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What Is the Partner Visa Subclass 820?
The Partner visa (Subclass 820) is a temporary onshore visa for people in a genuine, continuing relationship with an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. It allows you to stay in Australia lawfully while the Department of Home Affairs processes your application.
The Subclass 820 is lodged together with the Subclass 801 (Partner visa, permanent) as a single combined application. You pay one government fee at lodgement. If your Subclass 820 is granted, the permanent Subclass 801 stage is assessed later. No separate application is needed at that point.
The Subclass 820 covers the temporary period while your relationship is being assessed. Once you meet the time requirements, the permanent stage can be finalised and you can be granted permanent residency in Australia.
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Si está interesado en obtener más información sobre un visado, póngase en contacto con Australian Migration Agents para una consulta.
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Who Can Apply for the Partner Visa 820?
To be eligible for the Partner visa (Subclass 820), you must meet requirements across four areas.
Relationship Requirements
You must be in a genuine, continuing relationship with your sponsor. This can be a married relationship or a de facto relationship, including same-sex relationships. De facto couples generally need to show they have lived together for at least 12 months before applying, unless certain exceptions apply, for example, if you have a child together.
Both married and de facto partners have equal access to the partner visa pathway under Australian law.
Location Requirements
You must be physically present in Australia when you lodge the application, and also when the Department makes its decision on the temporary Subclass 820 stage.
If you are outside Australia, the offshore equivalent is the Partner visa (Subclass 309/100), which follows a different process.
Sponsorship Requirements
Your Australian partner must sponsor your application. The sponsor must:
- Be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Tener al menos 18 años
- Meet the Department of Home Affairs character requirements
- Not be subject to any sponsorship bar or restriction
The Department limits how many times and how frequently a person can sponsor a partner visa applicant, so it is worth confirming your sponsor’s eligibility early.
Requisitos de salud y carácter
You will generally need to complete health examinations through a Department-approved panel physician, and provide police clearance certificates from every country where you have lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Your sponsoring partner may also be required to meet character requirements.
How to Apply for the Partner Visa 820 in Australia
Applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount, the Department of Home Affairs’ online portal.
Step 1 — Check Your Eligibility
Before gathering documents or paying any fees, confirm that you meet the basic eligibility requirements. This includes your relationship type, your location in Australia, and your sponsor’s eligibility. A registered migration agent can review your circumstances and identify any complications before you begin.
Step 2 — Gather Your Evidence
The partner visa 820 application relies heavily on evidence of your genuine relationship. The Department of Home Affairs looks at evidence across four categories:
- Financial — joint accounts, shared expenses, shared property
- Social — joint travel, recognition by family and friends, shared social activities
- Household — shared living arrangements and responsibilities
- Commitment — knowledge of each other, future plans, duration of the relationship
You will also need identity documents, character documents (police clearances), health examination results, and a completed sponsorship form from your Australian partner.
Step 3 — Lodge Through ImmiAccount
Both you and your sponsor submit your forms through ImmiAccount. The applicant submits Form 47SP and the sponsor submits Form 40SP. Both forms are completed online through ImmiAccount. The government application fee is paid at the time of lodgement.
Step 4 — Receive Your Bridging Visa
In most cases, once you lodge your partner visa application, a Bridging Visa A (BVA) is issued automatically. This allows you to remain in Australia lawfully while the Department processes your application. If you need to travel outside Australia during this period, you will generally need to apply for a Bridging Visa B (BVB) beforehand. Leaving Australia on a BVA without a BVB in place can have serious consequences for your visa status.
Step 5 — Await the Decision
After lodgement, the Department will assess your application. They may request further information or additional documents at any point. Responding promptly and completely to any such requests helps avoid unnecessary delays.
What Documents Do You Need?
Every application is different, but the following are typically required.
Para el solicitante:
- Valid passport (and any previous passports)
- Partida de nacimiento
- Police clearances from all relevant countries
- Health examination results from a Department-approved panel physician
- Relationship evidence across all four categories (financial, social, household, commitment)
- Statutory declarations from people who know you as a couple
- Photos together across different times and locations
Para el patrocinador:
- Completed sponsorship form (Form 40SP)
- Evidence of Australian citizenship, permanent residency, or eligible New Zealand citizen status
- Character documents if required
How Much Does the Partner Visa 820 Cost?
