Partner Visa (Subclass 820)
The Partner Visa (Subclass 820) is an onshore visa that allows the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia temporarily. It serves as the first step toward obtaining the permanent Partner Visa (Subclass 801).
📝 Key Features of Subclass 820
Location Requirement: Applicants must be in Australia both at the time of application and when the visa is granted.
Eligibility Criteria:
Must be in a genuine and continuing relationship with an eligible sponsor.
Both applicant and sponsor must be at least 18 years old.
Must meet health and character requirements.
For de facto relationships, evidence of at least 12 months of cohabitation or registration of the relationship is typically required.
Visa Duration: Temporary stay until a decision is made on the permanent Subclass 801 visa.
Application Process:
A combined application is submitted for both Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visas.
Approximately two years after lodging the application, eligibility for Subclass 801 is assessed.
💰 Costs and Processing Times
Visa Application Charge: As of now, the fee is AUD 9,095.
Additional Costs: May include medical examinations, police clearances, and biometrics.
Processing Time: Typically ranges from 12 to 18 months, depending on individual circumstances.
✅ Benefits of Subclass 820
With this visa, you can:
Live, work, and study in Australia while awaiting the decision on your permanent visa.
Access Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare system.
Travel to and from Australia freely.
Attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible.
🔄 Transition to Subclass 801 (Permanent Partner Visa)
Eligibility Assessment: Approximately two years after the initial application, provided the relationship is ongoing.
Early Grant Possibility: If the relationship has been ongoing for at least three years, or two years with a child, at the time of application, the permanent visa may be granted sooner.
⚠️ Special Considerations
Relationship Breakdown: If the relationship ends due to circumstances like domestic violence or the death of the sponsor, you may still be eligible for the permanent visa under certain provisions.
Adding Children: Children can be included in the application or added later through a Dependent Child (Subclass 445) visa.
With this visa, you are allowed to:
reside, work, and study in Australia
travel in and out of Australia without any limits
join free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program, if you meet the eligibility criteria
apply for access to Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare system
How long you can stay
You can stay in Australia until your permanent Partner visa (subclass 801) application is finalised or you withdraw your application.
Adding Family Members
You can include a dependent child in your visa application either at the time you submit it or afterward, as long as it’s before a decision is made on your temporary visa.
Any family members applying with you must:
meet the health requirements
meet the character requirements
be physically present in Australia
Even if your family members are not planning to travel to Australia, they may still need to satisfy health and character requirements.
Prospective Marriage Visa Holders
If you currently hold or previously held a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), you can include family unit members in your application only if they also hold or held a subclass 300 visa at the time of your application. You cannot add these family members after submitting your subclass 820 application.
Visa Fees
The application fee depends on your individual situation and the type of visa you currently hold. The amounts listed below cover both the Temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) and the Permanent Partner visa (subclass 801):
General applicants: AUD 9,095 for the main applicant
Subclass 300 visa holders: AUD 1,515 for the main applicant
If your subclass 300 visa expired and you did not apply for the 820/801 visas in time: AUD 1,920 for the main applicant
Each family member included in your application will also need to pay an additional fee.
Your application cannot be processed unless the correct visa fee is paid.
You may also incur extra costs for medical exams, police clearances, and providing biometrics.
To estimate the total cost of your visa, including any family members, use the Visa pricing estimator. Note that this tool does not include fees for health exams, police certificates, or biometrics.
How to Apply
You must be physically in Australia to apply for this visa, and any family members applying with you must also be in Australia at the time of application.
Travel
You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while you hold this visa.
Visa label
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
Your obligations
You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.