Partner Visa 820/801
If you’re already living in Australia and your partner is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, this two-stage visa may let you stay permanently — a temporary visa (820) followed by a permanent visa (801) once your relationship continues to meet requirements. We still handle these matters, though recent policy direction (below) means this pathway now fits a narrower set of situations than it used to — for many couples entering Australia going forward, the offshore route will be the more realistic starting point.
What’s changed this year
Decision-ready lodgement is now the expected standard, not just good practice. Following the Department’s April 2026 Partner Processing Newsletter, case officers generally issue only one request for further information before deciding your case — there’s no longer a routine safety net of follow-up requests. Your application needs to be complete and fully evidenced across all four relationship pillars (financial, social, household, commitment) at the moment you lodge, not built up over time. And visa application charges rose significantly from 1 July 2026 — confirm the current figure with us or on the Home Affairs fee estimator before budgeting.
Condition 8503 and your current visa
The Government announced on 17 September 2026 its intention to expand Condition 8503 (“No Further Stay”) to all future Visitor visa grants. No start date has been announced yet — separate from, and in addition to, the section 48 bar. Nothing changes today, and it doesn’t affect visas already granted. If your current visa does carry 8503, an onshore application here generally isn’t an option regardless of how strong your relationship evidence is (a waiver exists only in narrow circumstances) — that’s why we check your visa conditions as a first step, the same as any other eligibility requirement. The offshore Partner Visa (309/100) remains available either way.
Who can apply
- You’re in a spousal (married) relationship, or a de facto relationship of at least 12 months (exceptions apply for compelling circumstances or registered relationships)
- Both partners are 18 years or older
- Your sponsor is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Your sponsor has sponsored no more than one previous partner, and generally at least 5 years have passed since any earlier partner sponsorship (exceptions apply)
- Your sponsor meets the Department’s character requirements, including declaring any relevant criminal history
- Your current visa doesn’t carry a “No Further Stay” condition (such as Condition 8503) — we confirm this before proceeding with an onshore application
What’s involved
- Evidence of a genuine and continuing relationship across four aspects — financial, social, household, and commitment — all provided at lodgement, not added progressively
- A sponsorship application lodged by your partner
- Health and character checks for the applicant
- Government application charge, set and updated by the Department of Home Affairs
- If you need to travel while your application is pending, a Bridging Visa B can usually be arranged — raise this with us before you book travel, not after
Common reasons applications stall
Insufficient relationship evidence is the most common issue we see — a thin or rushed evidence file, rather than genuine ineligibility, is usually what causes delays or refusal. Under the 2026 one-response standard, this matters more than ever: a weak first submission may not get a second chance. We help clients build a complete, well-organised file from the outset rather than treating evidence-gathering as something to finish later.