The government application fee for the combined partner visa 820 and 801 application is $11,710 for the primary applicant (effective 1 July 2026).
Additional applicants included in the same application attract further charges:
- $5,860 per additional applicant aged 18 or over
- $2,935 per additional applicant under 18
There is no separate government fee when the permanent Subclass 801 stage is assessed. The single fee paid at lodgement covers both stages.
These figures are government fees only. You may also incur costs for health examinations, police clearances, certified translations of non-English documents, and professional fees charged by a registered migration agent.
How Long Does the Partner Visa 820 Take?
Partner visa processing times are among the longest in the Australian migration system, and they vary depending on the complexity of your application and the Department’s current caseload.
Based on Department of Home Affairs processing time data verified on 12 October 2026:
Subclass 820 (temporary stage)
Most applications are decided within 22 months of lodgement. Applications at the longer end of the processing range can take up to 30 months.
Subclass 801 (permanent stage)
The permanent stage cannot be decided until at least two years after the original lodgement date. After that two-year point, most permanent stage applications are decided within a further 8 months. At the longer end, this can take up to 19 months from that same point.
In practical terms, most applicants can expect the full process from lodgement to permanent residency to take around three years or more.
These figures are based on recently decided applications and are not a guarantee. The Department of Home Affairs updates processing times monthly. You can check current figures directly on the Department of Home Affairs Global Visa Processing Times tool, or contact our registered migration agents for guidance on your specific situation.
What Happens After the Subclass 820 Is Granted?
Once your Subclass 820 is granted, you can live, work, and study in Australia on a temporary basis.
The permanent Subclass 801 stage will not be assessed immediately. You need to wait until at least two years after the original lodgement date before the permanent stage can be finalised. During this period, you must continue to meet the relationship requirements. The Department may request fresh evidence of your ongoing relationship when the permanent stage is assessed.
If your relationship ends during this period due to family violence, or if your sponsor passes away, specific provisions may allow you to continue your application or access other pathways. These situations involve particular rules under Australian migration law, and seeking advice from a registered migration agent promptly is important.
Common Reasons Partner Visa 820 Applications Are Refused
Partner visa applications can be refused, and many refusals are avoidable. Some of the most common reasons include:
- Insufficient or inconsistent evidence of a genuine relationship
- Gaps in the relationship history that are not explained
- Character or health matters that were not disclosed or addressed
- The sponsor not meeting sponsorship requirements
- Errors or omissions in the application forms
A thorough, well-organised application with consistent evidence across all four relationship categories gives you the best opportunity for a positive outcome. If your application has been refused, you may be able to seek a review through the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
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Cómo pueden ayudar los agentes de inmigración australianos
Preparing a partner visa application involves careful planning, detailed evidence gathering, and a clear understanding of what the Department of Home Affairs needs at each stage. The government application fee is not refunded if an application is refused, which makes thorough preparation worthwhile from the start.
Our registered migration agents (MARN 2217744) have experience with partner visa applications across a wide range of circumstances, including complex relationship histories, previous visa refusals, and applications involving family violence provisions.
We can help you:
- Assess your eligibility and identify any potential complications before you apply
- Gather and organise relationship evidence across all four categories
- Prepare your application forms and written submissions
- Lodge your application through ImmiAccount on your behalf
- Respond to any requests for information from the Department of Home Affairs
- Advise you on your bridging visa conditions during processing
To speak with a registered migration agent about your partner visa 820 application, contact Australian Migration Agents today.
Resumen
The Partner visa (Subclass 820) is a temporary onshore visa that allows the partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to stay in Australia while their permanent partner visa is assessed. It is lodged together with the permanent Subclass 801 as a single combined application.
To be eligible, you must be in Australia at the time of application and when the temporary stage is decided, and you must be in a genuine, continuing relationship with a qualifying Australian sponsor. The government application fee is $11,710 for the primary applicant, effective 1 July 2026. Median processing time for the temporary stage is currently 22 months.
The partner visa process involves significant documentation and strict evidentiary requirements. Working with a registered migration agent helps you put forward a thorough, well-prepared application from the start.
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