Australia has a large and growing Indian community. Many marriages are arranged between a partner in India and a partner who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Australia's Department of Home Affairs offers several partner visas. At first, the subclass numbers can be confusing. This guide explains how they normally fit together.
Please treat this as general guidance, not legal or migration advice. Australian visa rules, application charges, sponsorship steps and processing times change. Check the current details on the Home Affairs website before you apply. If your situation is complex, think about using a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner.
Who can sponsor a partner
In general, the sponsoring partner must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen. The sponsor usually needs to meet sponsorship rules. There can be limits too. For example, the sponsor may have sponsored other partners before, or have certain criminal history. Both partners normally need to be 18 or older, but rules for some subclasses differ. Check the current sponsor rules on the Home Affairs site.
Married or de facto relationships
Partner visas cover both married couples and de facto partners. For married couples, the marriage must be valid under Australian law. So a marriage held and registered in India under Indian law is normally the starting point. De facto couples normally must have lived together for a period. There are exceptions, such as registering the relationship in some Australian states. Most couples introduced through a matrimonial service and married in India apply as a married couple.
Parents sometimes ask if the sponsor's family can sponsor instead. They also ask if the couple must already live together. For a married couple, the sponsor is the Australian partner, not a parent or relative. Married applicants do not need to live together before the wedding. But Home Affairs will still look at the whole relationship. Tell your adviser early about any past marriages or children from a past relationship. Also say so if the sponsor was once sponsored as a partner. These facts can change which rules apply.
Offshore partner visa: subclass 309 and 100
The partner (provisional and migrant) visa, subclass 309 and 100, is for applicants outside Australia. It has two stages but needs only one application. The temporary subclass 309 visa is decided first. It lets the applicant live, work and study in Australia. The permanent subclass 100 visa is checked later, after a waiting period, if the relationship is still going on. The applicant normally must be outside Australia when applying and when the 309 visa is decided.
Onshore partner visa: subclass 820 and 801
The partner visa subclass 820 and 801 is the onshore version. It is for applicants who are in Australia when they apply, usually on another valid visa. Again, one application covers two stages. First comes the temporary subclass 820, and later the permanent subclass 801. People who apply onshore may get a bridging visa during processing, depending on their situation. Some visa conditions can block an onshore application. One example is a no further stay condition on certain visitor visas. So check carefully before you decide.
Prospective marriage visa: subclass 300
The prospective marriage visa, subclass 300, is for someone outside Australia who is engaged to an eligible sponsor. They must plan to marry the sponsor in Australia. In general, the couple must have met in person and must know each other. They must truly plan to marry and live together. The applicant travels to Australia, and the couple marry within the visa period. The applicant then applies for the onshore partner visa (subclass 820 and 801). This route can suit families who want the wedding in Australia.
Evidence of a genuine relationship
Home Affairs normally looks at four parts of a relationship. These are money matters, how you run your home, your social life, and how committed you are to each other. Arranged marriages are well understood. The key is honest proof that fits together. Useful items include:
- the registered marriage certificate and ceremony photos with family and guests
- a true statement from each partner about how they met and how the relationship grew
- records of calls, messages and visits over time
- proof of shared money or plans, such as joint accounts or plans for a shared home
- statements from people who know the couple, on the form Home Affairs needs where it applies
Typical steps
- Choose the right subclass. This depends on where the applicant is, and whether the couple is married, de facto or engaged.
- Check the current sponsor and applicant rules on the Home Affairs website.
- Create an ImmiAccount and lodge the application online with supporting documents. Pay the current visa application charge.
- Give fingerprints and a photo if asked, and do health checks at an approved panel clinic.
- Provide police certificates from countries where needed, including India.
- Reply to requests for more details by the stated deadline.
- For two-stage visas, send new proof of your relationship when the permanent stage is checked.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Lodging the wrong subclass, for example applying onshore when a visa condition stops you.
- Relying on old details about application charges or processing times.
- Sending weak relationship proof or statements that do not match.
- Not telling Home Affairs about earlier relationships, visa refusals or character issues.
- Missing English translations of Indian documents by a suitable translator.
- Paying an unofficial agent who promises a guaranteed result.
Advisers, fraud warnings and where Meravyaah fits
In Australia, people who give immigration help for a fee normally must be registered migration agents or Australian legal practitioners. You can check an agent on the official register of migration agents. Be careful of unregistered agents in India or Australia who promise guaranteed visas or offer to arrange documents. False or misleading details can lead to refusal. In some cases, it can lead to a ban on future visas. A marriage arranged only to get a visa is not a real relationship. It has serious consequences.
Meravyaah is an online marriage introduction service for Indian and NRI singles and families. It has members in India, Australia and other countries. Members' identities are confirmed, and contact details are never public. Meravyaah does not provide visa, migration or legal services. If a profile offers visa help for money, please use the report option.
Where to get official, up-to-date information
This guide is general guidance, not legal or migration advice, and rules change. Read the current partner visa pages on the Department of Home Affairs website. They cover who can apply, documents, charges and processing. Some cases are complex, such as earlier refusals, past sponsorships or visa conditions. For these, think about a registered migration agent or an Australian immigration lawyer.