Love Shouldn’t Wait - Reunite in Australia with the Subclass 309 Partner Visa

The Subclass 309 is the temporary stage of the offshore partner visa pathway for the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. It allows the applicant to live in Australia while progressing toward the permanent Subclass 100 stage.

You may be eligible if you are the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and your relationship is genuine and continuing. For the 309, the pathway is offshore, and both the applicant and sponsor must meet the relevant requirements.

Evidence should show the relationship is genuine and continuing across areas such as financial commitment, household arrangements, social recognition and the nature of the couple’s commitment. Strong applications explain the relationship history clearly and support it with consistent documents.

The 309/100 pathway is the offshore partner pathway, so it is generally lodged while the applicant is outside Australia. Grant-location rules and travel plans should be checked before relying on timing.

The 309 is the temporary/provisional stage of the offshore partner pathway. The 100 is the permanent stage, usually assessed later after the applicant becomes eligible and provides updated evidence of the continuing relationship.

Applications are generally lodged online through ImmiAccount. The applicant and sponsor prepare evidence, complete the relevant forms, pay the visa charge and respond to any Home Affairs requests for further information.

Common documents include identity documents, relationship statements, evidence of the relationship, sponsor documents, police checks, health examinations if requested, and documents for any dependent children. The exact checklist depends on the applicant’s country, relationship history and family situation.

The sponsor must usually be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and meet sponsorship requirements. Sponsorship history, character issues, family violence matters and previous partner sponsorships can affect eligibility.Accordion Content

No. The Subclass 309 Partner (Provisional) visa is not a points-tested skilled visa and does not require a job offer. The focus is the eligible relationship or prospective marriage, the sponsor’s eligibility, health and character requirements, and any requested support evidence.

Processing times change and are not guaranteed. Home Affairs says to use the global visa processing times guide, and partner visa timing can vary based on evidence quality, checks, requests for information and case complexity.

You may be able to include eligible dependent children or other members of the family unit, depending on the subclass and timing. Each family member must meet health and character requirements, and adding a child later can have specific rules.

The 309 generally gives work and study rights and may allow Medicare access depending on enrolment rules. Always check the visa grant letter and VEVO for exact conditions.

After lodgement, Home Affairs may request more documents, health checks, biometrics or police clearances. You should keep ImmiAccount updated, respond by the deadline and notify Home Affairs of changes in relationship, address, passport or family circumstances.Accordion Content

After the 309 is granted, the applicant can live in Australia under that visa and prepare for the permanent partner stage. Continue keeping evidence of the ongoing relationship because the permanent stage is assessed separately unless granted together.

In some long-term partner relationships, Home Affairs may consider granting the permanent partner stage earlier or at the same time as the temporary stage. The evidence must clearly show the relationship meets the long-term criteria and is genuine and continuing.

The partner visa application charge can change and should be checked using the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before quoting. Extra costs may include medicals, police checks, translations and professional fees.

If the relationship ends, the applicant must notify Home Affairs. In some cases, a permanent partner visa may still be possible due to family violence provisions, death of the sponsor, or a child of the relationship, but this is sensitive and should be assessed carefully.

The 309/100 is the offshore partner pathway and the 820/801 is the onshore partner pathway. The better option depends on where the applicant is, visa status, travel plans, relationship evidence and any application bars or visa conditions.