Top 5 partner visa questions – Answered!

As a lover of a good love story and a partner visa expert, our Managing Director Emma Drynan of Freedom Migration shares her answers to the most frequently asked questions by families going down the long and winding road of lodging a partner visa or prospective marriage visa application.

1. How long will it take for a partner visa to be decided?

If only I had a crystal ball. When families lodge a partner visa application the biggest concern is usually how long it will take as the waiting game for some means months of separation. One never knows exactly how long it will take for a partner visa to be decided. My advice to the families we represent is a Partner visa or prospective marriage visas should take about 9-12 months (as advertised on the Department of Immigration’s website). However, it is not a ‘one size’ fits all scenario. Some visas are granted faster than others. Factors that might affect the speed in which
your visa is processed can include:

• The quality of the application you have submitted – if you have a poorly prepared application riddled with mistakes and insufficient evidence then it may delay the grant of your visa.
• Location – some Australian embassies and immigration offices are busier than others because higher numbers of applications are lodged there. Some offices have more team members than others. This is something that is beyond your control.

2. What forms do we use?

There are a number of different forms required to lodge a partner visa application. The visa application form for a partner visa (subclass 820/801, subclass 300, subclass 309/100) is a form 47SP and the sponsorship form is a form 40SP. There are additional forms that may be required including a form 80 and a form 1221. The forms change regularly so it is important you lodge your application on the current forms or your application will be deemed ‘invalid’ and may be sent back to you. To avoid the issue of form changes, the families we look after are opting to lodge partner visa applications online.

3. How much is a partner visa?

This question is the one I least enjoy answering at Freedom Migration as unfortunately the Minister for Immigration (former) Scott Morrison doubled the visa application charges as of 1 January 2015. Partner visa fees range from $4600 to in excess of $6800. There are additional charges for the inclusion of children and other dependents. So the bigger the family the higher the cost.

4. Can I apply for a partner visa from inside Australia?

There is no short answer to this question as it depends on your circumstances. If you (the visa applicant) are inside Australia at the time of wanting to apply for your partner visa and you have a visa that allows you to lodge a further application then you may be able to apply from inside Australia.

5. What documents can we provide to evidence our relationship?

How long is a piece of string? This question is solely dependent on your circumstances as a couple. It is important that together you review your history and the way your relationship works currently to identify evidence of the financial aspects of your relationship, social aspects, nature of your household and the nature of your commitment to each other. Evidencing your relationship requires much more than a declaration of your love for each other, a baby or a marriage certificate.

If you are going through the motions of preparing a partner visa application, don’t risk your future with a partner visa refusal. Contact the team at Freedom Migration to arrange a Partner visa planning’ session with one of our partner visa experts. Call +61 (07) 3112-5204.

IMPORTANT: Please note, this does not constitute Immigration advice. Always seek advice from a Registered Migration Agent before applying for an Australian Visa. Migration Law is constantly changing. This information is accurate only at the time of publication.