Overview
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What you get
Key entitlements granted to visa holders.
- Live, work and study in Australia while we process your permanent Partner visa
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
- Attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program if you are eligible
- Apply for access to Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare .
Eligibility
High-level requirements. Detailed criteria are on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused
Not hold certain regional visas
If you are the holder of or your last substantive visa was one of the following, you must have held that visa for at least two years before you can apply:
- Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional) (Class UX) visa
- Subclass 475 (Skilled – Regional Sponsored) visa
- Subclass 487 (Skilled – Regional Sponsored) visa or
- Skilled Regional Sponsored (Provisional ) (Class SP) visa.
If you are the holder of or your last substantive visa was one of the following, you must have held that visa for at least three years before you can apply:
- Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)) visa or
- Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)) visa.
Be in Australia when you apply
Have a sponsor
Prospective marriage visa holders and former holders
Be the right age
Hold a substantive visa
Meet relationship requirements
In most cases, you must be the spouse or de facto partner of an:
- Australian citizen
- Australian permanent resident, or
- eligible New Zealand citizen.
This applies when you make your application and when your application is being decided.
If you are experiencing domestic and family violence, we may be able to help you. You can apply for consideration to be granted your temporary and permanent visa. For more information, see Family Violence Provisions.
For more information, see Changes in your situation.
Spouse
To be a spouse, you must be in a married relationship.
Forced marriage
Forced marriage is when a person (or both people) gets married without freely and fully consenting. They may be tricked, threatened or pressured into getting married, or they are incapable of understanding the nature and effect of a marriage ceremony, for reasons including age or mental capacity.
Forced marriage is a crime in Australia.
If you or someone you know is in, or at risk of, a forced marriage you can seek help. For more information, see Forced marriage | Attorney-General's Department.
De facto partners
To be a de facto partner, you must be in a de facto relationship.
Usually you must be in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before you apply for this visa. Time spent dating or in an online relationship might not count as being in a de facto relationship.
The 12-month requirement will not apply if you can show us compelling and compassionate circumstances exist for you to be granted the temporary Partner visa (subclass 820).
The 12-month requirement also will not apply if:
- your de facto partner holds or held a permanent humanitarian visa; and
- your de facto relationship existed before we granted their visa; and
- your de facto partner told us about the relationship before we granted their visa.
It also will not apply if:
- you are in a de facto relationship with a partner who is an applicant for a permanent humanitarian visa, or
- you have registered your relationship with an Australian State or Territory authority such as a registry of births, deaths and marriages.
Meet our health requirement
Meet our character requirement
Have no debt to the Australian Government
Sign the Australian values statement
Best interests of the child
Costs & fees
Indicative fees for the main applicant and family members.