Partner visas: onshore 820/801 and offshore 309/100

Drafted from the official pages listed under Sources, last read on 29 October 2026. Rules, fees and thresholds change: check the official page before you act. This is not legal advice and does not guarantee any outcome.

Who it is for

Home Affairs lists these partner visas for a spouse, de facto partner or prospective spouse of an eligible sponsor:

• Partner (Temporary) visa, subclass 820: temporary stay; you must be in Australia when you apply.
• Partner visa (Permanent), subclass 801: permanent stay; the second stage after the 820.
• Partner (Provisional) visa, subclass 309: temporary stay; apply from outside Australia.
• Partner (Migrant) visa, subclass 100: permanent stay; the second stage after the 309.

The Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) is a separate visa for coming to Australia to marry. This guide covers the four partner visas above.

The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen. Nothing on this platform lodges or guarantees a partner application.

How it works

• Stage 1: a temporary visa, 820 (onshore) or 309 (offshore).
• Stage 2: a permanent visa, 801 or 100. Home Affairs says stage 2 assessment becomes available once two years have passed since the temporary visa application, and is lodged in ImmiAccount using the application ID. Its June 2026 program report says applicants lodge the temporary and permanent stages on one form.
• The sponsor applies for sponsorship, and applications are lodged online in ImmiAccount. Any Home Affairs office can process the application, whether inside or outside Australia.
• A health examination is required; it can be completed after applying.

Main requirements

• Relationship: you must be the spouse or de facto partner of the sponsor (or a prospective spouse for the subclass 300). The pages read do not list the detailed relationship criteria or evidence: see the visa pages on Home Affairs.
• Sponsor: Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Sponsors must give Australian and foreign police checks and written consent for Home Affairs to disclose certain convictions to the applicant. A sponsor with a relevant conviction is not automatically refused unless there is also a significant criminal record.
• Location: 820 and 801 are for applicants in Australia; 309 and 100 for applicants outside Australia.
• Health and character: health examinations are required; health results are valid for 12 months after the exams are completed.
• Sponsor commitment: the sponsor can withdraw sponsorship at any time before the permanent visa is decided. If the relationship ends, or the sponsor dies, you must notify Home Affairs.

If a relationship ends in certain cases the application may continue: the sponsor has died, you experienced domestic and family violence by the sponsor, or you share a child and parental responsibility. Home Affairs publishes family violence provisions and a safety resource page.

Costs and timing

Visa application charge. The Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026, commencing 1 July 2026, set the first-instalment charge for the Partner (Residence) class (Class BS) and the Partner (Migrant) class (Class BC) at AUD 11,710 for a standard applicant, AUD 5,860 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 2,935 for each under 18; AUD 9,600, 4,805 and 2,405 for holders of a Pacific-regional passport. The Regulations list many special cases. Confirm in the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator which charge applies to your application. Health examinations, police certificates and translations are extra.

Priority and timing. The Home Affairs FAQ says applications are generally assessed in order received under Ministerial Direction 117, that onshore applications (820 and 801) have the highest priority and offshore applications (300, 309, 100) lower priority, and that the processing time tool is a guide only. Its June 2026 program report records, for 2025-26 to 31 December 2025, a median temporary-stage processing time of 15 months and a median permanent-stage time of 9 months. These are published statistics, not promises.

Preparing your file

• Decide which visa matches where you are: onshore (820/801) or offshore (309/100).
• Check that your sponsor is eligible and willing to provide police checks and consent.
• Gather relationship evidence as Home Affairs lists it for your visa, together over time rather than at the last minute.
• Arrange health examinations when Home Affairs asks, keeping the 12-month validity in mind.
• Keep your ImmiAccount details and your application ID safe: you need them for the stage 2 assessment.
• Respond quickly to requests for information.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Missing the sponsor’s police checks or consent: the application can be refused and the charge is not refunded.
• Not telling Home Affairs when the relationship ends or circumstances change.
• Assuming that stage 2 is automatic: it needs its own assessment once the waiting period has passed.
• Paying anyone for a visa guarantee. No one can guarantee an outcome, and this platform does not lodge applications.
• Relying on unofficial summaries of the evidence needed: use the Home Affairs visa pages.