Onshore Partner Visa Services
Seamless Onshore Partner Visa Solutions: Your Gateway to Global Success
Overview
Partner visas are designed for those who are a spouse or in a de facto relationship with an Australia citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and wish to migrate to Australia. Unlike other PR visas, partner visas include 2 subclasses – the subclass 820 is the temporary partner visa that allows applicants to live and work lawfully in Australia while waiting for a permanent partner visa – Subclass 801. You must apply for both subclasses at the same time and pay only one application charge. Your application will be processed in two stages – visa subclass 820 will be granted first and you need to apply for visa 801 separately again after 2 years from the date of 820 application.
Who can apply for a Partner Visa?
A Partner Visa allows the spouse (husband or wife) or De Facto partner of an Australian citizen, a Permanent Resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen to obtain a visa so that they can live together in Australia.
Who can be a sponsor for a Partner Visa?
The sponsor requirements are:
- The sponsor must be an Australian Permanent Resident, Australian citizen, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
- The sponsor can only sponsor 2 spouses or de facto partners in his/her lifetime, and can only sponsor 1 spouse or de facto partner within 5 years unless in an exceptional circumstance.
- The sponsor cannot hold a spouse visa sponsored by another person in the past 5 years.
- The sponsor cannot be convicted of or have had to pay a fine for hurting a child.
How can you prove the relationship with your partner?
The relationship with your partner is one of the most important parts that case officer will rely on to see if you should be granted with a partner visa. To demonstrate your relationship is genuine, continuing and mutual, you must provide the following evidence:
Relationship history
You need to write a statement that includes all key milestones of your relationship, such as:
- how, when and where you first met
- how the relationship developed
- when you moved in together, got engaged or married
- what you do together
- time you spent apart
- significant events in the relationship and
- your plans for the future.
Together with this writing, you must submit a legal document to prove your relationship with your partner, which is either your marriage certificate or registered de facto relationship document.
What is the processing time of a partner visa?
The processing time for the partner visas is relatively slow as the Department of Home Affairs needs time to consider if your marriage or de facto relationship is genuine and continuing.
- Only 25% of applications will be processed within 6 months
- 50% of applications will be assessed in 9 months
- To process 75% of applications, the Department needs up to 21 months
- To complete 90% of applications, the Department need more than 3 years (39 months)
Normally, after the temporary partner visa 820 is granted, the applicants need to wait to have the permanent partner visa 801. However, the 2-year waiting period can be waived if one of the following special circumstances is met:
- When submitting the application, the sponsor and the applicant have had a relationship for more than 3 years.
- When submitting the application, the sponsor and the applicant have had a relationship for more than 2 years and have children.
- In a few cases, if the relationship between the applicant and the sponsor is broken down and the applicant suffers domestic violence, the 2-year waiting period can be also exempted.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have children with ex-partner, can I include my children in my partner visa application?
Yes, you can include them in the visa application as secondary applicants if your current partner agrees to sponsor them. Below are documents that you should submit to include them:
- Your children’s identity documents
- Evidence of the relationship between you and your children, such as a birth certificate
- Your children’s police check/s if they are 16 years old or older.
- Evidence of enrolment at school/college/university (if applicable)
- An approval from anyone who has a legal right to determine where your children will live (e.g., your ex-spouse).
- If your children who are 18 years old or older, you should provide evidence to show that they are still dependent on you, such as bank statements and bank transfers.
Can I work full-time while waiting for a partner visa – subclass 820?
Why waiting for a partner visa – subclass 820, you will be granted with a bridging visa A that allows you to stay lawfully in Australia. Generally, the conditions of the Bridging visa A will be based on the conditions of the visa that you got right before the Bridging visa A. For example, if you obtained a Temporary graduate visa – subclass 485 before your bridging visa, then you have unlimited work rights in Australia. However, if visitor visa – subclass 600 is your previous visa, then you are not allowed to work under your bridging visa A.
What happens if my relationship breaks down while waiting for a partner visa?
If your relationship ends within two years of visa lodgement, you are required to notify the Department of Home Affairs of this change. As such, the Department will contact your partner and ask her/him to withdraw the sponsorship, which means your visa application is not successful. However, you may be still granted with a permanent visa in the following circumstances:
- You are a victim of a domestic violence.
- You and your partner have a dependent child who is dependent on your care and support.
Can I apply for a partner visa twice?
Yes, you can apply for another partner visa after the first one was rejected. However, the case officer will consider your application very carefully as you have a history of visa refusal. In this case, you need to investigate why your first visa application was rejected, and whether the current visa application meet all requirements. If you are unsure how to best prepare your application, contact us! Our registered migration agents who have helped more than 5000 applicants get a PR in Australia will help you.