Partner visa Australia – Perth migration advice

Partner Visa Australia (Subclass 820, 801, 309 & 100) | Perth Migration Agent

Partner visa applications are evidence-heavy. The right pathway depends on whether the applicant is in Australia or overseas, whether the relationship is married or de facto, sponsor eligibility, prior visa history, family members, and the quality of evidence across the relationship.

Subclass 820Subclass 801Subclass 309Subclass 100Prospective Marriage 300Form 888 evidence

Partner Visa At A Glance

Who can apply?A spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen may have a Partner visa pathway if the relationship and sponsor requirements are met.

Two-stage decisionPartner visa applications usually involve a temporary stage first, followed by the permanent stage. Some long-term relationships can be considered for earlier permanent-stage assessment.

Evidence mattersHome Affairs assesses the relationship as a whole. Evidence should cover financial, household, social and commitment factors, not just photos and a marriage certificate.

Partner Visa Pathways

Apply in Australia

Subclass 820 to Subclass 801

For applicants in Australia who are married to, or in a de facto relationship with, an eligible sponsor. The 820 is temporary and the 801 is permanent.

Stage: temporary 820, then permanent 801

Apply overseas

Subclass 309 to Subclass 100

For applicants outside Australia who are married to, or in a de facto relationship with, an eligible sponsor. The 309 is provisional and the 100 is permanent.

Stage: provisional 309, then permanent 100

Related pathway

Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage

A separate temporary visa for eligible engaged couples where the applicant is outside Australia, intends to marry the sponsor, and may later apply for the onshore 820/801 Partner visa pathway after marriage.

Sequence: 300 first, then 820/801 after marriage

The best partner visa Australia pathway should be chosen before lodgement. Location, current visa conditions, relationship timeline, previous refusals and sponsor history can materially affect strategy.

Partner Visa Comparison Table as per Department of Home Affairs

Subclass	Apply from	Relationship pathway	Primary applicant charge shown by estimator	Pathway note
820 / 801	In Australia	Spouse or de facto partner	AUD 9,365.00	Temporary to permanent Partner visa pathway
309 / 100	Outside Australia	Spouse or de facto partner	AUD 9,365.00	Provisional to permanent Partner visa pathway
300	Outside Australia	Prospective spouse	AUD 9,365.00	Separate temporary visa to marry, then apply for 820/801

Primary applicant charges are based on the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator check for Partner visa subclass 820/801, Partner visa subclass 309/100, and Prospective Marriage visa subclass 300. Additional applicant charges, card surcharges, health checks, biometrics, translations and professional fees are separate. Always check the official estimator before lodging.

Relationship Evidence Framework

Financial aspectsJoint accounts, shared expenses, rent or mortgage payments, transfers, insurance, superannuation nominations and financial responsibilities.

Nature of householdLiving arrangements, leases, bills, mail, household responsibilities, travel together and periods of separation with explanations.

Social aspectsHow the relationship is known to family and friends, invitations, photos with context, travel, events, and supporting statements such as Form 888.

CommitmentRelationship history, future plans, communication records, emotional support, long-term intentions and explanations for complex facts.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible sponsor: the sponsor usually needs to be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Relationship: the couple must satisfy Home Affairs that the relationship is genuine and continuing, whether married or de facto.
Marriage and de facto evidence: marriage alone is not enough. De facto cases need careful evidence of the relationship history, living arrangements, commitment and any relevant registration or separation circumstances.
Age: the applicant and sponsor generally need to be at least 18 for Partner visa purposes.
Health and character: applicants and relevant family members must meet Home Affairs health and character requirements.
Sponsorship assessment: sponsor eligibility, previous sponsorships, sponsor character issues, family violence disclosures and other sponsorship limitations can affect the application.
Location and visa status: onshore applications require careful review of the applicant’s current visa, conditions and ability to lodge a valid application.

Processing Times

Use official guidanceThe Department of Home Affairs publishes global visa processing times as an indicative guide based on recently decided applications. The guide does not guarantee a decision within a specific timeframe.

Why cases varyPartner visa timing can be affected by evidence quality, health and character checks, sponsor assessment, requests for more information, family members, and whether facts need detailed explanation.

Our approachWe avoid quoting static processing-time promises. Instead, we check the official processing-time guide before advice and focus on lodging a complete, well-structured application.

Check the Home Affairs global visa processing times guide before relying on any timing estimate. Processing times are not a guarantee and can change.

Strategic Issues To Resolve Before Lodging

Partner visa refusals often come from weak evidence structure, inconsistent relationship timelines, unexplained separation, sponsor issues, or treating the application like a document upload rather than a legal submission.

Choose onshore or offshore pathway before spending money on forms and evidence.
Map the relationship timeline before drafting statements.
Explain periods apart, limited financial evidence, short relationships or cultural/family circumstances.
Check prior visa refusals, overstays, bridging visa issues or no-further-stay conditions.
Assess sponsor limitations, character concerns, previous sponsorships and family violence considerations where relevant.

Our Partner Visa Process

Pathway check
Confirm onshore, offshore or prospective marriage strategy.

Evidence map
Build the relationship timeline and evidence categories.

Application build
Prepare forms, statements, sponsor material and document set.

Lodgement
Lodge with quality control and clear document organisation.

Follow-up
Respond to requests and plan the permanent stage.

Costs Breakdown

Item	What to budget for
Home Affairs charge	Primary applicant charge for subclass 820/801, subclass 309/100 and subclass 300 was checked as AUD 9,365.00. Check the official estimator before lodging.
Additional applicants	Partner applications can include eligible family members, with separate charges and requirements.
Third-party costs	Health examinations, police checks, translations, biometrics, card surcharges and document costs may apply.
Professional fees	Pacific Visa Group professional fees depend on complexity, pathway, evidence gaps and whether prior refusals or sponsor issues exist.

Partner Visa FAQs

Should we apply onshore or offshore?

This depends on the applicant’s location, current visa, visa conditions, travel needs, risk profile and relationship evidence. The pathway should be checked before lodgement.

Is marriage enough for a Partner visa?

No. Marriage can be relevant, but Home Affairs assesses whether the relationship is genuine and continuing. Evidence across financial, household, social and commitment factors is still important.

Can de facto couples apply?

Yes, if the de facto relationship requirements and evidence settings are met. Length of relationship, registration, periods apart, living arrangements and evidence quality should be checked before lodging.

Is Subclass 300 the same as a Partner visa?

No. Subclass 300 is a separate Prospective Marriage visa pathway for eligible engaged couples. It can lead to an onshore 820/801 Partner visa pathway after marriage if requirements are met.

Do we need Form 888 statements?

Supporting statements can help explain how friends or family know the relationship. They should support, not replace, the main relationship evidence.

Why Pacific Visa Group

Evidence-led strategyWe structure the case around the relationship story Home Affairs needs to assess, not a random file dump.

Risk identificationWe identify weak evidence, timeline gaps, sponsor issues and prior visa history before lodgement.

Clear Perth adviceYou get practical partner visa advice from a registered migration agent with a clear pathway and document plan.

Ready To Plan Your Partner Visa?

Book a consultation to review the correct partner visa pathway, relationship evidence, sponsor eligibility, prior visa history and refusal-risk issues before you lodge.

Official fee and source links

Use these official Home Affairs links to verify current Partner visa eligibility, fees, processing guidance, Form 888 and pathway requirements before relying on any visa detail.