Explain Australian Partner Visa Subclasses Onshore (820, 801), Offshore (309 & 100)

Every year, thousands of couples find themselves caught in an exhausting in-between, one partner calling Australia home while the other waits on the other side of the world, counting down days to a reunion that immigration paperwork keeps postponing. If this sounds familiar, understanding partner visa subclasses is the first step to closing that distance for good.

The partner visa Australia framework is built around four key subclasses: subclass 820, 801, 309, and 100, divided into two distinct pathways. Applicants already living in Australia follow the onshore pathway (subclasses 820 and 801), while those applying from outside Australia take the offshore pathway (subclasses 309 and 100).

In this guide, we’ll break down what the subclasses of the partner visa in Australia actually mean, how the two-stage process works, and which pathway applies to your situation so you can stop guessing and start planning.

What Are Australian Partner Visa Subclasses? 

Australia’s partner visa is designed for people in genuine relationships, married couples, de facto partners, and same-sex couples alike, who want to live together permanently in Australia. The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.

The visa operates on a two-stage partner visa process, no one jumps straight to permanent residency. Every applicant first receives a temporary or provisional visa, then transitions to a permanent visa after a waiting period of usually two years, during which the Department of Home Affairs assesses whether the relationship is ongoing and genuine.

Which stage you start at depends entirely on where you are when you lodge your application:

Onshore pathway 

•  For applicants already living in Australia
•  Subclass 820 (temporary partner visa) 
•  Subclass 801 (permanent partner visa)

Offshore pathway 

• For applicants living outside Australia 
• Subclass 309 (provisional partner visa) 
• Subclass 100 (permanent migrant visa)

Subclass 820 & 801 — The Onshore Partner Visa Pathway 

The partner that are in Australia on bridging visa or on Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) can apply onshore partner visa.

Subclass 820  Temporary Partner Visa (Onshore)

The Subclass 820 is a temporary partner visa for de facto partners or spouses of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who are already living in Australia. It is the essential first step toward permanent residency through the onshore pathway.

Key things to know:

• Where you apply: You must be physically in Australia at the time of application
• What it allows: Live, work, and study in Australia temporarily while your permanent visa is assessed
• Bridging visa: Issued immediately on lodgement, so you can legally remain in Australia while your 820 visa is being processed
• Relationship requirement: You must be in a genuine relationship  either married or in a de facto partnership of at least 12 months
• Cost: From AUD 9,365 for most applicants; from AUD 1,560 for Prospective Marriage visa (Subclass 300) holders
• Stay conditions: You can remain in Australia temporarily until your Subclass 801 permanent partner visa application is finalised or until you withdraw your application

Subclass 801 Permanent Partner Visa (Onshore)

The Subclass 801 is the permanent stage of the onshore partner visa pathway  and the goal every Subclass 820 holder is working toward. This visa lets the de facto partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia permanently.

Key things to know:

• Who it’s for: Applicants who currently hold a temporary Partner visa (Subclass 820)
• Cost: No additional fee was paid for both the 820 and 801 when you lodged your original application
• Relationship requirement: Your relationship must still be genuine and ongoing at the time of assessment
• Stay conditions: Permanently  once granted, there is no expiry
• Medicare: Access granted upon receiving permanent residency
• Citizenship pathway: Subclass 801 permanent residency counts toward Australian citizenship eligibility once residency requirements are met

Subclass 309 & 100 — The Offshore Partner Visa Pathway 

The Subclass 309/100 visa is a pathway for individuals whose partner is outside Australia and who wish to join their partner in Australia through an offshore partner visa.

Subclass 309  Partner (Provisional) Visa (Offshore)

The Subclass 309 is a provisional partner visa for de facto partners or spouses of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who is living outside Australia. It is the essential first step toward permanent residency through the offshore pathway.

