Visa pathway guide

AustraliaFamily

820 Partner Visa (Temporary) — Subclass 820

This visa lets the de facto partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia temporarily. Getting this visa is the first step towards a permanent Partner visa (subclass 801).

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Visa details

Partner Visa (Temporary) — Subclass 820

The Partner visa (Temporary) (subclass 820) allows the spouse or de facto partner of an:

  • Australian citizen
  • Australian permanent resident
  • eligible New Zealand citizen

to live in Australia temporarily.

It is the first stage toward the Partner visa (Permanent) (subclass 801).

At a Glance

Item Details
Visa Partner visa (Temporary) (subclass 820)
Purpose Temporary partner visa leading to subclass 801
Stay Until the permanent Partner visa application is finalised or withdrawn
Cost From AUD 11,710 for most applicants
Subclass 300 holders From AUD 1,955
Apply from Inside Australia
Decision location You can be inside or outside Australia when the temporary visa is decided
Work rights Full work rights
Study Permitted
Travel Multiple entry
Medicare May be available
Family Eligible dependent children may be included
Sponsor Required

What You Can Do With This Visa

You can:

  • live in Australia
  • work in Australia
  • study in Australia
  • travel in and out of Australia multiple times
  • attend free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program if eligible
  • apply for access to Medicare

How Long You Can Stay

You can remain in Australia until:

  • your permanent Partner visa (subclass 801) is finalised, or
  • you withdraw your Partner visa application

Key Eligibility Requirements

You must generally:

  • be in a genuine relationship with an eligible partner
  • have your partner sponsor you
  • be in Australia when you apply
  • meet age requirements
  • meet relationship requirements
  • meet health requirements
  • meet character requirements
  • satisfy Australian Government debt requirements
  • satisfy Australian Values requirements where applicable
  • meet relevant visa-history requirements

Additional requirements may apply if you do not hold a substantive visa.

Eligible Sponsors

Your sponsor is usually your partner.

Your sponsor must generally be:

  • an Australian citizen
  • an Australian permanent resident
  • an eligible New Zealand citizen

The Department must approve your sponsor.

Sponsorship Requirement

You and any eligible family members included in the application must have a sponsor.

The same sponsor generally remains responsible for your Partner visa sponsorship after the subclass 820 visa is granted.

You cannot normally change sponsors.

Your sponsor should submit the sponsorship application as soon as possible after you lodge your visa application.

Relationship Requirement

You must generally be the:

  • spouse, or
  • de facto partner

of an eligible Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

The relationship must generally exist:

  • when you apply, and
  • when the application is decided

Married Applicants

To qualify as a spouse, you must be in a legally recognised marriage.

Married applicants must generally be at least 18 years old when they apply.

Forced Marriage

A forced marriage is a marriage where a person does not freely and fully consent.

Forced marriage is a criminal offence in Australia.

De Facto Partners

To qualify as a de facto partner, you must generally have been in a de facto relationship for at least:

12 months immediately before applying

Time spent only:

  • dating
  • in an online relationship

may not count as time in a de facto relationship.

Exceptions to the 12-Month De Facto Requirement

The 12-month requirement may not apply if:

  • compelling and compassionate circumstances exist
  • the relationship is registered with an Australian state or territory authority
  • certain humanitarian visa circumstances apply

Applying From Australia

You must be in Australia when you lodge the subclass 820 application.

Family members applying with you must also be in Australia.

You may be inside or outside Australia when the temporary visa is decided.

Visa Conditions Preventing Further Stay

You may not be able to apply if your current visa has a condition preventing further stay.

Examples include:

  • Condition 8503 — No Further Stay

A waiver may be available in limited circumstances.

The waiver must generally be approved before you apply.

Check Your Visa Status

Before applying, check:

  • your current visa
  • expiry date
  • visa conditions
  • whether you hold a substantive visa

Use VEVO to confirm your visa status.

Substantive Visa Requirement

If you do not hold a substantive visa when applying and you did not previously hold a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), you may need to demonstrate compelling reasons for the visa to be granted.

