Before applying for an Australian partner visa, check the partner visa requirements against your relationship, your sponsor’s eligibility and your current visa status. You will need documents that show how your relationship has developed and how you share your lives.
This guide covers the onshore 820/801 and offshore 309/100 pathways, including relationship evidence, costs and what happens while you wait.
Quick answer: To qualify for an Australian partner visa, you generally need an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen partner to sponsor you. You must show a genuine and continuing marriage or de facto relationship and meet health, character and other criteria. The main pathways are 820/801 and 309/100.
Information checked as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Partner visa types: 820/801 vs 309/100
Partner migration usually has two stages. The first is a temporary or provisional visa, followed by a permanent visa. You lodge a combined application for both, then normally provide updated evidence for the permanent stage.
| Feature | Onshore pathway | Offshore pathway |
| First stage | Temporary Partner visa 820 | Provisional Partner visa 309 |
| Permanent stage | Partner visa 801 | Partner visa 100 |
| Where you apply | In Australia, outside immigration clearance | Generally outside Australia |
| Where you can be at the temporary visa decision | In or outside Australia, outside immigration clearance | In or outside Australia, outside immigration clearance |
| Work and study after the first-stage grant | Permitted | Permitted |
| Travel after the first-stage grant | Multiple travel while the visa remains valid | Multiple travel while the visa remains valid |
For the offshore pathway, applying for a partner visa 309 does not itself give you a bridging visa or permission to visit Australia. You need a separate valid visa for any visit while the application is processed.
Engaged couples may also consider the Prospective Marriage visa, subclass 300. This has separate requirements and normally involves applying from outside Australia before travelling to marry the sponsoring partner.
AIM Lawyers’ guides to family sponsored visas and family visa options explain the broader family migration categories.
Partner visa requirements: who can apply
Review your eligibility before paying the application charge. Alongside the relationship requirements, your visa history and your partner’s sponsorship history can affect the application.
Married or de facto: what counts
If you are married, the marriage must be recognised under Australian law. You must also show that your relationship is genuine and continuing, that you have a mutual commitment to a shared life, and that you live together or are not living separately and apart permanently.
For a de facto partner visa in Australia, you usually need to have been in the de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before applying. Dating and being in a de facto relationship can begin at different times. Explain when you began sharing your lives as partners and support that date with evidence.
As of October 2026, exceptions to the 12-month requirement include:
- Registration under a qualifying Australian state or territory relationship law.
- Compelling and compassionate circumstances.
- Specified circumstances involving humanitarian visa applicants or holders.
A shared child may be relevant to compelling and compassionate circumstances. Home Affairs still needs to assess whether an exception applies. Couples with a registered relationship must also show that the relationship is genuine and continuing.
Sponsor requirements
Your sponsor is usually your partner and must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship.
Sponsors are generally at least 18. If either partner is younger, get advice about the age and sponsorship provisions before applying.
As of October 2026, sponsorship limits generally apply where the proposed sponsor:
- Has already sponsored two partners.
- Sponsored another partner within the relevant five-year period.
- Was themselves sponsored as a partner within that period.
Compelling circumstances may allow exceptions. The dates and outcomes of previous applications need to be checked carefully.
Sponsors must also provide requested police certificates. Certain convictions and significant criminal records can affect approval. Tell your lawyer about previous sponsorships and relevant criminal history early.
Health, character and age
Visa applicants and relevant family members must meet the applicable health and character criteria. Home Affairs may request medical examinations, police certificates and further information, including information about some family members who are not migrating.
De facto applicants and their partners must be at least 18. Married applicants are generally 18 or older, subject to limited exceptions.
The sponsor undergoes separate sponsorship and police checks. The sponsor does not need to complete a migration health examination.
Partner visa evidence: proving your relationship is genuine
Home Affairs looks at four areas of your relationship: finances, household arrangements, social recognition and commitment.
Start by writing down the main dates. Include when you met, became a couple, married or began your de facto relationship, moved in together and spent time apart. Use this timeline to check the information in your forms, statements and documents.
If a date is uncertain or records appear to conflict, explain it. For example, one partner may have moved in gradually before being added to the lease. The application should make that sequence easy to follow.
Financial aspects
Financial evidence can include:
- Joint bank statements.
- Shared bills, loans or major purchases.
- A joint lease or mortgage.
- Transfers showing how you share costs or support each other.
Explain how you actually manage money. One partner might pay the rent while the other covers groceries and utilities. If you keep separate accounts, describe how you divide expenses and provide records that support the explanation.
An account opened shortly before applying shows only a short period. Earlier rent payments, transfers or shared purchases may help show how you managed money before that account existed.
Nature of the household
Household evidence explains your living arrangements and responsibilities. Relevant documents may include a shared lease, mail to the same address, bills and records of joint responsibility for children.
Describe your everyday arrangements. Explain who lives in the home, how you share household tasks and how you care for children, where relevant.
If you spend time apart for work, study or family reasons, give the dates and explain how you maintain the relationship. Include supporting records where available, such as travel arrangements or communication during the separation.
Social aspects
Social evidence shows that other people know you as a couple. It may include invitations addressed to both partners, photographs with family and friends, shared activities and travel records.
Give photographs a date and a short description. Identify the occasion and the people involved where useful. Choose images from different periods so the reader can follow the relationship over time.
The current Form 888 is a supporting statement. Ask someone who knows both partners and your relationship history to describe what they have personally observed. They must be at least 18 and provide the identification required by the form.
For example, a friend could explain when they met you as a couple, how often they see you and which shared events they have attended.
