Applying for unmarried EEA2 with my case

[Shaulan]

Hi, everyone
I have few questions about the unmarried EEA2, will be truly appreciate any help or advise with my situation.
I'm a Taiwanese national currently on tier 5 mobility visa expired on 18/10/15, me and my Irish partner have been together for 3 years and are planning to apply unmarried EEA2.
We met on 15/11/11 while we both held 2 years working holiday in Australia. We've been traveling and working together since then until our visa expired which was in June 2013 (During then my partner and me visited my family in Taiwan for 3 weeks in November 2012). We went traveling in New Zealand for 1 month in July 2013, after that my partner went back to Ireland while I had to go back to Taiwan to apply Tier 5 visa so we can continue our relationship in UK. In September 2013 I joined her and her family in Ireland after I obtained my visa. Then in October 2013 we both came to UK to start our new life and we've been living together since then.
1. My main concern is the 2 years cohabitation part. Since when we traveled we weren't really settled anywhere, we did few jobs together and stayed at backpackers. Though we do have plenty of evidence like payslip from the same jobs at the same period, supporting letters from friends, photos, flight tickets and passport stamps. And of course we have landlords letter and lease contract in our name since we came to UK which is only 1 year and 3 months for now. Would it be enough for the proof of 2 years cohabitation?
2. If I apply now, would they cancel my currently visa which is still valid till October 2015? And would I still have right to work until then?

Thank you for spending time reading it, I'll appreciate any help!!

[Shaulan]

please help, any advice would be a great help. I really need to know if I got any chance at all? Thanks

[asian_atheart]

Hi Shaulan. I think you still have a chance at a unmarried partner permit. It will depend on how strong your case is and the documentation to support that. I think in the past people have sent in applications with less than 2 years co-habitation. In your case, the relationship clearly existed before coming to the UK, so you have a strong reason. So you will need to justify that the relationship sustained over this period with proof-you can show tickets that prove you travelled together, kept in contact. Even visits to each other's families could mean you could get letters of reference from family and friends to attest to the relationship. And the most important thing of course-which they usually want to see in unmarried relationship applications is to see how you plan to sustain this relationship-you can detail plans you may have to get married or set up home in the UK-and why you need the visa to plan these things.
I don't think they can cancel your current Tier 5 visa as the EEA2 is a different application via the European route. Maybe senior members may have some input on this. Since your current UK visa expires in October this year, maybe you want to wait a few months longer and apply maybe even in June for the residence card-though maybe not too close to expiry as they may suspect some kind of 'misuse'.

hope this helps! All the very best.

[Shaulan]

Thank you asian_atheart for the reply. Yes, we are trying to dig out all evidence we had in Australia as much as possible, so hopefully we have enough to prove it. I thought of Australian bank statement would be a great help, but we've closed the banks and don't think they'd provide statement over 1 or 2 years ago. For future we were already planning to buy our first apartment then marriage after. I guess we have to give it a try for the visa. Is there a certain way to prepare all the documents?
I've heard in many cases of applying unmarried RC, the CoA wont allow to work until they issue you the resident card. Hopefully like you said my tier 5 visa will still be valid until oct.
thanks again!