Australia provides various visa options for individuals wishing to move there, including the Partner Visa subclass. This visa class is tailored specifically for people in genuine, committed relationships with an Australian citizen or permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, or eligible New Zealand resident. In this article we’ll go over everything you need to know about Partner Visas including types, requirements, processing times and costs.
Australian Partner Visas come under four subclasses, each offering its own set of requirements and benefits. These are:
Partner Visa Subclass 820: This visa enables you to live, work and study temporarily in Australia while the Department of Home Affairs reviews your application for a permanent Partner Visa. In order to be eligible, your relationship must be with an Australian national or permanent resident as well as eligible New Zealand citizen or citizen of equal status.
Partner Visa Subclass 801: This visa is the permanent version of Partner Visa Subclass 820 and allows individuals to live, work and study in Australia permanently. Prior to being eligible to apply for it (Subclass 801) they must first have been granted temporary Partner Visa Subclass 820 status.
Partner Visa Subclass 309: This visa is intended for those in an authentic relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen living outside Australia and living temporarily overseas. It allows temporary entry while your permanent Partner Visa application (Subclass 100) is processed.
Partner Visa Subclass 100: This permanent version of Partner Visa Subclass 309 grants the holder permission to live, work and study in Australia permanently. Before you can be considered for this visa you must first have been granted the temporary Partner Visa (Subclass 309) first.
To be eligible for any of the Partner Visa subclasses listed, certain basic criteria must be fulfilled. These requirements include:
Being in an intimate and genuine relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 years or over. Meeting health and character requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs. And not owing any money to Australia.
Married Applicants Can Learn the Requirements Here
If you and your partner are married, both must fulfill the following requirements.
Your partner must either live together permanently, or you must not live permanently apart. They should not be related through the family. Both you and your partner must share an ongoing and authentic romantic relationship that excludes every other potential partner in life.
Learn about the De Facto Partner Requirements here.
If you are in a de facto relationship, both parties must meet certain requirements:
Before applying for the visa, both parties involved have been in an established de facto relationship for at least 12 months and demonstrate genuine and ongoing interactions. Both partners must be committed to sharing life without other partners involved.
Provider requirements for Partner Visa Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 applications
To qualify for either the temporary Partner Visa (Subclass 820) or temporary Partner Visa (Subclass 309), applicants must also fulfill certain criteria:
Your relationship must meet the specific requirements for Partner Visa Subclass 820 to be eligible. A sponsor should sponsor you and not have had a previous visa application denied or canceled; and satisfy the relationship criteria outlined above. For this visa subclass application.
There is one key requirement of the temporary Partner Visa (Subclass 820), that does not apply to other Partner Visa subclasses: having previously held any of these regional visas will prevent you from qualifying for it:
Subclass 475 (Skilled Regional Sponsored) visa. Skilled Independent Regional Provisional (Class UX) (Provisional) (Provisional). Subclass 487 (Skilled – Regional Sponsored).
Subclass 494 visa (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)).
Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
You must hold one of the first four regional visas listed above two years or more prior to making an application for your Partner Visa; three years at least must elapse between those dates if one of the last two visas on this list was held prior.
To be eligible for a permanent Partner Visa (Subclass 801) or 100, applicants must meet certain requirements:
Your current Partner (Subclass 820/309) or Dependent Child visa (Subclass 445) must have been valid for at least two years from when you submitted an onshore or offshore application for both temporary and permanent Partner Visa combinations in order for us to assess a permanent application from you.
However, even if there has been a breakdown of your relationship, one of these visas might still qualify. Partner Visa Processing Times
Processing times for Partner Visa applications in Australia will depend on both the subclass you apply for and the individual circumstances of your case, however as an indication, processing times for temporary Partner Visa (Subclass 820/309) applications typically fall between three weeks to five weeks.
75% of applications were processed within 17 months and 90% within 24 months.
Processing times for the Partner Visa Subclass 801/100 include:
75% of applications were processed within 17 months and 90% within 25 months.
Please remember that these processing times are only guidelines; your application could take longer to process depending on several factors, including its complexity or whether you provided all required documents and information.
The costs for applying for a Partner Visa in Australia may depend on which subclass you’re seeking and from where. As of April 2023, these are:
Partner visa costs $7,7115 for onshore (Subclass 820/801) and offshore (309/100) applications respectively.
These costs do not account for additional fees associated with health checks, biometric scans, police certificates, or any other costs that might come up during your application process.
The Partner Visa is an excellent solution for individuals who wish to move to Australia to be with their partner. No matter whether it be de facto or married relationships, various subclasses exist that can assist with making that dream of living and working in Australia a reality. But before applying, ensure you meet all eligibility requirements as well as gather all documents and information prior to making your application; with proper planning and guidance, this dream of moving to Australia could become a reality!
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