Partner Visa Australia: Find the Right Path for Your Relationship

A partner visa lets the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia and then stay permanently. A MARA-registered agent confirms which visa fits your situation and builds the relationship evidence Home Affairs assesses.

Book a Partner Visa Consultation Check Partner Visa Eligibility

Which Partner Visa Fits Where You Are Right Now?

Your location on the day you apply picks the visa. There are five partner visa subclasses, and each one has its own role. Here is who each one suits, what it costs and how long it takes.

Subclass 820: Temporary Partner Visa (Applying in Australia)

The Subclass 820 visa is for a spouse or de facto partner who is in Australia when they apply.

You and any family applying with you must be in Australia on the day you lodge.
A bridging visa usually keeps you lawful while the 820 is decided.
Once granted, you can live, work and study in Australia.
It leads to the permanent Subclass 801 visa.

Fee: AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, paid once for the 820 and 801.
Processing: 50% decided within 21 months, 90% within 30 months.

Explore the Subclass 820 Visa

Subclass 801: Permanent Partner Visa (Onshore)

The Subclass 801 visa is the permanent stage for Subclass 820 holders. You don't lodge a new application for it.

Home Affairs assesses it from 2 years after you lodged the 820 and 801.
You provide fresh evidence that the relationship is continuing.
A long-term relationship (3 years, or 2 years with a dependent child of the relationship, not a stepchild) can be granted the 801 sooner.
It gives you permanent residency and a path to citizenship.

Fee: no separate charge; it is covered by the 820 payment.
Processing: 50% decided within 6 months, 90% within 19 months, counted from the eligibility date.

Explore the Subclass 801 Visa

Subclass 309: Provisional Partner Visa (Applying From Outside Australia)

The Subclass 309 visa is for a spouse or de facto partner who is outside Australia when they apply.

You and any family applying with you must be outside Australia on the day you lodge.
There is no bridging visa, so you wait for the decision offshore or visit on another visa.
Once granted, you can travel to Australia to live, work and study.
It leads to the permanent Subclass 100 visa.

Fee: AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, paid once for the 309 and 100.
Processing: 50% decided within 21 months, 90% within 35 months.

Explore the Subclass 309 Visa

Subclass 100: Permanent Partner Visa (Offshore)

The Subclass 100 visa is the permanent stage for Subclass 309 holders. You don't lodge a new application for it.

Home Affairs assesses it from 2 years after you lodged the 309 and 100.
You provide fresh evidence that the relationship is continuing.
A long-term relationship (3 years, or 2 years with a dependent child) can be granted the 100 sooner.
It gives you permanent residency and a path to citizenship.

Fee: no separate charge; it is covered by the 309 payment.
Processing: 50% decided within 9 months, 90% within 18 months, counted from the eligibility date.

Explore the Subclass 100 Visa

Subclass 300: Prospective Marriage Visa (Engaged Couples)

The Subclass 300 visa is for an engaged couple who plan to marry in Australia.

You must be outside Australia when you apply, and both of you must be 18 or older.
You must have met in person as adults since turning 18.
You can stay 9 to 15 months and must marry before the visa ends.
After the wedding, you apply for the 820 and 801 at a reduced charge of AUD 1,955.

Fee: AUD 11,710 for the main applicant.
Processing: 50% decided within 18 months, 90% within 31 months.

Explore the Subclass 300 Visa

Fees: Home Affairs visa pricing service, checked 6 November 2026. Processing times: Home Affairs global visa processing times, updated 2 November 2026. Visa rules: Home Affairs onshore, offshore and Prospective Marriage visa pages, as at 6 November 2026. Still deciding between onshore and offshore? Read onshore vs offshore partner visa.

What Does a Partner Visa Let You Do?

From the day the temporary visa is granted, you can build a normal life in Australia while the permanent stage is decided. With the 820 or 309, you can:

Live, work and study in Australia, with no cap on work hours.

Travel in and out of Australia as often as you like.

Apply for Medicare, Australia's public health care scheme.

Join English classes at no cost through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), if eligible.

The permanent 801 or 100 visa then gives you permanent residency, the right to sponsor eligible family, and a path to Australian citizenship.

What Does Home Affairs Look For in Your Relationship?

Home Affairs needs to see a genuine and continuing relationship, and it reads the evidence across four areas. A strong application covers all four, not just the one that is easiest to document.

Area	What it shows	Typical evidence
Financial	You share money and responsibilities.	Joint accounts, shared bills, a joint lease or loan.
Household	You live as a couple.	Mail to the same address, shared chores and household costs.
Social	Others know you as a couple.	Statutory declarations from friends, photos, joint invitations, travel together.
Commitment	You plan a shared future.	Relationship statements, contact while apart, wills naming each other.

