How to Apply for the Australian Partner Visa – A Quick Guide

Who the Australian Partner Visa is for?

If your partner is an Australian Citizen, Australian Permanent Visa holder or Eligible New Zealand Citizen, the Australian Partner visa might be right for you. You and your partner need a number of requirements in order to apply and to be granted the Australian Partner Visa. Your Australian partner will be acting as your sponsor.

Australian Partner Visa – Visa Opions

The Australian Partner visa can be granted as a temporary and permanent entry.You can apply for the visa in Australia or in your home country. This will depend on your individual circumstances. The procedure of applying onshore and offshore is similar, with exception of the bridging visa for those applying for the partnership visa in Australia.

Applicants who have been in a relationship which lasted less than 3 years (or 2 years if there is a child from the relationship) at the time of application generally go through the 2 year waiting period to be granted a permanent residency visa.  To obtain a temporary visa, you must provethe relationship has existed for12 months before the application is made.  This does not necessary mean that you will be granted a visa after 12 months of dating. Relationship must be ‘’marriage alike’’ and beyond boyfriend and girlfriend stage.

The Permanent Visa is generally give  to applicants whose relationship has existed for at least 3 years, unless there is a child from the relationship, in which case this period is reduced to 2 years.

Requirements of the Australain Partner Visa Application

One of the main Australian partner visa requirements is that the relationship is mutually exclusive, genuine, continuing and has been ongoing for the relevant period that is at least 12 months. Applicant and sponsor are expected be living together for the required period and not living separately and apart on a permanent basis.

The burden is on the applicant to prove that their relationship is meeting the above requirements. There are a number of documents you will need to provide such as evidence of sharing financial responsibilities, mutual commitment, and social aspects of the relationship.

You also need to ensure there your Australian partner is eligible to sponsor you. Having sponsored another person in the past or being sponsored themselves might prevent your Australian partner from sponsoring you.

Applicants must also past health assessment which means no major medical conditions. Applicants and sponsors must be of good character.

Australian Partner Visa Application Fee:

The current Australian partner Visa fee is AUD$7,715. The fee is the same whether you apply in or outside Australia. Card surcharge fee, typically around 1.35%applies when paying for the visa by debit or credit card.

The fee is payable in one payment when the application is lodged to the Australian Immigration Department. Generally, there is no refund should the application fail or the application is withdrawn. There will be an additional fee if you wish to include a child with the application (AUD$3,860 for the child over the age of 18 and AUD$1,935 to add a child under the age of 18).

The application fee usually goes up on 1^st July when a new financial year starts in Australia.

Other Fees:

In addition to the visa application charge, you also need to budget for compulsory health and character reports. There might be other fees you may incur such as cost of translation of non-English documents, certifying documents or witnessing declarations.

Migration Agent or Immigration Lawyer fees

Australian Migration Agentsand an Immigration Lawyers are qualified Australian Visa specialists who have experience in Australian Immigration law. There is no need to use one, but some people find the processes less stressful if they have a helping hand to go through the often complex application.

Always look for a reputable and experienced advisor, who is regulated by a professional legal authority in the country where they operate. Migration agents or lawyer chargesfor assistance can vary between AUD$3,000 to AUD$5,000 or more depending on complexity of your case. 

The process of applying for the Australian Partner Visa can be lengthy and expensive.The Australian Immigration Department is getting stricter on Visa applications and applicants meeting the required criteria. The character requirements have been strengthen to protect the Australian families from violence and forced marriages. Whilst using a Migration agent or lawyer is not compulsory, it might save you a lot of time and stress. An Australian immigration lawyer will prepare the application for you making sure you stand best chances of being approved.

At Emigrate -To- Australia at Taylor Hampton Solicitors we have successfully assisted hundreds of applicants with the Australian Partner visa process. As each application is different, we appreciate that each client’s case requires individual approach and care and we proud to be providing tailored services meeting our clients’ Australian migration needs.  If you need a helping hand with your Australian Partner application? Contact us today by email: enquiries@emigrate-to-australia.co.uk or call us on 0207 427 5976. We are based in London, UK and we are here to help.