Onshore Partner Visa (Subclass 820/801)

What is the onshore Partner visa (820/801)?

The onshore Partner visa lets the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen apply from inside Australia and stay while it is decided. It is one combined application with two stages: Subclass 820 (temporary) is assessed first, and Subclass 801 (permanent) is assessed later — at no extra charge. To qualify you must be in Australia at lodgement, in a genuine and continuing relationship, and meet health and character requirements, with an eligible sponsor.

At a glance (updated 12 September 2026)

Figures are set by the Australian Government and change — most fees index on 1 July each year. Confirm the current charge on the Department of Home Affairs website before lodgement.

Who can apply for a Partner visa 820/801 onshore?

You usually qualify if:

• You are in Australia when you apply.

• You are the spouse or de facto partner of an eligible sponsor (Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen).

• Your relationship is genuine and continuing.

• You meet health and character requirements.

• Your sponsor meets sponsorship requirements (including character checks where requested).

De facto applicants generally need to show 12 months of de facto relationship before applying, unless the relationship is registered under an Australian state or territory law (Queensland registration counts) or compelling circumstances apply.

If you are outside Australia, the correct stream is usually the offshore Partner visa (309/100).

Cost (and what you should budget for)

The visa application charge is $11,710 for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026 — a rise of about 25% from the previous $9,365. The charge applies at lodgement, so the fee that counts is the one current on the day you apply. On top of the application charge, most couples also budget for:

• health examinations

• police clearances (Australian and overseas)

• biometrics (if requested)

• translations and certified copies (where needed)

• registered migration assistance, if you use it

Dependent children added to the application attract an additional charge per child. There is no further application charge at the 801 stage.

The relationship test: what decision makers actually assess

A strong partner visa application is not just a pile of documents. It’s a consistent story supported by evidence across four core areas (often referred to as the “four pillars”):

1) Financial aspects of the relationship

Decision makers look for evidence of shared financial life, such as:

• joint accounts or shared spending habits

• shared bills, rent, utilities, insurance

• evidence of financial support and interdependence

• major purchases or financial commitments together

2) Nature of the household

This is about how you live as a couple:

• shared address history (leases, correspondence, official mail)

• household responsibilities and routines

• evidence you genuinely live together, not just visit

3) Social aspects of the relationship

This shows whether your relationship is recognised by others:

• invitations, events, travel, and shared social life

• evidence friends and family know you as a couple

• joint photos over time (not all from one week)

• supporting statements from people who know your relationship (Form 888 statutory declarations from Australian citizens or permanent residents carry particular weight)

4) Nature of commitment

This is the long-game evidence:

• relationship timeline and milestones

• plans for the future (shared goals, long-term intent)

• evidence of exclusivity and ongoing commitment

• how you’ve handled challenges (distance, relocations, family obligations)

Migration Vision tip: One coherent timeline matters more than “more documents”. Contradictions, gaps, and unexplained periods cause delays and refusals.

Sponsor requirements (don’t treat this as a formality)

Your partner’s sponsorship is a key part of the application. The sponsor must be eligible and may be required to provide documents and meet character-related requirements, including police checks. Sponsorship limitations also apply: in general a person can sponsor no more than two partners in a lifetime, at least five years apart — if your sponsor has sponsored before, this needs to be assessed before you spend money on lodgement. Delays often occur when sponsor documentation is incomplete or submitted late.

How the onshore 820/801 process works (step-by-step)

Step 1: Lodge the combined application

Most applicants lodge online and provide core evidence at the time of application or shortly after. The more “decision-ready” your file is at lodgement, the smoother the assessment tends to be. Lodging while you hold a substantive visa also triggers a Bridging Visa A, which keeps you lawful — with full work rights — after that visa expires.

Step 2: Temporary stage assessment (820)

The department assesses:

• whether the relationship meets the requirements

• whether identity, health and character requirements are satisfied

• whether sponsor requirements are met

If granted, the 820 visa allows you to remain in Australia while the permanent stage is considered.

Step 3: Stage 2 — permanent assessment (801)

The permanent stage is not automatic. You must complete Stage 2 when you become eligible — about two years from the day you lodged — providing updated evidence that your relationship is still genuine and continuing. Couples who have been together long-term (generally three or more years, or two with a dependent child) can in some cases be granted the 801 without the usual waiting period.

