Partner migration

Partner migration visa is a visa category for Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens who sponsor their spouse to settle in Australia.

This visa category is available to:

- Unmarried couples who intend to marry

- Married legal partners

- De facto partners (cohabiting relationships)

Partner visa list

- Provisional Resident Visa (Subclass 820) / Permanent Resident Visa (Subclass 801)

- Provisional residence visa (subclass 309)/permanent residence visa (subclass 100)

- Unmarried Couple Visa (Subclass 300)

Partner visa (apply in Australia) (Subclass 820 and 801)

The subclass 820 visa must be applied for in Australia and the applicant must be in Australia at the time the visa is granted. Normally, the applicant will be granted an 820 temporary visa and after a 2-year relationship period and meeting the appropriate conditions, the applicant will be granted subclass 801 permanent resident Visa. However, in certain special circumstances, it is possible to obtain a permanent residence visa directly. For example, if the applicant has been married/cohabiting for more than 3 years at the time of application, or if they have children.

Visa advantages:

Do not require the applicant’s degree, English level, property, or work experience.

Do not require an economy economic guarantee.

Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want.

Apply for access to free medical services in Australia and other social welfare benefits in Australia.

Apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.

Visa-free access to New Zealand

Eligibility for the applicant

Basic requirement: 

The applicant needs to meet the health and character requirement.

Eligibility for sponsor

The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 years or over. Each person can only be guaranteed twice in a lifetime, and for at least five years. If the sponsor obtained permanent residence status on a spousal visa, he or she will have to wait more than five years before sponsoring the spouse to apply for immigration.

Relationship requirement: The applicant must marry to sponsor or be in a de-facto relationship with the sponsor (both heterosexual and same-sex), and the marriage relationship and de facto relationship must have existed before applying for visa.

Married spouse: A married spouse registered in an institution approved by Australian Immigration and Immigration, or a married spouse registered in China meets the basic requirements for spouse immigration.

Cohabiting spouse: you must have been in a cohabiting relationship for at least 12 months before submitting your visa application, and you must provide relevant documentation to prove your relationship. If the applicant provides a certificate of cohabitation that is registered in Australia, the 12-month cohabitation requirement may be waived.

Application process

Assessment and contracting -- Document review -- Visa application -- Temporary residence approved -- Supplementary materials provided two years later -- permanent residence approved

Processing time: (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times)

Visa application fee: (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing)

Partner visa (apply overseas) (Subclass 309 and 100)

Subclass 309 Partner visas must be submitted outside Australia, and the applicant is also required to reside outside Australia once the visa is approved. Normally the applicant will be granted 309 temporary visa and after a 2-year relationship period and meeting the appropriate conditions, the applicant will be granted subclass 100 permanent Visa. However, in certain special circumstances, it is possible to obtain a permanent residence visa directly. For example, if the applicant has been married/cohabiting for more than 3 years at the time of application, or if they have children.

Visa advantages:

Do not require the applicant’s degree, English level, property, or work experience.

Do not require an economy economic guarantee.

Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want.

Apply for access to free medical services in Australia and other social welfare benefits in Australia.

Apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.

Visa-free access to New Zealand

Eligibility for the applicant:

Basic requirement: The applicant needs to meet the health and character requirement.

Eligibility for sponsor

The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 years or over. Each person can only be guaranteed twice in a lifetime, and for at least five years. If the sponsor obtained permanent residence status on a spousal visa, he or she will have to wait more than five years before sponsoring the spouse to apply for immigration.

Relationship requirement: The applicant must marry to sponsor or be in a de-facto relationship with the sponsor (both heterosexual and same-sex), and the marriage relationship and de facto relationship must have existed before applying for the visa.

Married spouse: A married spouse registered in an institution approved by Australian Immigration and Immigration, or a married spouse registered in China meets the basic requirements for spouse immigration.

Cohabiting spouse: you must have been in a cohabiting relationship for at least 12 months before submitting your visa application, and you must provide relevant documentation to prove your relationship. If the applicant provides a certificate of cohabitation that is registered in Australia, the 12-month cohabitation requirement may be waived.

Application process:

Assessment and contracting -- Document review -- Visa application -- Temporary residence approved -- Supplementary materials provided two years later -- permanent residence approved

Processing time: (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times)

Visa application fee: (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing)

Prospective Marriage visa (Subclass 300)

A prospective Marriage visa (Subclass 300) is a spousal immigrant visa for an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to sponsor his/her fiancé/wife to come and marry him/her and live with him/her for a long time before marriage registration or cohabitation. This visa application must be submitted offshore at the time the visa is issued as well.

The visa is valid for 9 to 15 months and allows applicants free travel to and from Australia. However, during this period, the applicant must complete the marriage registration with the sponsor, either in Australia or abroad, and must visit Australia once before marrying the sponsor, and apply for a further spousal immigrant visa within the validity of his visa.

Visa advantages:

This visa not require the applicant’s degree, English level, property, or work experience.

This visa require an economy economic guarantee.

Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want.

Work and study in Australia

You can submit an application for a domestic partner visa within the validity period of the visa and obtain a bridging visa to wait for the visa result in Australia.

Eligibility:

Basic requirement for the applicant: The applicant needs to meet the health and character requirement.

Eligibility for sponsor

The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 years or over.

The applicant knows and has met the sponsor, and they are planning to marry.

The applicant and sponsor need to be the fiancé/wife of the opposite sex (same-sex couples can apply for a spousal visa based on their domestic partnership).

Application progress:

Assessment and contracting -- Document review -- Visa application -- Visa approval -- Applicant enters Australia within the specified period to activate the visa -- Applicant and sponsor complete marriage registration in Australia or outside Australia – Submit 820 domestic partner Visa applications within the validity period of subclass 300 visa.

Processing time: （https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times）

Visa application fee: (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing）