How Long Does It Take to Process an Australian Partner Visa? a picture of a coupleFamilyPartner Visa

How Long Does It Take to Process an Australian Partner Visa?

If you’re applying for a partner visa in Australia, one of the first questions you will likely ask is: “How long will this take?” The reality is that processing times depend on several factors, including where you apply from (within Australia or from overseas), how complete your application is, the strength of your relationship evidence, and the current workload of…
Brittney McCann
29 October, 2025
What is a De Facto Relationship for Australian Partner Visas? a picture of a couplePartner Visa

What is a De Facto Relationship for Australian Partner Visas?

For many couples, a Partner visa is the pathway to living together permanently in Australia. A Partner visa allows an Australian citizen or permanent resident (or “eligible New Zealand citizen”) to sponsor their partner for a visa on the basis of their genuine relationship as spouses or de facto partners. If you and your partner are considering a Partner visa…
Brittney McCann
19 August, 2025
Polygamy, Polyamory, and Partner visas a picture of a coupleFamilyImmigrationPartner Visa

Polygamy, Polyamory, and Partner visas

Australian partner visas require the visa applicant and sponsor to have a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others. This requirement of an “exclusive” relationship impacts partner visa eligibility for couples who are in a polygamous or polyamorous relationship. Polygamy or Polyamory? Polygamy refers to couples who have more than one spouse concurrently, that is,…
Annie Anderson
28 March, 2025
Understanding Compelling Reasons for Partner Visa Schedule 3 Waivers australian resident visaFamilyImmigrationPartner VisaSchedule 3

Understanding Compelling Reasons for Partner Visa Schedule 3 Waivers

Broadly speaking, applicants for an onshore Partner (Subclass 820/801) visa are required to hold a substantive visa at time of lodgement. Where a Partner visa applicant does not hold a substantive visa at the time of application, they are required to satisfy “Schedule 3” criteria unless the Minister is satisfied that there are “compelling reasons” for not applying those criteria…
Jordan Tew
19 March, 2025
Applying for a Partner visa while holding a Subclass 482 visa 482ImmigrationPartner VisaSkills in DemandTSS

Applying for a Partner visa while holding a Subclass 482 visa

The Skills in Demand (SID) Subclass 482 visa, formerly Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, is valid for up to 4 years and permits the holder to work in Australia only for their sponsoring employer. A Partner visa allows the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, to be sponsored for Australian…
Jordan Tew
19 March, 2025
What are the Family Violence provisions for Australian visa holders? (Updated on: 31 January 2025) immigration parent visaPartner Visa

What are the Family Violence provisions for Australian visa holders? (Updated on: 31 January 2025)

If you hold certain Australian visas and have experienced family violence, you may still apply for permanent residency via the “family violence” provisions. This article will take you through what the family violence provisions are, and what evidence you must provide to submit a valid claim. Eligibility for the Family Violence Provisions To qualify for Australia's family violence provisions, you…
Emily Young
31 January, 2025
How to fill a Form 888 (with examples) a picture of a couplePartner Visa

How to fill a Form 888 (with examples)

The Form 888 is a supporting statement which must be provided with Partner visa (820/801 and 309/100), and Prospective Marriage (Subclass 300) visa applications. The Form 888s are an important aspect of these applications, as they provide third party verification of the relationship. At least two Form 888s must be provided with a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application, and…
Brittney McCann
28 August, 2024
What are the sponsorship limitations on family sponsors? Part 2: Sponsors convicted of a relevant offence Partner Visa

What are the sponsorship limitations on family sponsors? Part 2: Sponsors convicted of a relevant offence

  For many of the family category visas, a sponsorship application is needed from the Australian, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand Citizen who is supporting their relative’s migration to Australia. Sponsors are subject to various legislative requirements too, which if not met can put the connected visa application at risk of refusal. Part 1 of this series described the…
Sonia Campanaro
2 July, 2024
What are the sponsorship limitations on family sponsors? Part 1: Multiple Sponsorships FamilyPartner VisaProspective Marriage

