Partner (Provisional) visa

• Live, work and study
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
• attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program if you are eligible
• apply for access to Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare.

You can stay in Australia until your permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) application is finalised or you withdraw your application.

For information on processing times for the permanent stage, see Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100).

You can include members of the family unit in your application when you lodge your visa application.

You can add a dependent child after you lodge your application but before we decide on your temporary visa.

Family members who apply with you must:

• be members of the family unit
• meet our health requirement
• meet our character requirement
• be outside Australia.

Family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet our health and character requirement.

Newborn children

For information on what to do if your child is born after you apply, see You had a baby.

The costs below cover this Temporary visa and the Permanent Partner visa (subclass 100).

AUD11,710.00 for the main applicant. Concessions apply in limited circumstances.

There is also a fee for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

We cannot process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out how much your visa will cost, including adding additional family members, use the Visa pricing estimator.

The estimator does not take into account the costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Cost concession for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste Partner visa applicants

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application.

We will charge eligible applicants the lower visa application cost during the application process in ImmiAccount. We will recognise eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport from one of the specified countries.

Family members are also eligible for the lower visa cost. We base this on the passport of the primary applicant (or visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria).

The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of the following countries:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu.

You must be outside Australia when you apply for this visa. Family who apply with you must also be outside Australia.

You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

See what conditions might be attached to this visa on our visa conditions page.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to access Australia’s public health care system, Medicare, while you await a decision on your visa application. For more information, see Medicare.

If you are not eligible for Medicare, we recommend you take out health insurance to cover any unforeseen medical treatment you might need while in Australia. Otherwise, you will be personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Insurance can help limit your financial liability.

For more information, see Adequate health insurance.

Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal health care agreements.

Private health insurance

You can get Australian residents' private health insurance if you have:

• an interim (blue) Medicare card
• a full (green) Medicare card.

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while you hold this visa.

First entry arrival date

If you are outside Australia at the time of visa grant, you must enter Australia before the first entry arrival date (first entry, arrive by) specified in your grant letter.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

You can find the answers to common questions about this visa at Partner Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

• not had a visa cancelled or an application refused
• be outside Australia when you apply
• have a sponsor
• be the right age
• meet relationship requirements
• meet our health requirement
• meet our character requirement
• have no debt to the Australian Government
• sign the Australian values statement
• best interests of the child.

We will consider your immigration history when we make a decision on your application, which means you might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused.

In some circumstances you may still apply for a permanent visa if you have had a visa cancelled or an application refused, see Can I go to Australia.

If you want immigration assistance, see Who can help with your visa application.

You must be outside Australia when you apply for this visa. Family who apply with you must also be outside Australia.

You and anyone who applies for the visa with you must have a sponsor when you lodge your application and when you are on this visa.

Your sponsor is usually your partner.

We must approve your sponsor.

You cannot change your sponsor. The person who sponsors you when you apply for the visa must be the same person who sponsors you for 2 years after we grant your temporary partner visa (subclass 309).

Your sponsor should apply to sponsor you as soon as possible after you apply for this visa.

Select the 'For Sponsors' switch at the top of this page for information about sponsorship.

Married applicants must usually be 18 or older when they apply. This is because usually, you must be 18 or older to be married under Australian law.

Applicants in de facto relationships must be 18 or older when they apply.

In most cases, you must be the spouse or de facto partner of an:

• Australian citizen
• Australian permanent resident or
• eligible New Zealand citizen.

This applies when you make your application and when your application is being decided.

If you are experiencing domestic and family violence, we may be able to help you. You can apply for consideration to be granted your temporary and permanent visa. For more information, see Family Violence Provisions.

For more information, see Changes in your situation.

Spouse

To be a spouse, you must be in a married relationship.

Forced marriage

Forced marriage is when a person (or both people) gets married without freely and fully consenting. They may be tricked, threatened or pressured into getting married, or they are incapable of understanding the nature and effect of a marriage ceremony, for reasons including age or mental capacity.

Forced marriage is a crime in Australia.

If you or someone you know is in, or at risk of, a forced marriage you can seek help. For more information, see Forced marriage | Attorney-General's Department.

De facto partners

To be a de facto partner, you must be in a de facto relationship.

Usually you must be in your de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before you apply for this visa. Time spent dating or in an online relationship might not count as being in a de facto relationship.