Key things to know:

• Where you apply: You must be outside Australia at the time of application
• What it allows: Live, work, and study in Australia temporarily while your permanent visa is assessed
• Sponsorship: Must be sponsored by an eligible Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Travel: You can travel freely to and from Australia while waiting for your visa to be processed
• Cost: From AUD $9,365.00
• Stay conditions: Temporarily until your permanent Partner visa (Subclass 100) application is finalised  or until you withdraw your application

The Subclass 309 leads directly to the permanent Partner visa (Subclass 100), which is assessed approximately two years after your original application date. Both visas are applied for simultaneously in a single application, meaning you pay one fee and lodge once, with the permanent visa granted automatically at the two-year mark if your relationship remains genuine and ongoing. Explore more about partner visa Australia Read our Complete Partner Visa Australia – Eligibility, Requirements & Application Process

Subclass 100 Partner (Migrant) Visa (Offshore)

The Subclass 100 is the permanent stage of the offshore partner visa pathway and the goal every Subclass 309 holder is working toward. This visa lets the de facto partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia permanently.

Key things to know:

• Who it’s for: Applicants who currently hold a provisional Partner visa (Subclass 309)
• Cost: No additional fee was paid for both the 309 and 100 when you lodged your original application
• Relationship requirement: Your relationship must still be genuine and ongoing at the time of assessment
• Offshore flexibility: You can remain outside Australia throughout the entire assessment period and enter as a permanent resident once the Subclass 100 is granted
• Stay conditions: Permanently, once granted, there is no expiry
• Medicare: Access granted upon receiving permanent residency
• Citizenship pathway: Subclass 100 permanent residency counts toward Australian citizenship eligibility once residency requirements are met

Like the onshore 801, the Subclass 100 requires no extra paperwork in most cases  the Department of Home Affairs reassesses your relationship evidence at the two-year mark and grants permanent residency if your relationship remains intact and genuine.

Eligibility Requirements for a Partner Visa in Australia

You do not need to be married to apply for a partner visa in Australia. The Department of Home Affairs recognises both married and de facto couples. What matters is that your relationship is genuine, ongoing, and meets the criteria below.

Both the sponsor and the applicant must satisfy their own set of requirements. We cover each in turn.

Sponsor Requirements

The sponsor is the Australian-based partner who lodges a sponsorship application alongside the visa application. The Department of Home Affairs requires the sponsor to meet all of the following:

• Citizenship or residency status: The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen
• Age: The sponsor must be at least 18 years old at the time of application
• No sponsorship bar: The sponsor must not be subject to a current bar on sponsoring a partner visa applicant (bars can arise from previous visa refusals or character findings)
• One partner at a time: The sponsor can only sponsor one partner at a time; sponsoring a second partner generally requires a five-year waiting period, and individuals are typically limited to two sponsorships in their lifetime

Applicant Requirements

The applicant is the person applying for the visa  the partner who wants to live in Australia. To meet the requirements for a partner visa in Australia, the applicant must satisfy all of the following:

• Relationship to the sponsor: the applicant must be the sponsor’s spouse or de facto partner at the time of application
• Genuine, ongoing relationship: the Department assesses whether the couple shares a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others; simply being married or cohabiting is not enough on its own
• De facto relationship duration: for de facto couples, the relationship must have existed for at least 12 months before lodging; this requirement is waived if the couple has registered their relationship under an Australian state or territory law
• Health requirements: the applicant must undergo a medical examination conducted by an approved panel physician; results are typically valid for 12 months
• Character requirements: the applicant must provide police clearance certificates from every country they have lived in for 12 months or more over the past 10 years

Key Documents & Relationship Evidence

Applying for a partner visa in Australia requires more than just completing forms  the Department of Home Affairs expects you to demonstrate that your relationship is genuine and ongoing through four categories of evidence:

Supporting evidence across all four categories is required for every partner visa subclass, including the Subclass 820/801 (onshore) and Subclass 309/100 (offshore).

What is a relationship statement, and why does it matter?