Married couples do not need to show 12 months of living together. De facto couples usually must show at least 12 months as a de facto couple immediately before applying. Dating time and an online relationship might not count.

The 12-month rule does not apply if you have registered your relationship with an Australian state or territory registry, or if you can show compelling and compassionate circumstances. A narrow humanitarian visa exception also applies.

For details on building the file, read the partner visa evidence guide, how to write your relationship statement, and de facto vs married for a partner visa.

Can You Apply for a Partner Visa While on a Student Visa?

Yes, in most cases. A student or visitor in Australia who meets the relationship requirements can apply for the 820 and 801 onshore. The catch is the conditions on your current visa.

A current substantive visa:

you usually receive a Bridging visa A (BVA). It takes effect when your current visa ends and keeps you lawful until the 820 decision. Read Bridging visa A work rights.

No substantive visa:

extra criteria apply. Your sponsor's form and at least two statutory declarations must be lodged with your application, and a past refusal or cancellation can block an onshore application.

A "No Further Stay" condition (8503):

this condition stops most onshore applications unless Home Affairs waives it first.

Check these before you lodge. An invalid onshore application can't be fixed afterwards, and the charge is not refunded.

What Does a Partner Visa Cost for Your Whole Family?

The main applicant pays AUD 11,710 for the Subclass 820, 309 or 300 visa. The 801 and 100 have no separate charge because they are paid for with the 820 and 309. Children and other family members applying with you cost extra.

Applicant	Subclass 820 (covers 801)	Subclass 309 (covers 100)	Subclass 300
Main applicant	AUD 11,710	AUD 11,710	AUD 11,710
Each additional applicant 18 or over	AUD 5,860	AUD 5,860	AUD 5,860
Each additional applicant under 18	AUD 2,935	AUD 2,935	AUD 2,935

Source: Home Affairs visa pricing service, checked 6 November 2026. Health checks and police certificates cost extra. Since 1 July 2026, eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens pay a lower charge; see the Pacific and Timor-Leste fee concession. Confirm your total with the Visa Pricing Estimator or read the full partner visa fee breakdown.

Processing times for each subclass are listed with that subclass above. A complete application with strong evidence avoids most of the delays Home Affairs controls. See partner visa processing time for what moves the timeline.

What Happens If Your Relationship or Situation Changes?

You must tell Home Affairs about any change, including a separation, a new baby or a new address. A relationship ending before the permanent visa is granted usually ends the application, with three exceptions.

You or a family member experienced family violence by the sponsor.

The sponsor died, and the relationship would have continued.

You share responsibility for a child of the relationship.

Home Affairs explains each option on its relationship ended page. Family violence information is handled confidentially, and support is available without risking your visa.

How The Migration Helps Couples With Partner Visas

The Migration's MARA-registered agents (MARN 2518738) handle the application from the first pathway check to the permanent stage.

Pathway check.

The team confirms whether the 820, 309 or 300 fits, and checks your visa conditions, the 12-month rule and the sponsor's history.

Evidence plan.

You get a checklist across the four areas, built around your real situation, including time spent apart.

Statements and declarations.

The team guides both partners' relationship statements and the witness statutory declarations, so dates and details match.

Lodgement and sponsorship.

The Migration team lodges the visa in ImmiAccount, then guides the sponsor's online form using the TRN.

Processing support.

The team answers Home Affairs requests, reports changes and explains bridging visa conditions.

Permanent stage.

At the 2-year point, the team prepares the updated evidence for the 801 or 100.

You provide passports, relationship history, documents for each of the four areas and your sponsor's details. Each step is in writing, so you always know what happens next.

Partner Visa Questions Couples Ask

Yes. Home Affairs defines a partner as a spouse or de facto partner of the same or opposite sex. The same evidence rules apply.

A new marriage can't be valid until a previous divorce is final, so a spouse application isn't possible yet. Some separated people apply as de facto partners instead, if the de facto relationship meets the rules. Get advice on the dates before lodging.

No. There is no income test for a partner visa sponsor. The sponsor does agree to help the applicant with money and accommodation while the sponsorship lasts, usually 2 years after the temporary visa is granted.

Yes. Refusals usually come from weak or inconsistent evidence, an ineligible sponsor, or health or character concerns. Most refusals can be reviewed at the Administrative Review Tribunal within strict time limits.

No. Couples can apply themselves. Anyone giving immigration advice for a fee must be registered, which can be checked on the MARA register.

Book a Partner Visa Consultation With a MARA-Registered Agent

Bring your relationship timeline, both partners' visa details and any past refusals. A MARA-registered agent (MARN 2518738) confirms the right subclass, flags evidence gaps and gives you a clear plan with costs.