Partnership Visa

[tell-me-more]

My gf and I have been in a relationship for nearly 3 years, but her student visa runs out before the 3rd anniversary passes and we won't (quite) have been living together for 2 years either.

We have been advised by an immigration lawyer that to get a partnership visa, we would normally have to have lived together for 2 years or been in a relationship for 3 years.

He says that as we are so close to meeting the requirements, the visa may be granted anyway.

If not, he advised that my gf would have the right to appeal, that her immigration status would be extended pending the result of the appeal, and that when considering the appeal, the change of circumstances (i.e we will have been in a relationship for 3 years by that time, and maybe even have lived together for 2 years) would be taken into account.

My questions are: would we not have to have specific grounds for an appeal and what might those grounds be?

And secondly, don't appeals usually just look at the wisdom of the initial decision, rather than any changes in circumstances?

TIA.