Partner Visa in Australia — How It Works

Partner Visa Overview

The Australian partner visa allows the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia.

There are two pathways:

• Onshore: Subclass 820 (temporary) → Subclass 801 (permanent) — applied for from inside Australia
• Offshore: Subclass 309 (temporary) → Subclass 100 (permanent) — applied for from outside Australia

Both pathways are a two-stage process. You first receive a temporary visa, then the permanent visa is granted after a further waiting period (usually 2 years).

Eligibility Requirements

The applicant must:

• Be in a genuine relationship (married or de facto) with the sponsor
• Meet health and character requirements
• Not be sponsored by someone who has previously sponsored two or more partners

The sponsor must be:

• An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
• At least 18 years old
• Not subject to a sponsorship bar

Proving a Genuine Relationship

The Department of Home Affairs assesses the genuineness of the relationship across four categories:

1. Financial aspects — joint accounts, shared financial responsibilities
2. Nature of household — living together, shared domestic arrangements
3. Social aspects — how you present as a couple publicly, knowledge of each other's lives
4. Commitment — length of relationship, future plans, recognition of the relationship

Providing strong evidence across all four categories strengthens your application. Evidence can include joint bank statements, lease agreements, statutory declarations from people who know you as a couple, photos, travel records, and communications.

De Facto Relationships

For a de facto relationship, you generally need to have been living together in a genuine relationship for at least 12 months before applying, unless you are registered as domestic partners under a state/territory law.

Processing Times

Partner visas are among the slowest-processed Australian visa categories:

• Temporary stage: 12–24+ months (varies significantly)
• Permanent stage (after 2 years on the temporary visa): further months to years

Processing times change frequently — check the Department of Home Affairs website for current estimates.

Bridging Visas

If you apply for a partner visa from inside Australia (820/801), you receive a Bridging Visa A that allows you to stay in Australia while your application is being processed. This allows you to work in Australia during the processing period.

Common Refusal Reasons

• Insufficient evidence of a genuine relationship
• Character concerns (criminal history)
• Health requirements not met
• Incorrect forms or missing documents

A refusal can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Always seek legal advice before lodging a review.