Subclass 309 / 820 / 100 / 801
Partner & Family Visas (Subclass 309 / 820)
Reunite with your Australian citizen or permanent resident partner or family member through a structured, two-stage permanent visa process.
20–40 Months
$8,850 AUD
Temporary
Permanent PR
Overview
What is the Partner & Family Visas (Subclass 309 / 820)?
Partner visas allow Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens to sponsor their genuine partner to live with them in Australia. The process involves two stages: a temporary visa (Subclass 309 if offshore, or 820 if onshore), followed by a permanent visa (Subclass 100 offshore, or 801 onshore) granted automatically when certain residency and relationship requirements are met.
The relationship between the sponsor and applicant must be genuine — this is assessed on four criteria: financial aspects of the relationship, nature of the household, social aspects of the relationship, and commitment to each other. The Department scrutinises the application with care, and strong, multi-faceted evidence is critical to approval.
Processing times for partner visas have historically been among the longest in the Australian migration programme — currently averaging 20–40+ months from lodgement to the temporary visa grant, and a further 18–24 months to the permanent stage. Early lodgement with a comprehensive application significantly reduces the risk of delay-causing requests for further information.
2026 Policy Updates
Critical 2026 Changes
Important — Read Before Applying
The 2025–26 migration programme has not altered the core partner visa framework, but the Department of Home Affairs has increased scrutiny of relationship evidence and updated the financial sponsor capacity requirements. Several processing queue changes also took effect from October 2025.
Sponsor income threshold: sponsors must demonstrate sufficient income to support the applicant — the threshold has been updated and is linked to the low income threshold (LIT) for the current financial year
Sponsor eligibility: sponsors who have previously sponsored another partner visa applicant within the last 5 years are subject to enhanced review; a second sponsor in any 10-year period requires Ministerial approval
Relationship evidence is assessed holistically — the Department has updated its guidance notes on what constitutes adequate evidence across each of the four relationship categories
Onshore applicants (820) receive a bridging visa on lodgement, allowing lawful stay in Australia while the application is processed — work rights on the bridging visa are confirmed at time of grant
DNA testing may be required in family visa cases where the claimed relationship cannot be adequately documented — this is particularly relevant for family stream (parent, sibling, child) applications
De facto couples must demonstrate 12 months of continuous cohabitation prior to lodgement, unless registered under a prescribed authority (e.g., a registered relationship in a state or territory)
Eligibility Criteria
Do You Qualify?
Sponsor Requirements
Sponsor must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
Sponsor must be at least 18 years of age
Sponsor must not have been the sponsor of two or more previous partner visa applicants, or must obtain Ministerial approval for a third sponsorship
Sponsor must meet the character requirements — criminal history will be considered
Genuine Relationship
The relationship must be genuine and continuing at the time of application and grant
Must be in a married or de facto relationship — same-sex de facto relationships are included
De facto applicants must demonstrate at least 12 months of cohabitation prior to lodgement (exceptions apply for registered relationships)
Strong evidence across all four relationship pillars is required: financial, household, social, and commitment
Character & Health
Applicants and dependants over 16 must provide police clearance certificates from every country lived in for 12+ months
Health examinations required for all applicants — the type and extent varies based on nationality and age
The sponsor must not have a history of domestic violence or family violence orders
Permanent Stage (Subclass 100 / 801)
The permanent partner visa is automatically triggered after 2 years on the temporary visa (or immediately if the couple has been in a relationship for 3+ years at time of application)
The couple must still be in a genuine relationship at the time of the permanent stage assessment
You must continue to meet the character and health requirements at the permanent stage
Step-by-Step Process
Your Application Journey
Confirm Sponsor Eligibility
The Australian sponsor completes their portion of the application, confirming their eligibility and providing a statutory declaration of the relationship. A sponsorship application is lodged alongside the visa application.
Compile Relationship Evidence
Gather comprehensive evidence across all four relationship criteria: joint finances, shared household, social recognition of the relationship (friends, family, community), and demonstrated commitment. More is better — aim for a minimum of 20–30 items of evidence.
Complete Health Examinations
All applicants must complete health examinations with a panel physician approved by the Department. The panel physician uploads results directly to the Department's eMedical system.
Obtain Police Clearances
Obtain police clearance certificates from every country you and your dependants have lived in for 12 months or more, from the age of 16. Australian Federal Police (AFP) checks are required for time spent in Australia.
Lodge the Visa Application
Lodge the visa application via ImmiAccount. An onshore applicant (820) is immediately placed on a Bridging Visa A, allowing them to remain lawfully in Australia. Offshore applicants (309) should remain offshore until the visa is granted.
Await Processing & Respond to Requests
Processing times are currently 20–40+ months. You may receive requests for further information (RFFI) — respond promptly and comprehensively. Notify the Department of any change in circumstances (address, relationship status, children born).
Temporary Visa Grant → Permanent Visa Grant
The temporary visa (309/820) is granted first, allowing the applicant to live and work in Australia. After 2 years (or if eligible, immediately), the permanent stage (100/801) is assessed and granted automatically — no new lodgement is required.
Costs & Fees
Understanding the Full Cost
The partner visa application charge is paid once and covers both the temporary and permanent stages. No additional charge is payable when the permanent stage is assessed. Note that the application charge for partner visas is subject to annual indexation and is one of the highest in the Australian visa system — confirm current charges at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.
All fees are current as at July 2025 and are subject to annual indexation. Maven Consulting Group's professional fees for preparation and lodgement are separate to the Department of Home Affairs visa application charges. Contact us for a full cost outline.
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