Partner Visa

What the Australia Partner Visa Covers

The term partner visa is used for a group of visas that allow a partner to live in Australia on the basis of a relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The relationship can be a marriage or a de facto relationship, and it includes same sex couples. The Department also recognises some registered relationships under state and territory schemes.

For most couples the process has two stages. A temporary visa is granted first, and a permanent visa follows once the Department has reviewed the relationship again, generally about two years after lodgement. In some long term relationships, the permanent visa can be decided sooner. Practitioner sources report that a single application charge covers both stages.

The Three Main Pathways at a Glance

1. Onshore partner visa, subclasses 820 and 801. For applicants who are in Australia when they apply and when the temporary stage is decided. Applicants are normally on a bridging visa while waiting
2. Offshore partner visa, subclasses 309 and 100. For applicants who are outside Australia when they apply. Applicants can be in or outside Australia when the temporary visa is decided. Once the temporary visa is granted, the applicant can travel to and live in Australia
3. Prospective marriage visa, subclass 300. For couples who are engaged and plan to marry in Australia. After the marriage, the applicant can apply for the onshore partner visa

These pathways are not interchangeable. Where you are, whether you are married, how long you have lived together and what visa you hold all affect which one applies.

Home Affairs: Partner (Provisional) visa subclass 309 ↗

How to Choose Between Pathways

A few practical questions point most couples toward the right option.

1. Where is the applicant now? In Australia, the onshore route may be possible. Outside Australia, the offshore route is usually the one
2. Are you married, or in a de facto relationship? A de facto relationship generally needs twelve months of living together before lodgement, unless an exception applies, such as a registered relationship
3. Are you engaged, but not yet married? The prospective marriage visa may fit
4. What visa does the applicant hold now? Conditions on the current visa, such as a no further stay condition, can limit what is possible onshore
5. How long can you be apart? Offshore applicants may spend long periods apart from their partner during processing, while onshore applicants can remain together on a bridging visa
6. Do you plan to travel during processing? Onshore applicants need a visa that permits travel and return. Offshore applicants must be outside Australia when applying for subclass 309, but can be in or outside Australia when it is decided
7. How strong is your evidence now? A relationship that is documented across time is better placed than one that has only recently become documented

A consultation before you lodge can help you work through these questions, because the answers are specific to your situation.

How the Relationship Is Assessed

The Department does not decide whether a relationship is genuine from a certificate alone. It looks at the relationship as a whole, and practitioners commonly describe four areas of evidence.

1. Financial aspects, such as shared accounts, shared bills and how you support each other
2. The nature of the household, such as where you live and how you share responsibilities
3. Social aspects, such as how friends and family see you as a couple and what you do together
4. The nature of the commitment, such as the length of the relationship, your plans and your exclusivity

The documents and statements for each pathway are listed on the specific visa pages. The general principle is that a clear, consistent story, backed by evidence across time, is more persuasive than a large pile of unrelated documents.

Is there an income test?

Couples often ask how much money the sponsor needs to earn. Practitioner sources report that the partner visa generally does not set a minimum income for the sponsor, in the way that some other visas do. The financial evidence is mainly about the relationship, such as shared accounts and bills. Still, sponsors give undertakings, and they should understand what these involve. Check the current requirements on the Department's website, since conditions can change.

The Sponsor

The sponsor is the Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who supports the application. The sponsor must be approved, and their history matters.

1. Eligibility. The sponsor must have the right status and usually be at least 18
2. Character. Some convictions, particularly family violence offences, can prevent a person from being an approved sponsor
3. Previous sponsorship. Sources report a lifetime limit of two approved partner sponsorships, and generally a gap of five years from a previous one, with waivers available only in compelling circumstances
4. Undertakings. The sponsor may be asked to give undertakings to support the applicant, so they should read and understand them

Check the sponsor's history before you pay the application charge. A sponsor who is not eligible cannot be fixed by stronger evidence of the relationship.

Costs to Plan For

Migration sources report that the base partner visa application charge for a main applicant is about AUD 11,710 from 1 July 2026, up from AUD 9,365, and that it generally covers both stages. Additional applicants carry their own charges. A 1.4 percent surcharge is reported for online credit card payments. Confirm your exact charge in the Visa Pricing Estimator before you pay, and remember that the charge is not refunded if the application is refused.

Other costs include:

1. Health examinations
2. Police certificates from each relevant country
3. Certified translations and document copies
4. Travel for visits during processing, for offshore couples
5. A Bridging Visa B, if an onshore applicant needs to travel and return
6. Professional assistance, if you choose to use it

Plan for the whole cost, not only the application charge, and for the possibility that processing takes longer than you hoped.

Home Affairs: Visa Pricing Estimator ↗

Timing and Processing

Processing time depends on the pathway, the strength of the evidence and the Department's workload. Practitioner sources quoting recent data report roughly 14 months for half of offshore subclass 309 applications and roughly 23 months for half of onshore subclass 820 applications, with longer times for the remaining cases. The permanent stage is generally assessed about two years after lodgement. These are indications only, and the Department's processing times tool is the place to check the current position.

A complete application with consistent evidence is easier to assess. The Department does not generally respond to individual status enquiries, and agents cannot make the Department decide faster.

Home Affairs: visa processing times ↗

Health and Character

Applicants, and any family members included in the application, must meet health and character requirements. Health examinations are arranged through panel physicians, and police certificates are requested from countries where the applicant has lived for a set period. A health waiver may be available in some cases where a condition would otherwise prevent a grant.

Plan for the timing of these documents. Certificates and examination results have a limited validity, and a common problem is a document that has expired by the time of the permanent stage.

Including Children and Other Family

Dependent children of the applicant can sometimes be included in the application. Children of the sponsor may also be relevant, and special rules can apply to step children. Each child has their own requirements, so check the position for every child before you lodge. If your family circumstances change during processing, for example through the birth of a child, tell the Department promptly.

Building a Relationship Timeline

One of the most useful steps before any partner visa application is a written timeline of the relationship. It does not have to be long, but it should be accurate, because it helps you notice gaps and inconsistencies before the Department does.

1. When and how you met, and who introduced you, if anyone
2. When the relationship began, and when it became exclusive
3. When you first met each other's families, and how they responded
4. Periods of living together, living apart, travelling or studying, with dates and places
5. Key events, such as an engagement, a wedding, a move, a new job, a loss or the birth of a child
6. Your plans for the future, such as where you will live and how you will support each other

Check each date against your documents, such as passport stamps, flight bookings, leases and photographs. If the timeline and the documents disagree, find out why and decide how to explain it. A timeline that matches the evidence also makes the written statements easier to write and more convincing to read.

Common Questions About Documents and Money

1. Do we need joint bank accounts? They are useful evidence of financial aspects, but a lack of one account is not fatal if other evidence shows how you share costs
2. Do we need to live together? For a de facto relationship, generally yes. For marriage, the Department still looks at whether the relationship is genuine and continuing
3. Do photographs prove a relationship? They help with social evidence, but they work best with dates and context and alongside other types of evidence
4. Can friends and family write statements? Yes, and the Department's statutory declaration form is commonly used. Choose people who know the relationship well
5. Do documents need to be translated? Documents in other languages generally need certified English translations
6. Can we add evidence later? You can usually provide more evidence when the Department asks, and again at the permanent stage, but a strong starting application is easier to assess

Recent Announcements

On 17 September 2026, the Minister for Home Affairs announced that a no further stay provision would be attached to visitor visas. The Minister said it would have no impact on people already in Australia, and no start date has been given. Partner visa criteria were not changed by the announcement. Practitioners expect it to affect couples who plan to arrive in Australia on a visitor visa and then apply for the onshore partner visa, so the offshore route may become more relevant. Because the measure is not yet in force, do not assume how it will operate, and take advice if you are planning to apply onshore after a visit.

Home Affairs: visitor visa reform announcement, 17 September 2026 ↗

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Choosing the pathway before checking where each partner will be during processing
2. Lodging a de facto application before the relationship meets the requirements, with no exception
3. Not checking the sponsor's history and sponsorship limits
4. Relying on a marriage certificate alone as evidence
5. Using weak or generic statements from people who do not know the relationship
6. Inconsistencies in dates, addresses or accounts
7. Letting health examinations or police certificates expire
8. Not disclosing previous refusals, previous relationships or criminal history
9. Travelling at the wrong time without checking the rules
10. Paying an unregistered agent who promises approval

If Something Changes During Processing

Relationships and lives change. If you separate, move, have a child or change your circumstances while an application is pending, tell the Department and take advice, because each situation has its own rules. Where a relationship ends because of family violence, special provisions may allow the applicant to continue, and the evidence required is different from a standard application. Seek advice and support promptly in that situation.

Considerations for Couples From Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

The requirements are the same for every nationality, but couples from South Asia often have particular practical questions.

1. Marriage registration. A marriage valid where it took place is generally recognised if it meets Australian requirements, so keep the registration documents, such as nikah papers or civil registration, with certified translations
2. Arranged marriages. These are assessed like any other, and what matters is whether the relationship is genuine and continuing
3. Family involvement. Statements from both families and photographs of the ceremony can support the social side of the evidence, but they do not replace evidence of a shared life
4. Documents. Identity and civil status documents in other languages need certified English translations, and names and dates must match
5. Police certificates. Certificates from home countries can take time, so request them early
6. Time apart. Offshore couples can show the relationship through visits, travel records, calls and messages, and by explaining any periods apart

Couples from Europe and other regions face the same rules, although the documents differ.

How Professional Help Can Assist

A migration professional cannot change the rules, guarantee a visa or make the Department decide faster. What a good adviser can do is help you choose the right pathway, check that the sponsor is eligible, organise your evidence so that it tells a consistent story, plan the timing of travel and documents, prepare you for the permanent stage and advise you on what to do if your circumstances change.

That kind of review is most useful before you lodge, since the charge is not refunded. Make sure anyone you pay for immigration advice in Australia is appropriately authorised, and ask to see their registration details.

Why Consider Migration Factor

Migration Factor provides information and assistance on Australian visa pathways, including partner and family visas. We offer a free consultation where you can talk through your relationship, your evidence and your options before deciding on your next step. To arrange one, request a free consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Step

If you are deciding between the onshore and offshore partner visa, checking your sponsor's eligibility or organising your evidence, request a free consultation with Migration Factor. Please bring your passport and visa details, a timeline of your relationship and examples of your joint evidence, so the conversation can be specific.