The 12-month requirement will not apply if you can show us compelling and compassionate circumstances exist for you to be granted the provisional Partner visa (subclass 309).

The 12-month requirement also will not apply if:

• your de facto partner holds or held a permanent humanitarian visa; and
• your de facto relationship existed before we granted their visa; and
• your de facto partner told us about the relationship before we granted their visa.

It also will not apply if:

• you are in a de facto relationship with a partner who is an applicant for a permanent humanitarian visa, or
• you have registered your relationship with an Australian State or Territory authority such as a registry of births, deaths and marriages.

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement. We might ask for health information about family not coming to Australia with you.

You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement. We might ask for character information about family not coming to Australia with you.

If you or any family members owe the Australian Government money, you or they must pay it back or arrange to pay it back.

This may include family members who do not accompany you to Australia.

You and any family members who apply with you who are 18 years of age or older, must:

• have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and
• sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws

We might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

• live, work and study in Australia
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
• attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program if you are eligible
• enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare

You can stay until we make a decision about your permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) or you withdraw that application.

You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

Use VEVO to check visa details and conditions.

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want.

First entry arrival date

If you are outside Australia at the time of visa grant, you must enter Australia before the first entry arrival date (first entry, arrive by) specified in your grant letter.

You can travel to Australia with an expired first entry arrival date if your visa is still valid. Your visa may still be subject to cancellation before arrival or at the border.

To see if your visa is still valid, use VEVO.

If an immigration officer processes your clearance at our border, we recommend you tell them:

• you have a temporary Partner visa
• you do not want a Special Category visa (subclass 444)

If you do not tell them, you might be granted the 444 visa. Grant of a subclass 444 visa will override your temporary Partner visa. This means you will not be eligible for the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100).

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

Australian visas are digital. We do not put a visa label in your passport. Instead, we link your digital visa record to your passport.

Your visa number is contained in your visa grant letter. Use this number to access your digital visa record in VEVO.

Your digital visa record is also used by:

• airlines to check your visa before you board your flight
• Australian government agencies to check your identity and visa conditions
• employers, banks or other registered organisations to check your visa conditions.

With this visa you will have full work rights and are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

With this visa you will be able to study in Australia. However you will not receive any government support and any study costs will be at your own expense.

You might have to wait to access certain Australian Government payments and benefits. Learn more about newly arrived residents' waiting periods from Services Australia.

Add dependent children to your application

You cannot add family members to your visa application after we grant the Partner (Provisional) visa subclass 309.

To include a dependent child in your permanent visa application after we have granted you a subclass 309 visa, but before we have finalised your permanent Partner visa (subclass 100), your child must first apply for Dependent child visa (subclass 445).

Once your child holds a Dependent child visa (subclass 445), you can include them in your permanent Partner visa application. Your child can be in or outside Australia and must be members of the family unit.

Complete and attach to your application in ImmiAccount Form 1002 - Application by a subclass 445 dependent child for a permanent partner visa.

After you have attached the form to ImmiAccount, let us know by using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.

Newborn children

If you have a baby after you have been granted this visa, you will need to let us know. For more information, see You had a baby.

After you have attached the form to ImmiAccount, let us know by using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.

See here for changes to your contact details, address or passport

Things you need to let us know about include:

• changes to your relationship status
• the birth of a child
• any other changes relevant to your application

See what to do if there is a change in your situation.

If you do not have access to ImmiAccount you can let us know by us completing the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.

Depending on your situation you may need to complete the Notification of Relationship Cessation form in ImmiAccount. To confirm, check Your relationship has changed.

Your online safety

To ensure your personal safety online we recommend that you:

• change your ImmiAccount password as soon as possible
• do not use saved passwords to access your ImmiAccount
• change your email password or consider setting up a new email account.

To see how you can increase your personal safety you can use the eSafety Commissioner’s online safety checklist

If you do not have access to ImmiAccount, you can notify us using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.

You may still be eligible for the permanent visa if your relationship ends or your partner dies. All information you provide is confidential.

If you are experiencing domestic and family violence, we may be able to help you. You may still be eligible for the grant of your permanent visa. For more information, see Family Violence Provisions.

To get the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100), you must hold this subclass 309 visa or the Dependent child visa (subclass 445). If you are granted any other visa, you will no longer be eligible for the grant of the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100).

