Australian VISA Options for partners

Prospective Marriage Visa and Partner Visa for Australia – Sub-classes 300, 309, 100, 820, 801

We love a good love story. And we know how much being apart from your partner costs — not just emotionally, but practically. The uncertainty, the waiting, the paperwork that stands between you and the life you’re trying to build together.

Partner visas are among the most closely scrutinised in the Australian migration program.
Processing times are currently around 17 months, government fees exceed $9,000, and in 2026, the Department of Home Affairs tightened its handling of applications. This gives couples one opportunity to respond to any request for information, with no follow-up reminders.

Getting it right from the start isn’t optional. It’s what protects your relationship, your investment, and your time.

We’ve been doing this for over 25 years. We know what the Department looks for, what causes refusals, and how to build an application that gives you the best possible chance. Whether you’re just starting out or your application is already in the system, we’re here to help.

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Your situation demands a unique strategy

There is no single formula for a partner visa. Your pathway depends on where you both are, what visa conditions apply, how long you’ve been together, and what evidence you have available. Getting the strategy wrong at the start can cost you months or the application itself.  At Aspire Australia, we will:

✓ Create your Migration Action Plan — analysing your situation and advising the best strategy for your journey ahead

✓  Craft your case — tailoring your checklist to capture all material relevant to your specific circumstances

✓ Close the gaps — preparing all supporting material to ensure nothing is missed and your application is lodged approval-ready

✓  Manage your application from beginning to end — including updating your evidence throughout the process and responding to any Department requests on your behalf

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Visa Options

Prospective Marriage VISA (Subclass 300)

For engaged couples who want to reunite in Australia before they marry. The visa gives you nine months to marry your partner in Australia, after which you can apply for a Partner visa.

Key Information:

  • The applicant must be outside Australia both at the time of application and at the visa grant.
  • If you marry during the processing of the Subclass 300 application, it may be transferred to a Partner visa application.

Partner Visa
(Subclasses 309, 100, 820, 801)

The Partner visa allows Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to sponsor their married or de facto partner to live in Australia permanently. It runs in two stages:

Key Information:

  • Stage 1: a temporary visa first (subclass 820 if you’re onshore, 309 if offshore),
  • Stage 2: followed by the permanent stage (801 or 100) assessed after two years.
  • Proving your relationship is genuine and continuing is the cornerstone of every partner visa application. Read our guide to what that means and what evidence you need.

Not sure where to start? Start here

Download our guidebook. Reunite with your loved one and get a clear picture of your options before you book.

✓ Compare visa pathways
 ✓ Understand the criteria
✓ Discover the costs and timeline
   ✓ Learn how a migration agent can help

The Way We Do Things

Aspire Australia goes further than most migration agents. From your first appointment through to visa grant and beyond, we manage the process so you don’t have to.

Partner visa applications don’t end at lodgement.

The Department expects relationship evidence to be kept current throughout the process. We proactively manage this for our clients, prompting updates, uploading evidence, and making sure your file is ready when the assessment begins.

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Good News Stories from our Clients

Anne & Bob – Love Online!

Anne and Bob were referred to Aspire Australia by a marriage celebrant, whom Sarah had shared a room with when a guest speaker at the marria…

Read their story now

Our Happy Clients

Sarah Gillis from Aspire was simply the BEST professional we ever found in the market! Extremely responsible and efficient, she did what nobody else did for us! Extremely detail-oriented and without deceiving people, she and Aspire team get positive results with professionalism. My partner Kyle and I recommend Aspire team thousands of times! Thank you Sarah and Aspire Team!

Caroline Dornelles

Caroline Dornelles – Choosing the Right Visa Strategy
Sarah and Toni were absolutely incredible throughout my permanent residency process. From the very beginning, Sarah’s knowledge and professionalism gave me so much confidence, and Tony was always there to assist with any questions and keep everything organised.
The whole process can feel overwhelming, but they made it smooth, clear, and stress-free. They were always responsive, patient, and genuinely supportive every step of the way.
Thanks to their dedication and guidance, I was able to achieve my PR, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I highly recommend Sarah and Toni to anyone needing reliable and professional immigration support.

Cristina Matzdorf

It has been a tremendous journey experience with Aspire Australia. I’m proud of their reliability and accuracy towards my Visa application. A big thank you for their effective work in helping me acquiring my partner visa.

Talal Hessy

I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to Sarah and the entire team at Aspire Australia for their tremendous efforts, guidance and remarkable skills in preparing my visa applications and for attaining a successful result. It has been a wonderful journey with your relentless efforts to help me migrate to Australia by acquiring my temporary visa, and finally accomplishing my permanent residency visa.
To anyone reading this, Sarah and her team are remarkable, trustworthy and professional when it comes to assisting people in migrating to Australia. Don’t hesitate when you come across Sarah at Aspire Australia, she will definitely get the job done.

Talal Hessy

Thank you Sarah, Toni and team. Your attention to detail ensures that every project goes off without a hitch. I admire and appreciate such a high level of precision. Thank you again

Kirandeep and Harpratap

Attention to Detail
Best consultation service by Sarah and her team.
Help me a lot and changed my life… thank you for everything ❤️
Already referred to many of my friends for reliable advice

Ahtisham Ilyas

We can’t thank Sarah and the team at Aspire enough for successfully obtaining my permanent residency visa.
They’re knowledge of ever-changing immigration laws, hard work and dedication to achieving a successful outcome has been amazing, Sarah and the team have been very patient and understanding throughout the whole course of achieving this. I would highly recommend Aspire to anyone seeking immigration services.
Thank you for making our dreams come true.

Jennifer Casupanan

Common Questions

Understanding which pathway suits your circumstances is the first step. Download our guidebook for an overview of your options, then book a consultation. The earlier you get advice, the better decisions you can make about evidence, timing, and strategy.

In April 2026, the Department of Home Affairs updated its handling of partner visa applications. If your file needs more information, you will receive one opportunity to respond — no reminders, no follow-up requests. If the window closes without a reply, the Department may decide on what’s there.

With processing times at around 17 months and government fees exceeding $9,000, the cost of getting it wrong is high. A registered migration agent builds your application to be decision-ready from day one and manages the process for the full duration — so nothing falls through the cracks. Read more about why DIY applications carry more risk than ever in our 

Read more about why DIY applications carry more risk than ever in our 2026 partner visa guide.

Over 25 years in the industry, a 99% success rate, and a 7-Step Proven Pathway built around one goal: getting your application approved. We go further than most agencies. We don’t just tell you what documents to include; we help you build the case, close the gaps, and stay with you through every stage of the process.

Our 7-Step Proven Pathway:

  • Migration Action Plan — we analyse your situation and map the best pathway forward
  • Start-up Kit — a tailored checklist of everything we need to build an approval-ready application
  • Close the gaps — we work through your evidence with you to make sure nothing is missing
  • Lodgement — carefully collated and submitted to the Department with attention to every detail
  • Ongoing representation — we liaise with the Department on your behalf and keep your evidence current throughout the assessment
  • Visa grant — our favourite step. We’ll let you know the moment it comes through
  • Compliance — we make sure you know exactly what your visa conditions require so you’re never caught out

Start by booking your appointment with us today.

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LATEST PARTNER VISA INFORMATION FROM THE BLOG

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