Australian Partner Visas

The Australian Partner Migration program is open to married and de-facto couples (including same-sex couples) in committed, genuine relationships.

This visa is for you if you want to enter Australia on the basis of your relationship with your partner who is an Australian Citizen, Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.

To apply for an Australian Partner Visa you must

• Have sponsorship provided for you by your partner
• Be married or in a defacto relationship and be sponsored by your partner
• Be over the age of 18
• Evidence that you have been in a genuine and committed relationship for at least 12 months
• Be living with your partner, or have exceptional circumstances for living apart
• Meet the health and character requirements

You apply for both a temporary and permanent visa by completing and lodging one application and the Australian Department of Immigration will decide, providing you meet the criteria, which visa to grant you. The type of visa granted depends on the length of time you have been in a relationship. If you are granted a temporary visa, a decision on your permanent visa will usually be made within two years but in the meantime you are able to live in Australia.

The main purpose for this visa is to allow an applicant to come to Australia and marry their intended spouse and live as husband and wife.

This visa is for you if you want to enter Australia on the basis of your relationship with your partner, who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.

To apply for a Prospective Marriage visa you must:

• Have sponsorship provided for you by your partner
• Both applicant and prospective spouse must be over 18 and know each other personally
• Evidence that you are in a genuine and committed relationship
• Must marry within 9 months of been granted the Prospective Marriage visa
• Meet health and character requirements

Same sex couples are not eligible for this visa

With this visa you must enter Australia before you marry and you can leave and re-enter as many times as you wish before your visa ceases. You are able to work in Australia and can then apply for a partner visa after you have married.

If your partner is a New Zealand Citizen but is not classed as an eligible New Zealand Citizen, they will automatically be granted a Special Category (Subclass 444) Visa on arrival in Australia. As the partner of a New Zealander, you may be able to apply for a temporary New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa, which is valid for a period of 5 years