Effective 29/11/2010