My partner and I have known each other for some time and we have visited each other and keep in touch by email and speak everyday on the telephone. How can we meet the 12-month cohabitation and relationship requirement?

The Partner Class of Visas is not intended for new relationships. It is to enable people in established relationships to bring their partners to live with them in Australia. The criteria are very strictly interpreted. See Fact Sheet 35

To meet the requirements you must, for the 12 months immediately before you apply for a Partner Visa, have been living together in a "relationship " as defined in the Regulations. There is no visa designed to allow this. Visitor Visas often have condition 8503 on them, which will not allow a further visa application to be made whilst in Australia. Also people on Visitor Visas are not allowed to work.

There are Working Holiday Visas that may be available to some people. It may be possible to get a Student Visa but these often have restrictions on applying for other visas.

In general it is a "Catch 22" situation. You need to live together in a "Relationship" but the Australian Government does not provide a visa which will allow this. The same applies to opposite sex couples that want to establish a "de facto" relationship.

In some cases it may be possible for the Australian to live in their partner's country for part of the time but it is up to you to find a way. If you want to be together enough, you must find a way in spite of all the barriers put in place by the Australian Government.