Additional requirements may also apply at the application stage.

Previous Visa Cancellation or Refusal

Your eligibility may be affected if:

  • you do not hold a substantive visa, and
  • you previously had a visa cancelled or refused

Additional restrictions may apply to applications made inside Australia.

Additional Requirements if You Do Not Hold a Substantive Visa

If you are eligible to apply without holding a substantive visa, the source states that you should include:

  • a completed online partner sponsorship form
  • evidence of your sponsor's eligible status
  • at least two recent statutory declarations confirming your relationship

The statutory declarations should generally be made by:

  • Australian citizens
  • Australian permanent residents
  • eligible New Zealand citizens

The source specifically notes that Form 888 is not a statutory declaration for this particular requirement.

If required information is missing at lodgement, the application may be invalid.

Regional Visa Restrictions

If your current or last substantive visa was certain regional visas, you may need to have held that visa for a minimum period before applying.

Minimum 2 Years

Examples include:

  • Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional) (Class UX)
  • subclass 475
  • subclass 487
  • Skilled Regional Sponsored (Provisional) (Class SP)

Minimum 3 Years

Examples include:

  • subclass 491
  • subclass 494

Cost

For most applicants, the combined temporary and permanent Partner visa application costs:

AUD 11,710

for the main applicant.

Prospective Marriage Visa Holders

For subclass 300 holders, the main applicant cost is generally:

AUD 1,955

Former Subclass 300 Holders

If you previously held a Prospective Marriage visa but did not apply for the subclass 820 and 801 visas before it expired, the fee may generally be:

AUD 2,475

if the specified conditions are met.

Additional Costs

You may also need to pay for:

  • family member application charges
  • health examinations
  • police certificates
  • biometrics
  • translations

Cost Concession

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible citizens from certain Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.

Eligible passport countries include:

  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Fiji
  • Kiribati
  • Nauru
  • Palau
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Republic of the Marshall Islands
  • Samoa
  • Solomon Islands
  • Timor-Leste
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Vanuatu

Eligible accompanying family members may also receive the lower rate based on the primary applicant.

Processing Times

Processing times vary and may be lengthy.

Applications are processed according to applicable family visa processing priorities.

Use the official visa processing time guide for current indicative timeframes.

Family Members

You may include an eligible dependent child:

  • when you lodge the application, or
  • after lodgement but before the temporary visa is decided

Family members applying with you must generally:

  • be in Australia
  • meet health requirements
  • meet character requirements

Family Members Not Migrating

Family members who are not travelling with you may still be asked to meet:

  • health requirements
  • character requirements

Newborn Children

If a child is born after you apply, you must notify the Department and follow the required process.

Prospective Marriage Visa Family Members

If you hold or previously held a subclass 300 visa, you may also be able to include eligible family members who also hold or previously held subclass 300 visas.

These family members generally must be included when lodging the subclass 820 application.

They cannot be added later under this specific pathway.

Health Requirement

You and eligible family members must meet Australia's health requirement.

Family members who are not migrating may also be asked to complete health checks.

Character Requirement

You and eligible family members must meet Australia's character requirement.

Australian Police Certificate

You must generally provide an Australian police certificate if you have spent:

12 months or more in Australia during the last 10 years since turning 16

The source states that only a:

Complete Disclosure National Police Certificate issued by the Australian Federal Police

is accepted for this purpose.

State or territory police certificates are not accepted.

Overseas Police Certificates

You may need to provide police certificates from every country where you spent:

12 months or more during the last 10 years since turning 16

Police Certificate Validity

For immigration purposes, police certificates are generally valid for:

12 months from the date of issue

Because Partner visa processing can be lengthy, you may be asked to provide updated certificates if they expire.