Commitment to each other
Explain how your relationship developed, how you support each other and what you plan for the future. Supporting documents may include communication during separations, beneficiary nominations, wills and evidence of shared plans.
Each partner’s relationship statement should reflect their own experience. Both should agree on the facts. They can explain a move between countries, a period apart or why particular documents are in one person’s name.
Before uploading, check names and dates, arrange required translations and keep your own copies. Follow Home Affairs’ document checklist for your circumstances. You may have different evidence from another couple.
How the two-stage process works
The combined application usually begins with the temporary 820 or provisional 309 stage. You are generally eligible for permanent 801 or 100 assessment once two years have passed since the original combined application was lodged.
Permanent assessment can take further time after you become eligible. Continue keeping relationship records after the first-stage grant so you can provide updated evidence when needed.
Some applicants may qualify for the permanent stage without the usual two-year wait if they were in a long-term partner relationship when they applied. Broadly, this means at least three years together, or two years where there is a dependent child of both partners. Other requirements still apply.
Notify Home Affairs of relevant changes, including a new address, a child’s birth or a relationship breakdown. See the permanent 801 guidance or permanent 100 guidance for the next-stage requirements.
Partner Visa 820 processing times and costs
As at October 2026, Home Affairs’ published overview reports a 23-month median for the Partner Provisional/Temporary category, based on August 2026 decisions.
That figure covers the overall category. To check the 820 visa processing time or another subclass, use the Home Affairs processing time guide and select the relevant visa. Published times reflect recently decided applications and can change.
As at October 2026, the standard base application charge is AUD11,710 for most new 820/801 and 309/100 applicants. You pay when lodging the combined application, and the charge normally covers both stages.
Reduced charges apply in some circumstances, including for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants and certain Prospective Marriage visa holders applying through the onshore pathway.
Allow for additional applicants, health examinations, police certificates, translations and any legal fees. Confirm your total using the visa pricing information before lodging.
Incomplete documents, inconsistent information and outstanding health or character checks can delay assessment. Respond to requests by the stated deadline and keep the application updated while you wait.
Switching from a student visa to a partner visa
You may be able to apply for a partner visa 820 while holding a student visa in Australia, provided you meet the onshore requirements.
Before applying:
- Check your conditions. A no-further-stay condition, such as 8503 or 8534, may prevent a valid onshore application unless a waiver is granted.
- Confirm your current visa’s expiry. If it has already expired, additional criteria, including Schedule 3, may apply.
- Review your bridging arrangements. A valid onshore application may lead to a bridging visa, with its own start arrangements and conditions.
A waiver request does not extend your current visa. Our guide explains the 8503 no further stay waiver.
Continue following your student visa conditions while that visa remains in effect. Once the bridging visa starts, its conditions determine your work and travel permission. Read about your bridging visa while you wait before making plans.
A student dependent visa follows a separate framework based on the primary student’s visa. Check which pathway fits your relationship and your partner’s status.
Common reasons partner visas are refused
A partner visa refusal may arise where:
- The evidence fails to establish the required relationship.
- The de facto period or an applicable exception has not been proven.
- The sponsor is ineligible.
- Health, character or additional onshore criteria are not met.
An expired visa also requires assessment of application validity and any extra criteria.
Our guide explains why visas are refused. If you receive a refusal, read the decision letter immediately. It should explain any review rights and the deadline.
The person eligible to apply for ART review depends on the decision. Get advice promptly about appealing a visa refusal and confirm your current immigration status.
If the relationship ends before the permanent visa
Tell Home Affairs if your relationship ends. Some applications can continue under provisions concerning family violence, the sponsor’s death, or a shared child and qualifying parenting arrangements. Each has specific requirements.
You do not have to stay in an unsafe relationship to try to protect your visa. As at October 2026, the family violence provisions can cover eligible 820 applicants or holders, eligible 309 applicants or holders who meet the entry requirements, and specified current or former subclass 300 holders.
Seek independent legal advice about the provisions available to you and how to notify Home Affairs safely.
For confidential counselling and support, contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. Call 000 if you are in immediate danger.
Getting help with your partner visa
A previous refusal, expired visa, complicated sponsorship history or gaps in evidence can require advice before you apply.
AIM Lawyers in Melbourne CBD can assess your circumstances, explain the relevant pathway and help you prepare the application.
Book a consultation to discuss your next steps.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a partner visa take in Australia?
As at October 2026, Home Affairs reports a 23-month category median for provisional and temporary partner visas, based on August 2026 decisions. Check its live guide for subclass-specific times. Permanent assessment is generally available two years after the original application, with exceptions, and has its own processing period.
Do we need to be married to apply for a partner visa?
No. Eligible de facto couples can apply. You usually need to have been in the de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before applying, unless an applicable exception is established.
Can I work while my partner visa is being processed?
Temporary 820 and provisional 309 visa holders can work. Before that grant, your work rights depend on the substantive or bridging visa currently in effect. Your grant notice and VEVO show the relevant conditions.
Can I apply for a partner visa while on a student visa?
Often yes, provided you meet the onshore requirements and your visa conditions allow a valid application. Check no-further-stay conditions and obtain advice if your substantive visa has expired.
How much does a partner visa cost?
As at October 2026, the standard base charge for most new 820/801 or 309/100 applications is AUD11,710. Reduced charges apply in some circumstances. Additional applicants, checks and professional services can add to the total.
What happens if my partner visa is refused?
Read the refusal letter for review rights and deadlines, and seek advice promptly. ART review may be available to an eligible person. Confirm your visa status and any further steps needed to remain lawfully in Australia.
