Partner visa Australia: the application checklist.

A partner visa application succeeds or fails on the evidence of a genuine, continuing relationship. The Department of Home Affairs looks for four categories of evidence. Get all four right and the application is straightforward.

Partner visa applications (subclasses 820/801 onshore, 309/100 offshore) require the applicant to show that they are in a genuine, continuing relationship with their Australian sponsor. The Department weighs evidence across four categories. Strong evidence in all four is the difference between a 12-month processing time and a 30-month refusal-and-AAT pathway.

The four evidence categories

1. Financial aspects of the relationship

• Joint bank accounts with regular activity from both parties
• Joint or shared liabilities (mortgage, car loan, credit card)
• Shared household expenses (utility bills in both names)
• Joint ownership of property or significant assets
• Evidence of pooling of financial resources

2. Nature of the household

• Shared residential address with rental agreement, lease, or mortgage in both names
• Joint utility bills (electricity, gas, water, internet)
• Mail addressed to both partners at the same address
• Shared household responsibilities (childcare, cooking, cleaning)

3. Social aspects of the relationship

• Photos with family and friends across multiple events
• Statutory declarations from third parties (Form 888) attesting to the relationship
• Social media presence as a couple (appropriately dated)
• Joint travel records, accommodation bookings
• Joint membership of clubs, gyms, or community organisations

4. Nature of the commitment

• Length of relationship and history
• Evidence of long-term plans (purchasing property, having children, joint will)
• Communication records during periods apart
• Marriage certificate or registered relationship certificate
• Evidence of intention to support each other emotionally and materially

Common pitfalls

• Thin financial evidence. A joint account opened a month before lodgement looks like an attempt to manufacture evidence. The Department reads the dates.
• Two Form 888s from the same family. Diversity of witnesses (family, friends, employers, neighbours) is more credible than four from one household.
• Social media gaps. A two-year relationship with no joint photos until the last six months raises questions.
• Inconsistent statements. The sponsor’s and applicant’s relationship histories must align on key dates and facts.

Processing times and costs

May 2026 indicative figures:

• 820/801 (onshore): typical processing 18 to 32 months from lodgement
• 309/100 (offshore): typical processing 12 to 22 months from lodgement
• Department application fee: $9,365 (current at May 2026; check before lodgement)
• Migration lawyer / RMA professional fees: $4,500 to $10,000 for a full preparation, lodgement, and follow-through
• AAT/ART review fee if refused: $3,496 plus legal costs

If a partner visa is refused, the merits review pathway (AAT, now the ART) succeeds in approximately 40–55% of partner visa cases where good evidence is properly presented. Refusal isn’t the end; it does add 18 to 36 months and significant cost.