Form 80

The source states that applicants should complete and attach:

Form 80 — Personal Particulars for Assessment Including Character Assessment

Australian Government Debts

If you or relevant family members owe money to the Australian Government, the debt must either:

  • be paid, or
  • have an approved repayment arrangement

Australian Values Statement

Applicants and accompanying family members aged 18 or older must generally:

  • read or have explained to them the Life in Australia booklet
  • sign the Australian Values Statement

Best Interests of a Child

The Department may not grant the visa if doing so would not be in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

Medicare

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to access Medicare while waiting for your application to be decided.

Health Insurance

If you are not eligible for Medicare, it is recommended that you obtain adequate health insurance.

You are otherwise responsible for your healthcare expenses.

Private Health Insurance

You may be able to obtain Australian residents' private health insurance if you hold:

  • an interim blue Medicare card
  • a full green Medicare card

Reciprocal Healthcare Agreements

Some countries have reciprocal healthcare agreements with Australia.

These agreements may provide limited access to certain healthcare services.

Travel

Once you hold the subclass 820 visa, you can generally:

  • leave Australia
  • return to Australia

as many times as you want while the visa remains valid.

Bridging Visa Travel

While waiting for the subclass 820 decision, your ability to travel depends on your current visa.

If you are on a bridging visa, check the bridging visa travel rules before leaving Australia.

Visa Record

Australian visas are electronic.

Your visa is digitally linked to your passport.

You will not receive a physical visa label.

Application Process

Step 1 — Before You Apply

Before applying:

  1. Check your current visa status.
  2. Check whether any No Further Stay condition applies.
  3. Confirm that you meet the relationship requirements.
  4. Prepare your sponsorship arrangements.
  5. Review current processing times.
  6. Decide whether you need immigration assistance.

Getting Help With Your Application

You can appoint someone to receive correspondence.

Use:

Form 956A — Appointment or Withdrawal of an Authorised Recipient

If someone provides immigration assistance, they must generally be:

  • a registered migration agent
  • a legal practitioner
  • an exempt person

Use:

Form 956 — Appointment of a Registered Migration Agent, Legal Practitioner or Exempt Person

Step 2 — Gather Your Documents

You should provide all required documents as early as possible.

Because Partner visa applications can take a long time, consider the validity period of documents such as:

  • police certificates
  • health examinations

Identity Documents

Provide:

  • birth certificate showing both parents' names
  • passport biodata pages
  • passport issue date
  • passport expiry date
  • national identity card, where applicable
  • proof of name changes

Alternative Identity Evidence

If you cannot provide a birth certificate, alternatives may include:

  • family book
  • government-issued identity document
  • court-issued identity document
  • family census register

Name Change Evidence

Examples include:

  • marriage certificate
  • divorce certificate
  • official change-of-name document
  • evidence of other names previously used

Relationship Evidence

You must provide evidence relating to:

  • your current relationship
  • former relationships
  • dependants

Relationship History

Provide a written relationship history explaining:

  • how and when you met
  • where you met
  • how the relationship developed
  • when you started living together
  • engagement or marriage
  • activities you do together
  • periods spent apart
  • major events in the relationship
  • future plans

Marriage Evidence

If married, provide:

  • marriage certificate
  • other evidence showing the marriage is legally recognised in Australia

De Facto Relationship Evidence

If applying as de facto partners, provide evidence showing the relationship existed for the required period.

If the relationship has existed for less than 12 months, you may need to provide:

  • evidence of relationship registration, or
  • written information about compelling and compassionate circumstances

Four Main Areas of Relationship Evidence

Partner visa relationship evidence commonly falls into four areas:

  1. financial aspects
  2. household arrangements
  3. social aspects
  4. commitment to each other

Financial Evidence

Examples include:

  • joint mortgage
  • joint lease
  • joint loans
  • joint bank accounts
  • shared household bills

Household Evidence

Examples include:

  • statements explaining how household duties are shared
  • bills in both names
  • joint mail
  • documents showing shared responsibility for children
  • evidence of living arrangements

Social Evidence

Examples include:

  • joint invitations
  • common friends
  • joint travel
  • shared sporting activities
  • shared cultural activities
  • shared social activities
  • evidence that government or commercial organisations recognise the relationship

Witness Statements

The source says you should provide statements from at least two witnesses who:

  • are aged 18 or older
  • know both partners
  • know about the relationship

Form 888 — Supporting Statement in Relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage Visa Application may be used for relationship witness evidence.

