Australia’s Partner visa is one of the most document-heavy visa categories in the system — and one of the slowest. It’s also frequently misunderstood as a single application, when it’s actually two: a temporary visa followed, years later, by a permanent one. If you’re applying onshore in 2026 as the partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, here’s what the process, cost and timeline actually look like.
It’s one application, two visas
Applying onshore for a Partner visa is a combined application for subclass 820 (temporary) and subclass 801 (permanent) — you lodge and pay once, and are granted the temporary 820 first while you wait, sometimes for years, to become eligible for the permanent 801. You do not pay or apply again for the 801 stage; the Department assesses it automatically once the required time has passed and updated evidence is provided.
Eligibility
To qualify, you and your partner generally need to show:
- You are the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
- If de facto (not married), you have typically been living together as a couple for at least 12 months before lodging (with some exceptions, e.g. registered relationships).
- Your sponsor meets sponsorship eligibility and limits (a sponsor who has sponsored a partner before may face restrictions on sponsoring again within five years).
- You meet health and character requirements.
Fees (2026)
As of the Department of Home Affairs’ current fee schedule, the combined 820/801 application fee for the primary applicant is AUD $9,365. On top of that:
- A 1.4% surcharge applies if paying by credit card.
- Additional fees apply for secondary applicants (partner’s dependent children, if included).
- Budget separately for medical exams (roughly AUD $300–500 per person) and police certificates (roughly AUD $50–200 per country of residence), which are not included in the visa fee.
- If you’re transitioning from a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), a reduced fee may apply for the 820 stage.
Fees are indexed and change during the year — always check the current amount on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before paying, since paying the wrong amount can delay processing.
Processing times
This is the part that surprises most applicants: the temporary 820 stage alone is currently running at roughly 17–20 months for 50% of applications, and 24–26 months for 90% of applications, according to recently published Departmental processing data. The permanent 801 stage cannot even be assessed until at least two years after your initial application date, and typically takes a further 6–12 months once you become eligible. In practice, many applicants are looking at 3+ years from lodgement to permanent visa grant.
While the 820 is pending, you’re generally on a bridging visa that lets you stay in Australia lawfully (and, in most cases, work) — but you should not book irreversible travel or job changes assuming a specific decision date.
The four relationship-evidence pillars
Most Partner visa refusals aren’t because the relationship isn’t genuine — they’re because the supporting evidence was thin in one category. The Department assesses relationship evidence across four pillars, and you need documentation across all four, not just the strongest one:
- Financial aspects — joint bank accounts, shared bills, joint loans or leases, evidence of financial support.
- Nature of the household — shared address, division of domestic duties, joint ownership or rental of your home.
- Social aspects — being known as a couple to friends and family, joint social activities, photos, joint invitations, statements from people who know you both.
- Nature of commitment — length of the relationship, future plans together, mutual commitment demonstrated over time (not just a wedding certificate).
At the 801 stage, roughly two years later, the Department reassesses this evidence and expects updated documents and a fresh statutory declaration — evidence from your original 820 application alone won’t carry the 801 stage.
Common mistakes
- Front-loading only financial evidence. A joint bank account is not enough on its own — weak coverage of the social or household pillars is a common refusal driver even when the relationship is genuine.
- Assuming the 801 is automatic. It requires fresh evidence submitted closer to the two-year mark, not a rubber stamp of the original application.
- Underestimating the timeline. Given current 17–26 month waits at the 820 stage alone, plan major life decisions (travel, other visa applications, employment changes) around the bridging visa period, not an assumed grant date.
- Skipping police certificates for past countries of residence, not just your current country — these are required for every country you’ve lived in for 12+ months in the relevant period.
FAQ
Do I need to be married to apply? No — de facto partners can apply, generally after 12 months of cohabitation as a couple, subject to some exceptions.
Can I work while the 820 is pending? Generally yes, on the bridging visa that applies while your application is being processed, but confirm your specific bridging visa’s work conditions with the Department.
Does my partner need to complete a separate sponsorship application? Yes — a partner sponsorship application is a required part of the combined process and is assessed alongside your visa application.
This is general preparation guidance, not migration or legal advice — partner visa refusals are costly to appeal, so confirm your specific circumstances against the current Department of Home Affairs requirements or a registered migration agent before lodging. If you’re preparing a partner visa application and want structured help organising evidence across all four pillars, join the VisaMet waitlist.
Sources: Department of Home Affairs — Partner visa (apply in Australia); Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 820 Partner visa (temporary); Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 801 Partner visa (Permanent).