What are the sponsorship limitations on family sponsors? Part 1: Multiple Sponsorships

For many of family category visas, a sponsorship application is needed from the Australian, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand Citizen who is supporting their relative’s migration to Australia. Sponsors are subject to various legislative requirements too, which if not met can put the connected visa application at risk of refusal. For overseas nationals planning to migrate to Australia to…
Sonia Campanaro
30 November, 2023
Subclass 445 – Dependent Child Visa (Adding children after the grant of a provisional Partner visa) Partner Visa

Subclass 445 – Dependent Child Visa (Adding children after the grant of a provisional Partner visa)

Children born overseas to foreign nationals seeking to travel to, and remain, in Australia will have their options determined by the status of their parents. For example, children born overseas to: an Australian citizen may consider an application for citizenship by descent; an Australian permanent resident may consider one of the Child visas; or most temporary visa holders may consider…
Sonia Campanaro
18 July, 2023
What is the Prospective Marriage (Subclass 300) Visa? a picture of a coupleFamilyPartner Visa

What is the Prospective Marriage (Subclass 300) Visa?

The Prospective Marriage (Subclass 300) visa, also sometimes colloquially known as the “fiancée visa”, is a temporary visa permitting the holder to travel to Australia and marry an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Once granted, it is valid for 9-15 months to enable the holder to enter Australia, get married, and subsequently apply for the onshore…
Jordan Tew
10 November, 2022
Partner visa document checklist a picture of a couplePartner Visa

Partner visa document checklist

Australia’s Partner visas are both temporary and permanent visas that enable the spouses (married) or de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens to reside in Australia on the basis of their relationship. Eligibility for a Partner visa is dependent on several factors, primarily relating to the nature of your relationship. Onshore and Offshore visas…
Emily Young
1 December, 2021
A first-hand immigration experience from a non-immigration professional: Australian Partner Visas a picture of a couplePartner Visa

A first-hand immigration experience from a non-immigration professional: Australian Partner Visas

I was first introduced to the world of Partner visas when I was at a previous workplace of mine in early 2019. A colleague of mine and I frequently shared our experiences of how we ended up in Australia and being European expatriates, we had a common story with 241,338 people that same year; migrating to Australia.  My colleague further…
Lucie Coleman
16 September, 2021
Five essential things to know before applying for your Partner Visa a picture of a couplePartner Visa

Five essential things to know before applying for your Partner Visa

Applying for an Australian Partner visa is an arduous, expensive, and often stressful process for many couples. With many years of advising on and having submitted hundreds of Partner visa applications, below we outline some of our tips, responses to the most frequently asked questions that we receive during this process, and things you should know before applying for your…
Jordan Tew
8 April, 2020
What happens to my Partner visa when my relationship breaks down? australian immigration feesPartner Visa

What happens to my Partner visa when my relationship breaks down?

A Partner visa allows the spouse or partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live and work in Australia. There are various visa subclasses. The visas you choose will depend on the length of your relationship and whether you are in or outside of Australia. You can read more about the visa options in…
Mihan Hannan
19 February, 2018
I’m returning to Australia – how do I sponsor my foreign spouse or partner for an Australian visa? a picture of a couplePartner Visa

I’m returning to Australia – how do I sponsor my foreign spouse or partner for an Australian visa?

The Partner visa allows an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to sponsor their spouse or partner to live and work in Australia.  The visa applicant must demonstrate that they are either in a spousal relationship, or in a de facto relationship. Given the lengthy processing times for Partner visas, it is strongly recommended that you seek…
admin
16 February, 2018
How marriage equality affects Immigration matters australian resident visaFamilyPartner Visa

How marriage equality affects Immigration matters

Households across Australia should now be receiving their voting papers as to whether a bill on marriage equality should be introduced into parliament. Despite its non-binding outcome, a positive vote could have wide ranging implications on same sex couples including in the immigration space. Hannan Tew remains committed to assisting people seek immigration assistance irrespective of their background or circumstances.…
admin
26 September, 2017