You are eligible for consideration of a permanent Partner visa two years after you first applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas. You can check the date you submitted your application in ImmiAccount.

When we assess you for the permanent visa, you will need to provide additional documents.

For more information see Partner visa (subclass 100).

You must sponsor your partner and their family members included in their application.

As a sponsor, must assist your partner and their family members included in their application, financially and with their accommodation.

No Cost.

When your sponsorship ends will depend on where the visa applicants are when we grant their temporary partner visa.

Your sponsorship will end 2 years after:

• the visa is granted, if the applicants are in Australia at the time of grant, or
• their next arrival in Australia, if they are outside Australia at the time of grant.

This is the case even if we grant their permanent partner visa straight after their temporary partner visa.

You can be inside or outside Australia when you apply to sponsor.

You can find the answers to common questions about this visa at Partner Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

You must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.

If you are a New Zealand citizen and do not meet the eligibility criteria to sponsor your partner for this visa, your partner might be eligible for a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa (subclass 461).

We must approve your sponsorship.

Most sponsors will need to meet our character requirements to be eligible to sponsor someone for this visa.

We might not approve you as a sponsor if:

• you have a significant criminal record in relation to relevant offences
• you refuse to provide us with a police clearance, or
• you do not consent to the disclosure of your convictions to the applicant.

We do not include convictions for relevant offences that have been quashed or otherwise nullified or pardoned.

Measures for the protection of children

There are limitations on sponsorship if the sponsor has been convicted of certain offences involving children.

See more about measures for the protection of children.

You must be 18 years old or older.

If you are under 18 and you are married to the applicant, your parent or guardian might be able to sponsor your partner.

We may refuse your sponsorship application and the visa application if the below sponsorship limitations apply to you.

Previously sponsored or held a Prospective Marriage or Partner visa

We may refuse your sponsorship and your partner’s visa application if:

• this is your third time sponsoring someone for a Partner visa or Prospective Marriage visa
• you have sponsored another partner within the last 5 years or
• you were sponsored as a partner within the last 5 years.

You might still be able to sponsor someone for this visa in circumstances where:

• you and your partner (the applicant) have a dependent child who is dependent on each of you or
• your previous partner died or
• your previous partner left the relationship and there are children dependent on you for care and support or
• your relationship with your partner (the applicant) is longstanding.

Contributory parent visa holders

We may refuse your sponsorship and your partner’s visa application if:

• your partner was your spouse or de facto partner before we granted you that visa, and
• it has been less than 5 years since we granted you that visa.

Woman at Risk visa holders

We may refuse your sponsorship and your partner’s visa application if you were granted a subclass 204 visa in the 5 years before your partner applied and on the date that you were granted that visa you were divorced or permanently separated from the applicant, or the applicant was your spouse or de facto partner but you did not tell us about them at the time.

We may refuse your partner’s visa application if you and your partner are found to be in a forced marriage. Forced marriage is a crime in Australia.

Forced marriage is when a person (or both people) gets married without freely and fully consenting. They may be tricked, threatened or pressured into getting married, or they are incapable of understanding the nature and effect of a marriage ceremony, for reasons including age or mental capacity.

If you or someone you know is in, or at risk of, a forced marriage you can seek help. For more information, see Forced marriage | Attorney-General's Department.

You must sponsor your partner and their family members included in their application.

As a sponsor, you must assist your partner and their family members included in their application financially and with their accommodation.

When your sponsorship ends will depend on where the visa applicants are when we grant their temporary partner visa.

Your sponsorship will end 2 years after:

• the visa is granted, if the applicants are in Australia at the time of grant, or
• their next arrival in Australia, if they are outside Australia at the time of grant.

This is the case even if we grant their permanent partner visa straight after their temporary partner visa.

Things you need to let us know about include:

• changes to your contact details
• if your relationship ends.

For more information, see Changes in your situation.

If you do not have access to ImmiAccount you can let us know by us completing the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.

If you are experiencing domestic and family violence, there is support available. For more information, see Family Violence Provisions.

You cannot withdraw as a sponsor for the Subclass 309 after we grant the visa.

However, you can withdraw your sponsorship application any time before we decide on the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) application. The applicant may still be eligible for the permanent partner visa.

For more information, see Your relationship has changed.