Partner Visa – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Love is a beautiful thing. Navigating Australian immigration law to be with the person you love? That’s a different kind of journey.

Whether you’re married, in a de facto relationship, or engaged, Australia offers pathways to bring your partner here permanently. But the process is detailed, the fees are significant, and the Department of Home Affairs expects strong evidence that your relationship is genuine.

Below, we answer the most common questions we get from couples every week at Questra Immigration. Updated for 2026 with current fees, processing times, and the latest policy changes.

The basics: how partner visas work in Australia

The Australian partner visa is a two-stage process. You apply for a temporary and permanent visa at the same time, in a single combined application. The Department first assesses and grants the temporary visa, and then approximately two years later, assesses whether the relationship is still genuine and grants the permanent visa.

There are two main pathways:

Fees are based on the 2025-26 schedule and are indexed annually. Additional charges apply for dependants, biometrics, medicals, and police checks.

And for partners of New Zealand citizens, there’s also the Subclass 461 (NZ Family Relationship Visa), which has different requirements.

Processing times in 2026

Here’s what the Department of Home Affairs is currently processing:

The biggest factor in processing time? How decision-ready your application is at lodgement. Incomplete applications get pushed back. A well-prepared, fully documented application from day one is the single best thing you can do to speed things up.

Your questions, answered

1. Am I eligible for a partner visa in Australia?

You may be eligible if you are in a genuine relationship (married or de facto) with an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Both you and your partner must meet health and character requirements.

For de facto relationships, you generally need to have been living together for at least 12 months. However, if you register your relationship with an Australian state or territory, the 12-month cohabitation requirement can be waived.

2. Can my Australian partner sponsor me?

Your partner can sponsor you if they are:

• Over 18 years old
• An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Have not already sponsored two partners in their lifetime
• At least 5 years have passed since any previous partner sponsorship

There are limited circumstances where a waiver may apply, but these are assessed case by case.

3. Can I stay in Australia while waiting for my partner visa?

If you apply for the onshore pathway (Subclass 820/801), yes. When you lodge the application, you’ll be granted a Bridging Visa A that allows you to live, work, and access Medicare in Australia while your visa is being processed.

If you need to travel while on the bridging visa, you’ll need to apply for a Bridging Visa B before leaving Australia, otherwise your bridging visa will cease.

If you apply for the offshore pathway (Subclass 309/100), you will need to remain outside Australia until the temporary visa is granted.

4. Do I have to be married to apply for a partner visa?

No. You can apply as a de facto partner. This means you are in a committed and genuine relationship and have been living together for at least 12 months (unless you’ve registered your relationship or there are compelling reasons for not meeting this requirement, such as living in different countries).

Same-sex couples are fully eligible to apply. There is no discrimination under Australian visa law.

5. What evidence do I need to prove my relationship is genuine?

The Department looks at four key areas of evidence:

• Financial: Joint bank accounts, shared expenses, joint property, shared insurance, co-signed loans.
• Household: Joint lease or mortgage, shared bills, evidence of living at the same address, shared responsibilities.
• Social: Photos together, joint social media, joint invitations, statements from friends and family (Form 888), travel together.
• Commitment: Length of relationship, knowledge of each other’s personal details, future plans, wills naming each other, superannuation beneficiary nominations.

2026 update: The Department is placing increased reliance on digital evidence submitted through ImmiAccount. Screenshots of messages, video call logs, and digital booking confirmations are increasingly accepted alongside traditional documents.

6. Do I need to register my relationship before applying?

It’s not mandatory, but we strongly recommend it. Registering your relationship with an Australian state or territory:

• Waives the 12-month cohabitation requirement for de facto couples
• Provides formal legal recognition of your relationship
• Strengthens your evidence of commitment

This is especially useful for couples in long-distance relationships or those who haven’t yet lived together for a full 12 months.

7. Does my partner also need medical and police checks?

Yes. Both the applicant and the sponsoring partner must meet health and character requirements. This includes:

• Medical examinations for all applicants (and any dependants)
• Police clearances from every country either party has lived in for 12+ months in the past 10 years

8. Will I need to attend an interview?

Not always, but it’s possible. Some applicants are asked to attend an interview to verify the genuineness of their relationship. The case officer may ask about how you met, relationship milestones, daily routines, and future plans.

The best preparation is to be honest and consistent. If both partners are interviewed separately, your answers should naturally align because the relationship is real.

9. Which subclass should I apply for: onshore or offshore?

It depends on where you are:

• Inside Australia: Apply for Subclass 820/801 (onshore). You’ll get a bridging visa with work rights while you wait.
• Outside Australia: Apply for Subclass 309/100 (offshore).
• Engaged but not yet married: Apply for Subclass 300 (Prospective Marriage Visa) from offshore. You must marry within 9 months of arriving in Australia, then apply for the onshore partner visa.

10. Can I expedite my partner visa?

No. Australia does not offer paid priority processing for partner visas. Applications are assessed based on lodgement date and complexity.

The best way to reduce wait time is to submit a complete, decision-ready application from day one. Missing documents, unclear evidence, or poorly structured applications lead to requests for further information and longer processing.