Where an onshore partner application sits (Ministerial Direction 117)

Since 25 July 2026, Ministerial Direction 117 has set the order in which family visa applications are processed; it replaced Direction 102. Partner and dependent child applications sit second in its six categories, behind only cases referred for ministerial intervention. The bigger split is location: the highest priority goes to applications made while the applicant was in Australia for a visa that can be granted onshore, which is what an 820 is — so an onshore partner application is ordered ahead of an equivalent offshore 309. An application can also be moved up where there are special circumstances of a compassionate nature and compelling reasons to depart from the order. A high place in the order is not a promise of speed; it sets the sequence, not the timeframe.

Figures current as at 16 September 2026; confirm with the Department of Home Affairs before lodgement.

Where partner visas go wrong (and how to avoid it)

These are the patterns behind most partner visa refusals and long delays we see:

1. Inconsistencies across forms, dates, addresses, and documents — the single most common trigger.

2. Weak de facto evidence (especially financial + household proof), or relying on a relationship registration alone with little supporting evidence behind it.

3. Overreliance on photos and chats without objective documents.

4. Gaps in cohabitation with no explanation and evidence.

5. Sponsor problems discovered late — prior sponsorships, the five-year rule, or character issues.

6. Applying without holding a substantive visa. If your visa has already expired, Schedule 3 criteria apply, and the application must either satisfy them or make a compelling-reasons waiver case. This is one of the most technical areas of partner visa law — get advice before lodging, not after refusal.

7. A section 48 bar from an earlier refusal or cancellation. A partner visa is one of the few applications that can still be made onshore despite the bar, but the file must be built carefully.

8. Stage 2 neglected or left too late — the 801 is refused or delayed because the couple stopped keeping evidence after the 820.

If your partner visa has been refused, review rights at the Administrative Review Tribunal are strictly time-limited. Our visa refusals and appeals page explains the process and deadlines.

Partner visa help — Australia-wide

Migration Vision prepares onshore partner visa applications for couples across Australia — consultations online wherever you are, or in person at our Brisbane office. Queensland couples in a de facto relationship can also register their relationship with Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages, which removes the 12-month de facto requirement (though the relationship itself must still be proven genuine). We advise in English, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi, and many of our partner visa clients come to us across cultures and long-distance histories — evidence patterns we work with every week.

FAQs

How much does the partner visa 820/801 cost in 2026?

The application charge is $11,710 for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026, paid once at lodgement — the permanent 801 stage has no further charge. Health checks, police clearances and translations are extra. Applications lodged before 1 July 2026 kept the previous $9,365 charge.

How long does the partner visa 820 take to process?

The Home Affairs processing-times tool, read on 12 September 2026, shows 50% of subclass 820 applications decided within 23 months and 90% within 29 months. The median has moved out by about five months since August, so budget the wait on the current figure. Decision-ready applications with strong evidence across all four relationship pillars tend to sit at the faster end.

Do I need to live together for a de facto partner visa?

In most cases, cohabitation is a key part of proving a genuine de facto relationship, and de facto couples generally need 12 months together before applying unless the relationship is registered. Where living together has not been possible, the reasons must be credible and supported by evidence.

Can I work while my 820 partner visa is processing?

Yes. While your application is processing you typically hold a Bridging Visa A with full work rights once your current visa ends, and the 820 itself carries unrestricted work rights and Medicare access. If you need to travel overseas while waiting, apply for a Bridging Visa B before you leave.

Can I apply for a partner visa if my visa has expired or I was refused before?

Sometimes, but these are the highest-risk partner visa applications. An expired visa brings Schedule 3 criteria into play, and a refusal or cancellation may raise a section 48 bar. Both can be worked through in the right circumstances, but the strategy must be settled before lodgement — professional advice matters most here.

Is the 801 permanent visa guaranteed after the 820 is granted?

No. The permanent stage is assessed separately at Stage 2, about two years after lodgement. You must show the relationship remains genuine and continuing and meet the ongoing requirements — so keep collecting evidence after the 820 is granted.

Can a complex relationship still succeed (distance, cultural factors, prior marriage)?

Yes, but it needs stronger evidence planning. Complex facts are not fatal — unclear or inconsistent evidence is.

Why clients choose Migration Vision for Partner visas

Migration Vision prepares partner visa applications as structured, evidence-mapped files—not just forms with attachments. Our focus is:

• building a clean timeline that matches every document

• mapping evidence to the four pillars so nothing critical is missing

• identifying weak points early and strengthening them with objective proof

• planning ahead for Stage 2 so the permanent assessment is smooth

Reviewed by Dr Asad Muhammad Khan, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 2619525. Updated 12 September 2026 — fee and processing figures current as at that date; confirm the current charge with the Department of Home Affairs before lodgement. This page is general information, not migration advice for your circumstances.