Which visa pathways apply to onshore and offshore partner visa applications in Australia?

The onshore pathway leads from the temporary Subclass 820 visa to permanent Subclass 801, while the offshore pathway leads from temporary Subclass 309 to permanent Subclass 100. The vast majority of applicants first receive a temporary visa and must demonstrate a genuine, lasting and exclusive relationship.

Must we have lived together for 12 months to apply for a partner visa?

Generally, yes. You may try applying for an exemption if strong evidence demonstrates a stable relationship and circumstances beyond your control, such as visa restrictions or work arrangements, prevent you from living together.

Can I sponsor another partner if I have sponsored someone before?

Yes, but strict limits apply: generally, sponsorships must be at least five years apart, with a maximum of two sponsorships in a lifetime.

What do I need to return to Australia after leaving following an onshore 820/801 application?

Applicants who lodge an 820/801 application onshore and need to leave must apply for a Bridging Visa B to return.

Partner visas: onshore 820 and offshore 309 pathways

As the bar for skilled migration keeps rising, more and more couples already in Australia or planning to move here are turning to another stable and warm-hearted pathway to permanent residence — the Partner visa。

Australia’s Partner visa programme is designed to help couples who have been forced to live apart because of visa status reunite here, so that a genuine, enduring relationship is no longer separated by a border. Whether you are already legally married, are about to get married, or have been in a long-term de facto relationship (including same-sex partners), this pathway gives you the opportunity to settle in Australia together.

What categories of Partner visa are available

Australia’s Partner visa is split into two stages, with separate onshore and offshore application streams:

Stage 1: Temporary Partner visa

309visa (offshore application)

820visa (onshore application)

Stage 2: Permanent Partner visa

100visa (offshore-to-permanent)

801visa (onshore-to-permanent)

The vast majority of applicants must first hold the temporary visa and, only after two years from lodgement with the relationship still genuine and continuing, may transition to permanent residence — commonly known as the “two-year waiting period”.

However, applicants who meet the following conditions may be granted permanent residence directly:

–At the time of application, the de facto relationship has lasted 3 years or more; or

–the de facto relationship has lasted 2 years or more and the couple has a child together.

The core of the application:

how to prove a “genuine and continuing” relationship

The heart of a Partner visa application is proving to the Department of Home Affairs that your relationship is genuine, enduring, and exclusive. Whether the supporting evidence is thorough and well organised often decides the outcome on its own.

Case officers focus on the following four areas, and we recommend systematically gathering matching evidence for each:

1. Mutual financial commitment

–Joint bank accounts with regular transaction history

–Joint loans or debts

–Jointly owned assets (property, vehicles, insurance, etc.)

–Superannuation beneficiary nominated as the partner

–Records of supporting each other financially in day-to-day life

2. Evidence of a shared household

–Joint tenancy agreement or co-ownership of a home

–Records of jointly paying water, electricity, internet, gas and other utility bills

–Mail delivered to the same address (we recommend each partner supplies 15-20 items)

–Evidence of co-parenting children or caring for pets together

–Joint household insurance policies

3. Social recognition of the relationship

–Photos and invitations from social events you attended together

–Flight tickets and hotel bookings from trips taken together

–Screenshots and interactions from social media that publicly show your relationship

–Photos together from different periods (we recommend curating 15-20 images that show the span of time)

–At least two Australian PR or citizen signatories on a Form 888statutory declaration witnessing your relationship

4. Long-term commitment to each other

–A personal relationship statement written by each partner (Love Statement), setting out in detail:

–how you met, fell in love and decided to build a life together

–key milestones: first meeting, moving in together, meeting each other’s family, engagement, marriage, shared plans, and so on

–if you have spent time apart, explain why and attach evidence of how you stayed connected (chat records, visit flight tickets, etc.)

–your shared plans for the future (where you will settle, children, career development, etc.)

–Records of gifts exchanged between the two of you

–Wedding booking confirmations or a relationship registration certificate

Four types of evidence for a genuine and continuing partner relationship

Application process and current processing times

The overall process is as follows:

STEP1:Prepare relationship evidence and supporting documents(approx. 1-2 months)

STEP2:Lodge the visa application online (onshore 820 or offshore 309）（1-2 days)

STEP3:Complete the medical examination and submit police clearances

STEP4:Wait for the Department of Home Affairs to assess the application; you may be asked to provide additional documents or attend an interview (processing time 12-19 months or longer)

STEP5:Temporary Partner visa granted

STEP6:About two years later (assuming the relationship is continuing), submit the permanent-stage evidence

STEP7:Permanent Partner visa granted (100/801）

Current official processing times (for reference)(as at 2025 12)：

309Temporary visa: around 90% of applications are finalised within 14 months

820Temporary visa: around 90% of applications are finalised within 26 months

100/801Permanent visa: typically decided within 21-26 months after the second-stage application is lodged

Please note: the times above are indicative. Actual processing depends on the complexity of the case, the completeness of the evidence, and the Department’s quota allocation.

Partner visa application process and processing time references

Professional tip:

your love story deserves a professional “storyteller”

Case officers are not your family or friends — they have to sense the warmth of a real relationship through stacks of cold paperwork. Turning the small moments of daily life into a legally recognised chain of evidence is the key to success.

Start gathering evidence systematically early on — don’t leave it to the last minute;

Keep your evidence consistent and in a clear timeline, especially for couples in long-distance relationships;

Relationship statements must be sincere and detailed — avoid anything that reads like a template;

For complex situations (such as past sponsorship history, waiver requests, or a relationship that was once interrupted), always consult a professional migration agent.

True love should not be defeated by distance or paperwork. If you are planning to reunite with your partner in Australia and start a new chapter of your life, get in touch with Newstarsec Migration. Our migration specialists will give you a one-on-one professional assessment and plan, and put our years of experience behind your love story.

Let the experts

guide you through every step of your migration journey

b81bf907ec07e30800f08c9789ed26db — Newstarsec group introduction video

(filmed in 2021)

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