This is exactly where a registered migration agent adds value.

11. When do I get my bridging visa?

If you apply onshore (820/801), your Bridging Visa A is granted automatically when you lodge your application. It activates when your current substantive visa expires, allowing you to remain in Australia lawfully with full work rights.

12. Can I sponsor a new partner if I’ve sponsored someone before?

You can sponsor up to two partners in your lifetime. There must be at least 5 years between sponsorships. Limited waivers exist for exceptional circumstances, but these are rare.

13. Can I include children from a previous relationship?

Yes. Dependent children who meet the criteria can be added as secondary applicants to your partner visa application. They will usually receive a dependent child visa while the permanent visa is being assessed.

14. Does an age gap affect our application?

The Department doesn’t assess age gaps directly. What they care about is whether the relationship is genuine, committed, and ongoing. However, a significant age gap may attract additional scrutiny, so stronger supporting evidence is advisable.

15. What work rights do I get on a partner visa?

The partner visa grants full work, study, and travel rights in Australia. This applies from the temporary stage (Subclass 820 or 309). You can work for any employer in any industry with no restrictions.

On a Bridging Visa A (while waiting for the 820), you also have full work rights in most cases.

16. What if my circumstances change while waiting?

You must notify the Department of Home Affairs of any changes. This includes changes to your address, contact details, passport, or relationship status. Failure to update the Department can result in delays or refusal.

If your relationship ends before the visa is granted, your application may be refused. However, there are provisions for victims of family violence or if you have a child together. If you’re in this situation, speak with a migration agent immediately.

17. What are the most common reasons partner visas get refused?

The top reasons we see:

• Insufficient evidence of a genuine relationship. This is by far the most common. The Department needs to be convinced your relationship is real, not just for the purpose of obtaining a visa.
• Non-compliance with previous visa conditions. If you’ve overstayed or breached conditions on a previous visa, this can count against you.
• Health or character issues. Failing medical exams or police check requirements.
• Condition 8503 (No Further Stay). If your current visa has this condition, you generally cannot apply for another visa onshore unless a waiver is granted.

18. What if my partner visa was refused?

You may have the right to appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Time limits apply, so act quickly. We strongly recommend engaging a registered migration agent experienced in visa refusals and appeals to assess your options.

19. Can I apply for a partner visa from a visitor visa?

It depends on your visa conditions. If your visitor visa does not have Condition 8503 (No Further Stay), you may be eligible to apply for an onshore partner visa (820/801) while in Australia.

If it does have Condition 8503, you generally cannot apply for another visa onshore unless you obtain a waiver, which is granted only in limited circumstances.

20. Can same-sex couples apply?

Absolutely. Same-sex relationships are treated identically to opposite-sex relationships under Australian immigration law. The same evidence requirements, processing times, and visa subclasses apply.

What’s changed in 2026?

A few things worth noting for anyone applying this year:

• Functional English requirements: The Department has placed a stronger focus on English language proficiency for partner visa applicants. While not always required at the temporary stage, demonstrating Functional English (or willingness to study) is increasingly expected.
• Digital evidence: ImmiAccount continues to be the primary platform. The Department increasingly accepts and expects digital evidence: screenshots, video call records, app-based communication histories.
• Integrity measures: Tighter scrutiny on relationship genuineness, particularly for applications with short relationship histories or limited cohabitation evidence.
• Application fee: Now exceeding AUD $9,000 for the main applicant. The cost of a refusal is not just emotional, it’s a serious financial hit.

The cost of getting it wrong

At over $9,000 in application fees alone (plus medical exams, police checks, translations, and potentially migration agent fees), a refused partner visa application is expensive. More importantly, it’s emotionally devastating.

The most common mistake we see? Couples who try to do it themselves, submit incomplete evidence, and get a refusal that could have been avoided with proper preparation.

A decision-ready application from day one is the difference between a smooth process and a stressful, drawn-out one.

Related Questra resources

• Onshore Partner Visa (Subclass 820/801)
• Offshore Partner Visa (Subclass 309/100)
• Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300)
• NZ Family Relationship Visa (Subclass 461)
• Registering a Relationship in Australia
• Visa Refusal & Cancellation Appeals

This guide was last updated in March 2026. Visa fees, processing times, and policy requirements are subject to change. For the most current information, check the Department of Home Affairs website or speak with a registered migration agent.

About the Author

Bill Mitroulas is the Head of Migration at Questra Immigration. A registered migration agent since 2015 and member of the Migration Institute of Australia, Bill brings over 15 years’ experience in international education and 11 years in Australian migration law. He leads Questra’s team with a client-first, quality-driven approach.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide any legal or professional advice. You should seek the advice of a qualified expert before making any decisions based on this article.

Bill Mitroulas

Head of Migration at Questra Immigration. Managing and overseeing the growth and performance of Questra’s team of migration agents, while maintaining a client-centric and quality-driven approach. A registered migration agent since 2015 and a member of the Migration Institute of Australia, with over 15 years’ experience in international education and 11 years in Australian Migration law.