Attention to anyone planning to reunite with their partner in Australia through a partner visa! According to the latest announcement from the Department of Home Affairs, from 1 July 2026 the application fees for Australian partner visas (Subclasses 820/801 and 309/100) will rise across the board. This is not just a routine adjustment — it is a significant increase.
1. Full breakdown of the July 2026 Australian partner visa fee increase
According to the visa fee schedule for the 2026-27 financial year just released by the Department of Home Affairs:
| Applicant category | Current fee (2025-26) | New fee (2026-27) | Difference |
| Partner visa main applicant | $9,365 | $11,710 | +$2,345 |
| Partner visa secondary applicant (aged 18 and over) | $4,685 | $5,860 | +$1,175 |
| Partner visa secondary applicant (under 18) | $2,345 | $2,935 | +$590 |
2. Basic eligibility thresholds and mandatory sponsor rules for the Australian partner visa
The sponsor is a critical part of any partner visa application. Under migration law, the sponsor must meet the following conditions:
Basic requirements for the Australian partner visa:
1. Be at least 18 years of age;
2. The sponsor must be an Australian PR / citizen;
3. Has not sponsored a partner for anyone else within the past 5 years;
4. Has not successfully sponsored more than 2 partners in total;
5. The applicant meets the health and character requirements;
6. The sponsor meets the character requirements;
Relationship requirements:
1. Registered marriage: evidence of a relationship of at least 6 months
2. De facto relationship of less than 1 year: register the de facto relationship, plus evidence of a relationship of at least 6 months
3. De facto relationship of more than 1 year: evidence of at least 12 months of living together
3. The four core dimensions the Department uses to assess relationship genuineness
The case officer will assess whether your relationship is “genuine and continuing” across four core dimensions. This is the key to success or failure!
Dimension one: the financial aspects of the relationship
Shared assets: jointly owned property, car loans, joint savings accounts, and so on.
Everyday expenses: joint utility bills (electricity, water and gas) and shared credit card spending records.
Financial support: one partner paying the other’s tuition fees or living costs, or sharing household expenses.
Tip: even simply opening a joint everyday account and regularly depositing both partners’ income is strong evidence.
Dimension two: the nature of the household
Living arrangements: tenancy agreements or property titles at the same address, or evidence that you are raising children together (such as birth certificates or school records).
Division of household duties: you can include everyday letters and delivery receipts that show the two of you interacting day to day under the same roof.
Family responsibilities: written statements or third-party evidence of jointly caring for elderly relatives or raising children.
Dimension three: social recognition
Social acknowledgement: letters supporting your relationship from friends, family, neighbours or community organisations (Form 888).
Shared activities: joint memberships (gym, supermarket), flight and hotel bookings from trips taken together, and photographs together (labelled with date and location).
How others see you: whether you appear as a couple or partners on social media, in the workplace or at community events.
Dimension four: commitment to each other
Understanding of the relationship: consistent statements from both partners about long-term plans for the future (such as which city to settle in, plans to buy a home, or plans to have children).
Maintaining the relationship while apart: if you have lived apart, provide call logs, video-call screenshots and correspondence that show an ongoing emotional bond.
Formal commitment: a marriage certificate, a registered relationship certificate, and a deep knowledge of each other’s lives (such as your partner’s preferences and family background).
4. Partner visa processing times as at July 2026: the latest figures at a glance
Based on the processing-time data published by the Department of Home Affairs (drawn from historical statistics of recently decided applications), partner visa processing currently stands as follows:
Offshore lodgement — Subclass 309/100
Onshore lodgement — Subclass 820/801
5. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q: I’m not married yet, but we’ve been living together for 8 months — can I lodge?
A: If your de facto relationship isn’t registered, you generally need to have been together for 12 months. However, you can register the de facto relationship first (available in every Australian state), which immediately satisfies the time requirement.
Q: If I lodge a 309 before 1 July, will there be another fee increase when it converts to a 100?
A: No. The 309 and 100 are a single application decided in two stages; the fee is locked in once at lodgement and isn’t affected by later increases.
Q: After the increase, are secondary applicant fees also charged at the new rates?
A: Yes. If a partner or children are included, all fees are calculated on the pricing in place at lodgement, and secondary applicant fees will rise by around 25% as well.
Q: Does the visa fee cover everything?
A: This is the base application charge. It doesn’t include third-party costs such as medical examinations, translation of police clearance certificates or notarising documents, so budget extra for these.
The Australian partner visa is the warmest bridge to family reunion, but costs are climbing sharply. If you still have questions about preparing evidence for the “four dimensions”, leave a comment or send us a message and we’ll provide a free preliminary review!
Save money = prepare early; reunite = lodge early for peace of mind. May every couple in love begin a smooth new life in Australia!
