Problem with lodging my application (i.e. I don't want to be deported)

[Deviocity]

I'm an American that is currently getting all my stuff together to lodge a prospective marriage visa to Australia to be with my fiancé. Just as I'm ready to submit it, the date of the marriage is set for August and a plane ticket has been purchased for me to come in July. If I lodge the application here, I know I have to be in America when the visa is granted, so I'll have to tell them I'm traveling to Australia and then, when I marry her, inform them that I have already married and the prospective visa will need to be changed to a spouse visa, keeping in mind that I'll be on a short tourist visa at the time.

Her family says its fine, but I don't really want to lodge an application knowing that it'll change in a couple of months. What is the best course of action? I see a couple a choices: stick to the plan (Prospective Marriage with a Spouse switcharoo), reschedule the flight earlier, arrive and lodge a Prospective Marriage within Australia, the opposite... push back the flight and possibly... the wedding? I could also not lodge the application in America, arrive in July and just submit the Spouse visa using bridging visas to allow me to stay in the country?

On an added note, I haven't been very happy since the marriage was set for August (as a means to expedite my application it seems), and now this whole ticket out of nowhere. The wedding was going to happen in early 2009, with plenty of time to prepare and with me entering the country on my Prospective Marriage visa some time in around, well, August or later. I'm happy to be able to return so early, but I really don't want to be deported... what should I do?

[Deviocity]

Is everyone ignoring me? Perhaps it was the time of day I posted...

[kaz101]

Hi Deviocity,

Welcome to the forum.

You posted in the middle of the day here in Oz, and the moderators (myself and Dolly) are often busy at that time. We're not experts so can only advise on what we have been through.

I think an agent would be able to give you the best advice on this one since I don't know a lot about spouse visas and where you should be when they are lodged etc. There are links in the "Please read..." sticky post for agents association links for MIA and MARA to find an agent close to you, or we have 2 Australian agents on the forum - Alan Collett and Liana Allan if you want to contact them.

Sorry I can't be of more help,
Karen