The minimum requirements of the Subclass 309 Offshore Provisional Partner Visa are set out below. Please note, this is the first stage of an offshore Partner Visa and the second stage is the Subclass 100 Permanent Partner Visa.

• Relationship Requirements
• Sponsor Requirements
• Application Requirements
• Next Steps: Permanent Residency 100 Visa Requirements
• How Long Does it Take?

Relationship

If your application is based on marriage:

• You must have met in person
• You must be legally married to an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and
• The marriage must be lawful in Australia

If your application is based on a de facto relationship:

• You must have met in person
• You must have been in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen for at least 12 months prior to lodging your application (unless there are compelling or compassionate circumstances) AND
• You and your partner must both be at least 18 years old, and must not be closely related

In all cases:

• You and your spouse/partner must be in a mutually exclusive relationship;
• That relationship must be genuine and continuing
• You and your spouse/partner must either live together, or live apart on a temporary basis only

Sponsor

Your sponsor must:

• Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Not have previously sponsored more than one other fiancé, partner or spouse for migration to Australia, and not have sponsored a fiancé, spouse or partner for migration to Australia within the last 5 years (unless there are compelling circumstances)
• Not have been sponsored for a Spouse, Partner or Prospective Marriage visa by someone else within the last 5 years (unless there are compelling circumstances)
• Provide police clearance certificates to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for each country in which he/she has lived for at least 12 months during the last 10 years AND consent to the DHA disclosing any conviction for a ‘relevant offence’ to you and any family members included in your application

APPLICATION PROCESS

Your Partner visa application is lodged with the Department of Home Affairs (the DHA) on behalf of you and your sponsor. The main criterion is that the relationship and your sponsor meet the requirements referred to above. In addition, you must meet the standard health and character checks.

Following lodgement of your application, you and your spouse/partner may be asked to attend an interview (check out possible interview questions here) with the DHA.

In some cases the DHA case officers may visit your place of residence and/or conduct other checks to verify your relationship.

You must be outside Australia at the time your application is lodged, and when your visa is granted.

This visa allows you to enter Australia and remain here until your application for permanent residency has been decided by the DHA.

Next Steps: Permanent Residency

You will be eligible for permanent residency two years after lodging a successful temporary partner visa application, provided your de facto partnership or marriage continues to meet the requirements listed above.

At this stage, you will be required to provide further evidence to the DHA to establish your eligibility for permanent residency. You may be either in or outside Australia when your permanent visa is granted. This visa will be a  Subclass 100 Permanent Partner Visa.

Want to get the ball rolling and get started on you Subclass 309/100 visa application? Of course you do! Book your telephone, face to face (Melbourne & Sydney) or Zoom consultation now! Click here to book.