Partner Visa Overview

The partner visa, whether applied for onshore of offshore, is a permanent visa. The application is typically processed in two stages, one temporary, the other permanent. 2 years from the date of submission, an applicant can provide the Department with documents to demonstrate the relationship is genuine and continuing, which will allow the Department to commence processing of the permanent stage.

The exception to this 2 stage processing system is people in ‘long-term partner relationships’. In these cases, both the temporary and permanent stages will be assessed simultaneously.

At time of application, applicants must meet one of the following 3 criteria to obtain a partner visa:

• Married to an Australian citizen or permanent resident

• In a registered relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident

• Have been in a 12 month de-facto relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident

Applicants will then need to demonstrate the relationship is genuine. The Department will look at the following 4 ‘pillars’ of a relationship to determine whether a relationship is genuine:

• Finances of the relationship

• Social aspects of the relationship

• Nature of the household

• Nature of commitment to the relationship

Partner visas incur significant application charges and processing times are lengthy. It is important applicants engage a qualified professional to assist with their application to avoid visa refusal.

Pricing

Our fee to assist with temporary stage partner visa application is $4400. Our fee to assist with the permanent stage partner visa is $3300. An additional fee of $275 will be applied to any additional family members included in the application. Applicants with complex cases such as health or character complications can expect an increased fee.

All prices quoted are inclusive of GST.