Commitment Evidence

Evidence may show that you:

  • know each other's family and personal circumstances
  • combine personal matters
  • maintain contact while apart
  • intend a long-term relationship
  • are not closely related by family

Wills may also be used as supporting evidence.

Former Relationships

If you were previously:

  • married
  • divorced
  • widowed
  • permanently separated

provide relevant evidence.

Examples include:

  • divorce documents
  • death certificates
  • separation documents
  • statutory declarations

Dependent Children Under 18

For each dependent child under 18 applying with you, provide:

  • identity documents
  • relationship evidence
  • health examinations
  • character documents where applicable
  • adoption papers where relevant
  • court orders where relevant
  • school or education evidence where relevant
  • sole custody evidence where applicable

Parental Consent

For an applicant under 18, consent may be required from anyone who:

  • has legal authority to decide where the child lives
  • is not travelling to Australia with the child

Use:

Form 1229 — Consent Form to Grant an Australian Visa to a Child Under 18

Alternative Child Consent Evidence

You may instead provide evidence such as:

  • Australian court order
  • evidence that home-country law permits the child to migrate

Dependent Children Over 18

An adult dependent child may be included only if they meet dependency requirements.

They must generally:

  • not be married or in a de facto relationship
  • be substantially financially dependent on you, or
  • be unable to support themselves because of disability

Adult Dependant Evidence

Provide:

  • identity documents
  • relationship evidence
  • health examinations
  • character documents
  • evidence of financial dependency

The source also refers to:

Form 47A — Details of a Child or Other Dependent Family Member Aged 18 Years or Over

Translation

All non-English documents must be translated into English.

Translators in Australia

Must generally be accredited by NAATI.

Translators Outside Australia

Each translation should include the translator's:

  • full name
  • address
  • phone number
  • qualifications
  • relevant language experience

Scanning Documents

Documents should be:

  • scanned or photographed in colour
  • clear
  • legible

If a document has multiple pages, save all pages as one file.

Documents generally do not need to be certified.

Step 3 — Apply Online

You must apply online through ImmiAccount while in Australia.

How to Apply

  1. Log in or create an ImmiAccount.
  2. Select New application.
  3. Select Family.
  4. Select Stage 1 — Partner or Prospective Marriage Visa.
  5. Attach supporting documents.
  6. Pay the visa application charge.
  7. Record your Transaction Reference Number (TRN).

Your sponsor will need the TRN to complete their sponsorship application.

Document Limits

The source states that you can attach up to:

100 documents per person

Clearly label uploaded documents.

Attach each document only once.

Privacy and Online Safety

Keep your:

  • ImmiAccount
  • email account
  • passwords

secure.

Provide your own contact details where possible so the Department can contact you directly if required.

Step 4 — After You Apply

After lodgement:

  • the Department will acknowledge receipt
  • your sponsor should lodge their sponsorship
  • update relationship evidence regularly
  • provide health examinations
  • provide police certificates
  • monitor ImmiAccount
  • respond quickly to requests

Keep Relationship Evidence Updated

Because Partner visa applications can take a long time, continue uploading current evidence of your relationship.

Examples may include:

  • updated joint bank statements
  • updated leases
  • joint travel
  • household bills
  • photographs
  • new milestones

Health Examination Validity

The source states that health examination results are generally valid for:

12 months

A health undertaking may be valid for:

6 months

Status Updates

If your application is still within published processing times, the Department may not provide individual progress updates.

Use ImmiAccount to:

  • check application status
  • check messages
  • review whether documents are missing

Travelling While Waiting

You may travel if your current visa permits it.

If you hold a bridging visa, check whether it allows travel.

