How to Apply for a 309 Partner Visa: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

You live in one country, and your partner lives in Australia. You have been sending money, booking flights and counting time zones, and now you want to apply so you can finally live together.

The form itself looks simple. The hard part is knowing what to do first, what to prepare and when your partner steps in.

Here is the reassuring part. The subclass 309 is one online application, made from outside Australia, and it follows the same six steps for every couple.

One charge of AUD 11,710 covers both the temporary 309 and the permanent subclass 100. As at 2 November 2026, Home Affairs decided 50% of recent 309 applications within 21 months.

This guide explains how to apply for a 309 partner visa step by step. It covers the documents to gather, the steps your sponsor completes and the mistakes that slow couples down.

If you would like your plan checked first, a partner visa consultation can help.

What is a partner visa 309 in Australia?

The Partner (Provisional) visa subclass 309 is the first, temporary stage of the offshore partner visa. It lets the husband, wife or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia.

Australia has two main partner visa pathways. Where you are when you apply decides which one you use:

• Offshore: the temporary subclass 309, then the permanent subclass 100, for applicants outside Australia.
• Onshore: the temporary subclass 820, then the permanent subclass 801, for applicants in Australia.

You apply for the 309 and the 100 together. With the 309, you can live, work and study in Australia, travel in and out as often as you like and apply for Medicare. The onshore vs offshore partner visa guide compares the two pathways in detail.

Who is eligible to apply for a 309 partner visa?

You can apply if you are outside Australia, 18 or older and in a genuine married or de facto relationship. Your partner must be eligible and sponsor you, and you must meet the health and character rules. The partner visa subclass 309 page explains each criterion in full.

Age requirement

• De facto applicants must be 18 or older when they apply.
• Married applicants must usually be 18 or older, because that is usually the minimum age to marry under Australian law.

Relationship requirements

• Your partner must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
• The relationship must be genuine and continuing when you apply and when Home Affairs decides.
• You must live together, or not live apart permanently, and must not be related by family.
• If you are married, the marriage must be valid under Australian law.

The 12-month de facto rule and its exceptions

• De facto couples usually need to have been in the relationship for 12 months immediately before applying. Time spent dating or in an online relationship might not count.
• The 12 months does not apply if you have registered your relationship with an Australian state or territory registry.
• It also does not apply if you show compelling and compassionate circumstances.
• Nor does it apply if your partner is applying for a permanent humanitarian visa.
• The same is true if your partner holds or held one and told Home Affairs about you before it was granted.

Sponsorship requirements

• You need a sponsor when you apply and while you hold the 309. Your sponsor is usually your partner, and Home Affairs must approve them.
• You cannot change your sponsor. The person who sponsors your 309 also sponsors you for 2 years after it is granted.
• Home Affairs may refuse a sponsor who has already sponsored two partners, or who sponsored someone or was sponsored within the last 5 years. See can you sponsor a second partner visa.

Immigration history, health and character

• A past visa cancellation or refusal does not end your chances automatically, but it might affect your eligibility, so declare it and get advice.
• You and family members applying with you must meet the health requirement. Everyone aged 16 or over must meet the character requirement.
• If you owe the Australian Government money, you must repay it or agree a plan to repay it.
• Applicants aged 18 or over sign the Australian Values Statement.

How do you apply for a 309 partner visa step by step?

You apply in six steps. Check your eligibility, gather your documents and lodge online. Your partner then applies to sponsor you with your Transaction Reference Number (TRN). Finally, you complete health and police checks and wait for the decision. The steps below follow the order on the Home Affairs subclass 309 page.

Step 1: Check your eligibility and decide who will help

• Confirm you will be outside Australia on the day you lodge. Family members applying with you must also be outside Australia.
• De facto couples should count the 12 months carefully, or register the relationship first.
• If someone helps you, they must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an exempt person, appointed with Form 956.

Step 2: Gather and prepare your documents

• Identity: a birth certificate showing both parents’ names and the passport pages with your photo and dates.
• Extra identity: a national identity card if you have one, and proof of any change of name.
• Relationship: your marriage certificate or de facto evidence, a written relationship history and evidence of shared finances, household, social life and commitment.
• Witnesses: statements from 2 people aged 18 or over who know you both, usually on Form 888.
• Past relationships: divorce, separation or death certificates, where they apply.
• Children: identity and relationship documents for each child, plus Form 1229 consent from any parent with custody rights who is not coming to Australia.
• Translations: documents not in English need an English translation. Translators in Australia must be NAATI-accredited.

Scan every document in colour. Save multi-page documents as one file. You do not need certified copies. The partner visa evidence guide and the guide to writing your relationship statement show what strong evidence looks like.

Step 3: Lodge the application online in ImmiAccount

• Log in or create an account in ImmiAccount.
• Select “New application”, then “Family”, then “Stage 1 – Partner or Prospective Marriage Visa”.
• Fill in the form, attach your documents and pay the charge. Home Affairs will not start work until you pay.
• Note the Transaction Reference Number (TRN). Your sponsor needs it for the next step.
• You can attach up to 100 documents for each person, so label each one clearly and attach it only once.

