After Ten Years, It was Time to Return Home with My Indonesian Wife

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Why do people move back to their birth country after spending long periods away?

After ten years in Indonesia Andrew approached us for some assistance. An Australian citizen through birth, Andrew wanted to return to this country with his wife Eva who he’d met in North Sumatra.

Andrew was posted to Indonesia in 2011 with a non-government organisation (NGO). He took up a role as the chief financial officer with SurfAid, met Eva through a friend, and the pair married in 2014.

“There were many reasons why I wanted to move back to Australia after such a long time, but surprisingly, COVID-19 wasn’t one of them. I suppose both Eva and myself felt we’d done all we wanted to do in Indonesia, and it was time for a new adventure.’’

Andrew and Eva decided to enlist our help to make that dream happen.

Life in Indonesia

At the end of last year, the couple made contact with us to start the process to make that transition
home.

“I never thought I’d end up staying in Indonesia for so long, but that’s what happens when you meet someone and fall in love. Indonesians are very gentle people, and has so much beautiful wildlife and rain forests to explore,” Andrew outlines.

“But at 53, we were ready for another chapter. I knew if I left it much longer my age might go against me when I was trying to find a job.”

Andrew met Eva in the town of Medan in North Sumatra through an American ex-patriot. They immediately hit it off and became a couple. In 2014 they got married, Andrew’s contract finished and he had to make some tough choices.

“I felt that there was still a lot to explore in Indonesia. Eva had a job in hospitality and I was able to find work teaching commerce and business at an International School. It was too early to go home.’’

The couple holidayed in Australia yearly. Andrew’s mother had moved to Italy decades ago, but his father and brother lived in Sydney.

“We’d go and visit them a lot. I love Australia, the beaches, the people, the culture and the lifestyle. We knew that one day we’d like to return.’’

Decision Made! Using a Visa Agent for a Partner Visa

When they decided to get a partner visa for Eva and to move to Australia, Andrew went online to investigate the visa process.

“Like most people, I started the visa application myself, but when I saw what was involved I backtracked. I thought if I get this wrong it could be an expensive mistake,’’ explains Andrew.

An acquaintance mentioned Home of Visas. Andrew undertook some research, read the testimonials, and had an initial free consultation.

“I was glad I did – I’d thought it would be beneficial to do the application in Australia, but they told us that we‘d get a quicker, better outcome if we applied offshore. Of course, they were right!”

Submitting the Partner Visa Application

Because Andrew and Eva had been married for six years, a temporary and permanent visa was submitted simultaneously (Subclass 309 and Subclass 100). The application was lodged on 6 January 2021 and approved on 12 April 2021.

“I knew they’d be proactive in getting the best outcome. Both Zahirah and Fizah have extensive knowledge about Indonesia. For example, they told us not to enlist a third party to obtain our police and health checks and instead to organise it ourselves.’’

Collecting the information was straightforward as Eva explains.

“Everything was broken down into manageable tasks. We worked on this over the Christmas holidays when we both had time off work.’’

The visa took just over three months to come through – far quicker than Andrew expected.

‘‘Fizah knew applications were being dealt with quickly because of COVID, but the turnaround was impressive.’’

Next stop – Darwin

The couple is currently looking to move back to Australia in July to make Darwin their new home. It’s close to Indonesia and there’s a large Indonesian community in the town. It’s also a fairly short flight back to Indonesia and Eva has no regrets.

“I am coming with my family’s blessing, they are supportive of this decision. As for Home of Visas, we’ve already written a five-star Google review, to highlight an exceptional experience,’’ says Eva.

Have you read our reviews – including Andrew and Eva’s? You are eligible for a partner visa if you are engaged, married, or in a de-facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident.

If you want to find out more, book a free no-obligation half-hour discovery call with Home of Visas to find out pathways open to you.