A relationship statement is a written account prepared by you, your partner, or both of you together  that tells the story of your relationship in your own words. It typically covers:

• How you first met and when your relationship start
• Key milestones you’ve shared (moving in together, travel, meeting each other’s families)
• How you support each other day-to-day
• Your plans and intentions as a couple going forward

While the Department of Home Affairs does not formally mandate a relationship statement as part of the requirements for a partner visa in Australia, it plays a significant supporting role. Immigration officers assess thousands of applications, and documents alone can be difficult to interpret without context. A well-written statement bridges that gap  giving the assessing officer a coherent picture of your relationship and helping them make sense of the supporting evidence you’ve provided.

It also gives you the opportunity to address:

• Any gaps in your evidence or time spent apart
• Long-distance relationship periods
• Cultural or personal circumstances that affect how your relationship is documented

A genuine, specific, and detailed relationship statement for a partner visa can meaningfully strengthen your application  particularly where other evidence is limited. Vague or generic statements, however, add little value and may raise doubts, so authenticity and specificity are essential.

Onshore vs Offshore — Which Pathway is Right for You? 

The most important factor in choosing your partner visa pathway is simple: where you are when you apply. This single detail determines everything that follows.

• Onshore (Subclass 820/801) — for applicants who are physically in Australia at the time of lodgement
• Offshore (Subclass 309/100) — for applicants who are outside Australia when they apply

Here’s how the two pathways compare across the factors that matter most:

Can you switch pathways mid-process?

No  you cannot transfer an offshore application to the onshore stream if you move to Australia after lodging. You would need to lodge a brand new onshore application and restart the process entirely. Some limited exceptions exist, but you should speak to a registered migration agent before making any decisions.

Choose your pathway based on where you are  not where you want to be. Getting this wrong costs you time, money, and significant stress.

Partner Visa Processing Times & What to Expect

Partner visa processing time in Australia is long. You need to plan for it. The Department of Home Affairs publishes indicative timeframes on its website, but these figures shift regularly based on application volumes and staffing. Here is what the current data shows:

Conclusion 

Australia’s partner visa system follows a clear structure. You choose between two pathways onshore (820/801) or offshore (309/100) based on where you are when you apply. Each pathway runs through two stages: a temporary visa first, then a permanent visa after the Department assesses your relationship again.

Strong evidence drives successful outcomes. You need to demonstrate your relationship across all four categories, financial, household, social, and commitment  and a genuine relationship statement strengthens your case further. Navigating partner visa subclasses can be complex, and let our registered migration agents simplify the process for you. Book a consultation today with our MARA experts.

Frequently Asked Questions Partner Visa Subclasses

Q1: What are the subclasses of the partner visa in Australia?

 There are four partner visa subclasses in Australia. Subclass 820 and 801 form the onshore pathway for applicants already in Australia. Subclass 309 and 100 form the offshore pathway for those applying from outside Australia. Both follow a two-stage process starting with a temporary/provisional visa and progressing to permanent residency.

Q2: What is the difference between onshore and offshore partner visa? 

An onshore partner visa (820/801) requires you to be physically in Australia when you apply and when the visa is granted. An offshore partner visa (309/100) is for applicants outside Australia at the time of application. Eligibility requirements and evidence are largely the same; your location is the key differentiator.

Q3: What are the requirements for a partner visa in Australia? 

You must be sponsored by an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, and be in a genuine married or de facto relationship (including same-sex). De facto couples generally need at least 12 months together unless the relationship is registered. Health and character requirements also apply.

Q4: Can I apply for a partner visa while on a tourist visa?

In most cases, yes. You can apply for a Subclass 820 onshore partner visa while in Australia on a tourist visa. However, if your visa includes a ‘no further stay’ (8503) condition, you may need a waiver first. Seek advice from a registered migration agent before applying.

Q5: Can I apply for a partner visa outside Australia? 

Yes. If you are outside Australia, you should apply for the Subclass 309 (offshore partner visa). This lets you enter and live in Australia while your permanent Subclass 100 visa is being processed.