Australian Partner Visas

Depending on the circumstances of any given relationship, there are varying Partner Visas available to Australians who are looking to bring or keep a loved one in Australia. In summary, those options are:

Option 1: Apply for an off-shore Partner (Subclass 309/100) visa, also referred to as a De Facto or Marriage Visa from outside the country.

Option 2: Apply for an off-shore Prospective Marriage (Subclass 300) visa, also referred to as a Fiancé visa.

Option 3: Apply for an on-shore Partner (Subclass 820/801) visa also referred to as a De Facto or Marriage Visa from inside the country.

Importantly, the purpose of this blog is not to detail each option but rather, this blog will discuss what we like to call the Partner Visa Journey and will typically cover both Options 2 and 3 above.

Specifically, the graphic above details the common ‘Stops’ along the way for Partner Visas, from when an Australian meets their partner to when the partner is granted permanent residency. As the graphic suggests, depending on whether a couple first applies for a Prospective Marriage (Subclass 300) visa or goes directly for the Partner (Subclass 820/801) will determine which ‘Stop’ the Journey begins for that respective relationship.

For those who are not yet in a position to apply for the Partner (820/801) visa directly, such as those who are not currently in Australia or are not yet married or in a de facto relationship, the Prospective Marriage visa is vehicle for engaged couples to bide their time in arranging their marriage with the view that they will formalize their marriage once the Prospective Marriage Visa is granted (Stops 2–4). After the marriage, couples will be able to apply for the Partner visa (Stop 5) from inside Australia and continue on along the Partner Visa Journey until eventually their permanent residency is granted (Stop 8).

For couples who are inside Australia and are married or in de facto relationships, their journey begins at Stop 5 when the Partner visa is applied for from inside the country, again eventually leading to permanent residency at Stop 8 if the relationship is maintained.

In conclusion, there is an overwhelming amount of information on Partner Visas, so we hope that our Partner Visa Journey graphic will help you understand the pathways, processing times and generally how one visa flows onto the next