Step 4: Your partner applies to sponsor you

• After you lodge, give your partner your TRN or application ID.
• Your partner then lodges the sponsorship form online in their own ImmiAccount. There is no charge for this form.
• Home Affairs asks sponsors to apply as soon as they can. Your visa cannot be decided without the sponsorship.
• The partner visa sponsor requirements guide covers what your partner agrees to.

Step 5: Complete health checks, police certificates and updates

• Police certificates and health results are valid for 12 months. Check current processing times before you get them, as Home Affairs may ask for new ones if they expire.
• You need a police certificate from each country where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16. For Australia, this is a full-disclosure AFP check.
• Attach Form 80 for the character assessment, and military records if you served in any armed forces.
• Add new relationship evidence to ImmiAccount every few months while you wait.
• To add a dependent child before the decision, attach Form 1436. The child must be outside Australia.

Step 6: Wait for the decision

• You can be in or outside Australia when Home Affairs decides your 309.
• Do not book travel to Australia on the 309 until Home Affairs tells you in writing that it has been granted.
• If you visit Australia on another visa while you wait, you must keep holding a valid visa for your whole stay.
• Tell Home Affairs about any change, such as a new address, a new baby or a change in your relationship.

Want your documents checked before you pay the AUD 11,710? A MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) at The Migration can review your 309 application before lodgement. Book a 309 application review.

What happens after Home Affairs decides your 309?

Home Affairs sends the decision in writing. A grant letter shows your grant number, the date your visa starts and any conditions. A refusal letter gives the reasons and says whether you can seek a review.

If your 309 is granted

• If you are outside Australia at grant, you must enter Australia before the first entry date in your grant letter.
• New Zealand passport holders should tell the border officer they hold a 309 and do not want a subclass 444. A 444 would replace the 309 and end the path to the 100.
• Children can no longer be added to the 309 after grant. A child must first get a subclass 445 visa and then join the 100 application with Form 1002.
• The permanent subclass 100 is usually assessed about 2 years after you applied, using updated relationship evidence.

If your 309 is refused

• The application charge is not refunded.
• Check the refusal letter for any review rights and deadlines. Reviews are handled by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
• The partner visa refusal reasons guide explains the most common causes and what you can do.

If your relationship ends or your partner dies

• You may still be eligible for the temporary and permanent visa in some cases, such as the death of your partner.
• If you are experiencing family violence, the Family Violence Provisions may help, but only if you have entered Australia since you lodged.
• Tell Home Affairs about the change and get advice before you act.

How long does a 309 partner visa take in 2026?

As at 2 November 2026, Home Affairs decided 50% of subclass 309 applications within 21 months and 90% within 35 months. The figures come from the Home Affairs processing time guide and describe recent decisions, not yours.

Partner visas are processed under Ministerial Direction 117, which sets family visa priorities. It gives applications made in Australia higher priority than offshore applications such as the 309. A complete visa file with an early sponsorship avoids extra requests. The partner visa processing time guide lists every partner subclass.

How much does the 309 partner visa cost in 2026?

The 309 partner visa costs AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, with AUD 5,860 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 2,935 for each applicant under 18. This one charge covers both the 309 and the permanent 100.

• Source: the Home Affairs visa pricing estimator, checked 6 November 2026. Fees usually change on 1 July.
• A lower charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens from 1 July 2026.
• Health checks, police certificates and translations are extra.

The partner visa fee guide breaks down every cost.

What mistakes delay a 309 application?

Most delays come from timing and missing pieces rather than from the relationship itself. Each one below has a simple fix.

• Lodging while in Australia. A 309 must be lodged from outside Australia, so wait until you leave, or ask about the 820.
• A late sponsorship. Your application stalls until your partner lodges the sponsorship form, so send them the TRN on the day you apply.
• De facto time that falls short. If you are under 12 months, check whether you can register the relationship in an Australian state or territory, or wait until you reach 12 months.
• Expired police certificates. Get them closer to the decision window, or be ready to replace them when asked.
• Evidence that stops at lodgement. Keep adding recent photos, messages, travel records and money transfers while you wait.

Not sure your evidence is strong enough for a long-distance relationship? A MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) at The Migration can spot the gaps before Home Affairs does. Book a partner visa consultation.

How The Migration helps with your 309 application

The Migration‘s MARA-registered migration agents (MARN 2518738) prepare and lodge offshore partner visas for couples who live in different countries. You can confirm registration on the MARA register. The team has over 7 years of experience in Australian migration.

• A check that the 309 is the right visa, compared with the 820 and the 300.
• A document checklist built around your relationship, children and countries of residence.
• A review of your relationship statement and Form 888 witness statements.
• Guidance for your partner on the sponsorship form and what it commits them to.
• Support with requests from Home Affairs while your application is processed.

Conclusion

Applying for a partner visa 309 comes down to six steps. You check eligibility, gather documents and lodge online from outside Australia. Your partner lodges the sponsorship with your TRN. Then you complete health and police checks and wait.

The charge is AUD 11,710, and half of recent 309 applications were decided within 21 months. Strong, updated relationship evidence is the best way to keep yours moving.

Ready to apply for your 309? Book a consultation with a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) at The Migration.

Frequently asked questions