Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.
The Australian government has enacted amendments that will increase the range of visas and citizenship provisions available to same-sex couples. Amendments to the Immigration (Education) Act 1971, Migration Regulations 1994 and Migration Act 1958 will take effect on July 1, 2009. Key changes to migration legislation include:
- a new definition of spouse, applying to opposite-sex married couples;
- a definition of de facto partner, applying to both same-sex and opposite-sex de facto couples;
- new definitions of parent and child which will include recognition of certain parent-child relationships via artificial conception procedures and surrogacy arrangements;
- a new definition of member of the family unit, recognizing de facto partners (same and opposite-sex) as family members;
- a simplified and more equitable visa framework. All visas that currently include provisions for spouse will be available to opposite-sex and same-sex de facto partners alike.
Further details about the changes are available on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website.