Make sure you can lawfully return to Australia before leaving.

Uploading More Information

If documents are missing, upload them through ImmiAccount as soon as possible.

The Department may also ask for additional information.

Adding a Dependent Child Before the Temporary Visa Is Decided

You may add an eligible dependent child before the subclass 820 visa is decided.

The child must generally be in Australia.

The source refers to:

Form 1436 — Adding an Additional Applicant After Lodgement

Changes to Your Details

Notify the Department about changes to:

  • contact details
  • residential address
  • passport details

Changes in Circumstances

You must notify the Department about significant changes such as:

  • relationship status
  • birth of a child
  • withdrawal request
  • other material changes

If Your Relationship Ends

You may need to submit a Notification of Relationship Cessation through ImmiAccount.

Depending on your circumstances, you may still be eligible for a temporary or permanent Partner visa.

Family Violence Provisions

If you experience domestic or family violence, special provisions may apply.

You may still be eligible for:

  • temporary Partner visa
  • permanent Partner visa

depending on your circumstances.

If Your Partner Dies

You may still be eligible for the Partner visa pathway in certain circumstances if your partner dies.

Stay Lawful While Waiting

If you held a valid substantive visa when you applied, you may receive a Bridging Visa A (BVA).

If your substantive visa expires before your Partner visa application is decided, the BVA may come into effect.

Correcting Application Mistakes

If you discover an error in your application, notify the Department as soon as possible through the available ImmiAccount process.

Step 5 — Visa Outcome

You can be inside or outside Australia when the temporary visa is decided.

The Department will notify you in writing.

If Granted

The decision will usually include:

  • visa grant number
  • visa start date
  • visa conditions

Keep a copy of the grant decision.

If Refused

You will generally be told:

  • why the visa was refused
  • whether you have a review right

The application charge is generally not refunded.

After the Subclass 820 Is Granted

You can:

  • live in Australia
  • work in Australia
  • study in Australia
  • travel internationally
  • access Medicare if eligible
  • attend AMEP English classes if eligible

Work Rights

Subclass 820 holders generally have full work rights.

You are protected by Australian workplace laws.

Study Rights

You can study in Australia.

However, government-funded study support may not be available, and study costs may be your responsibility.

Australian Government Benefits

You may need to satisfy waiting periods before accessing some Australian Government payments or benefits.

New Zealand Passport Holders

New Zealand passport holders should be careful when entering Australia.

If granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444), it may override the subclass 820 visa.

This can affect eligibility for the subclass 801 permanent Partner visa.

Proving Your Visa

Use VEVO to:

  • prove that you hold the visa
  • show your visa conditions

Your digital visa record may also be accessed by authorised:

  • airlines
  • government agencies
  • employers
  • banks
  • other registered organisations

Adding Family After the Subclass 820 Is Granted

You generally cannot add family members to the subclass 820 application after grant.

A dependent child may need to first apply for:

Dependent Child visa (subclass 445)

before being added to the permanent subclass 801 application.

Adding a Subclass 445 Child to the Permanent Stage

Once the child holds subclass 445, the source refers to:

Form 1002 — Application by a Subclass 445 Dependent Child for a Permanent Partner Visa

Newborn Children After Grant

If you have a baby after the subclass 820 is granted, notify the Department.

Do Not Get Another Visa

To remain eligible for the permanent subclass 801 stage, you generally need to continue holding:

  • subclass 820, or
  • subclass 445 where applicable

If another visa is granted, this may affect eligibility for the subclass 801 visa.

Permanent Partner Visa Stage

You are generally eligible for consideration of the permanent Partner visa:

2 years after the date you originally applied for the combined temporary and permanent Partner visas

Additional documents will be required at the permanent stage.

Check your original application date in ImmiAccount.

Permanent Partner Visa — Subclass 801

At the permanent stage, you will need to provide updated evidence.

This may include:

  • ongoing relationship evidence
  • updated identity information
  • updated character information
  • additional supporting documents requested by the Department

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