Subclass 820 / 801
Onshore partner visa
For applicants applying onshore in Australia.
Partners & families
Living with your loved ones shouldn’t be optional. Careful planning, strategy and expert guidance can help you bring your family from overseas to Australia.
Registered Migration Agent (RMA)
Qualified Education Agent Counsellor (QEAC)
Independent advice
Global executive experience
Registered Migration Agent (RMA)
Qualified Education Agent Counsellor (QEAC)
Independent advice
Global executive experience
How can I bring my partner or family to Australia?
Family migration is often one of the most important and emotionally significant parts of the migration process. Whether you are planning to bring a partner, child, parent, or another eligible relative to Australia, the right pathway will depend on your relationship, your current status, your long-term goals, and the practical realities of timing, cost, and eligibility.
Australia offers a range of partner, child, parent, and other family visa pathways, but they vary significantly in terms of requirements, processing times, and long-term outcomes. Home Affairs maintains separate visa categories for partners, children, parents, and other family members within the broader visa framework.
Understanding which option is realistic, and how it fits into your broader family plans, is often the first step in building a sound strategy.
What partner visa options are available in Australia?
Partner visas usually follow a two stage process, granting successful applicants a temporary visa first and a permanent one later. The Prospective Marriage visa allows a person to come to Australia, marry their prospective spouse, and then apply for a Partner visa.
The right pathway depends on where the applicant is located, their current visa status, the nature and duration of the relationship, and whether there are timing or practical issues that need to be managed carefully.
Subclass 309 / 100
Offshore partner visa
For applicants applying offshore outside Australia.
Subclass 300
Prospective marriage visa
For people intending to come to Australia to marry their prospective spouse and then apply for a partner visa.
How do partner visas work?
In most cases, partner migration is a staged process. A temporary stage is assessed first, followed later by the permanent stage, unless a direct permanent outcome is available in limited circumstances under the applicable framework.
01
Temporary stage
Assessed first, and if granted, allows the applicant to stay in Australia till a permanent visa is granted. Partners must remain in a genuine relationship to progress.
02
Permanent stage
Unless a direct permanent outcome is available, partners who continue meeting the relevant criteria are granted a permanent visa.
The most common considerations include:
- Whether the relationship meets the legal definition
- The quality and consistency of the evidence
- Timing
- Current visa status
- Travel or bridging visa considerations
- Previous visa history or other complications
We help clients assess the right partner pathway, identify evidentiary strengths and gaps, and prepare a practical, credible application. Talk to us today.
Can I bring my children to Australia?
In many cases, yes. The right pathway depends on the child’s circumstances, your visa position, and how the family circumstances are documented. Planning early can help avoid issues around dependency, consent, and timing.
Australia has child-related pathways including:
Subclass 802
Child
Commonly used where a child is sponsored by a parent who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Subclass 445
Dependent child
Generally relevant where a child needs to be included within a parent’s existing migration process.
Subclass 102
Adoption
Usually applies where a child adopted overseas is being brought to Australia under the relevant migration framework.
What parent visa options are available in Australia?
Australia does have parent visa options, but the program is highly competitive and controlled by the planning levels set by the Department of Home Affairs. Each year, the Department determines how many places are available in each category, including parent visas, and demand is greater than the available places.
Subclass 804
Aged Parent pathway
A permanent pathway for an aged parent. Home Affairs currently estimates around 33 years for new Parent and Aged Parent applications.
Subclasses 864 / 884
Contributory Parent pathway
A two-stage route through a temporary visa and then a permanent visa. New Contributory Parent applications are currently estimated at around 15 years.
Subclass 870
Sponsored Parent pathway
A temporary alternative, allowing stays of up to 3 or 5 years at a time. Current processing times are 7 months for 50% and 10 months for 90% of applications.
Can I have my parents live with me lawfully in Australia?
In most cases, yes.
Where a parent is in Australia and lodges a valid onshore application at the right time, a Bridging Visa A can keep them lawful while the substantive visa is processed. A Bridging Visa B may provide limited travel rights, but travel needs to be planned carefully.
Parents may need private health insurance while they wait. The right approach depends on the current visa, the application being considered, and the family’s circumstances, so review the timing and eligibility before lodgement.
Can I bring another relative to Australia?
In some cases, yes, but these pathways are narrow and highly regulated.
The Remaining Relative visa is for a person whose only close family members are in Australia. The Aged Dependent Relative visa can apply to a single older person who relies financially on a relative in Australia.
Examples include:
•Subclass 835 – Remaining Relative
•Subclass 838 – Aged Dependent Relative
Home Affairs currently estimates around 22 years for new applications in both categories. The requirements are strict, so eligibility should be assessed before relying on either pathway.
What factors matter most in partner and family migration planning?
The right family pathway depends on more than the visa subclass.
Key considerations often include:
The nature of the relationship
Where the applicant is currently located
Sponsor’s citizenship or residency status
Age and dependency
Whether children are involved
Financial implications
Evidence requirements
Processing time
Long-term family settlement goals
Family migration often becomes difficult when people focus too quickly on a single visa name instead of stepping back and asking which overall approach makes the most sense.
That is where careful strategy matters.
How can we help with partner and family migration?
Partner and family cases are often deeply personal, but they still require realism and a sound understanding of what the law and current policy settings actually allow.
We help clients with:
•Assessing which family pathway may be available
•Comparing temporary and permanent options
•Understanding evidence requirements
•Planning around children, parents, and broader family considerations
•Preparing and lodging applications
•Making realistic decisions where the pathway is narrow, expensive, or subject to very long queues
We look beyond the visa label to assess what is possible, what is practical, and what fits your family’s priorities over the longer term.
Partners & families FAQs
What evidence is needed to prove a genuine relationship?
The evidence depends on your circumstances, but may include documents showing your shared household, finances, social life, communication, and future plans. The evidence should be consistent and explain the history of the relationship clearly.
Can I include my children in a partner visa application?
In some cases, eligible children can be included or may need a separate child visa pathway. The correct approach depends on the child’s age, dependency, location, and your visa circumstances.
Can my parents stay in Australia while a parent visa is being processed?
A parent may be able to remain lawfully in Australia if they hold or apply for the right visa at the right time. Bridging visa conditions, travel, health insurance, and the parent visa category all need to be checked.
Will my parent be eligible for Medicare while a parent visa is pending?
Usually not. Parents waiting for a parent visa will often need private health insurance, although the position depends on the visa held and the individual circumstances.
How are de facto relationships assessed for a partner visa?
A de facto relationship is assessed through the overall evidence of a genuine and continuing relationship, including the nature of your household, finances, social recognition, and commitment to one another. The required period and exceptions depend on the visa pathway and your circumstances.
Why do parent visas take so long to process?
Parent visa processing is controlled by annual planning levels and caps. When demand is higher than the number of places available, applications are queued and can take many years. See the Department’s migration program planning levels for current settings.