Visa bạn đời (ngoài nước, tạm trú)

What this visa is for#

The Partner visa (offshore, provisional) (subclass 309) is in the partner category, in the Offshore 309/100 stream. It is for people who apply outside Australia as the partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

The 309 is the temporary stage of a two-stage partner visa process. If the application continues through that process and the relationship requirements are met at the later stage, the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) is considered after the 309.

This visa is lodged while the applicant is outside Australia. The Department assesses the application against the legal criteria for the offshore partner stream, and the evidence lodged with the application is a major part of that assessment.

Who it is generally for#

This visa is for people who are married to, or in a de facto relationship with, an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and who apply from outside Australia.

This visa is also used for people in long-term committed relationships where the couple can provide material showing the relationship is genuine and continuing. In practice, partner visa applications usually involve evidence across several areas of shared life, such as living arrangements, finances, social recognition and commitment to each other.

The offshore partner stream can also cover dependent children included in the application, if the law allows them to be included and the required charges are paid. The visa application is tied to the sponsoring partner as part of the partner visa process.

What it costs#

The government visa application charge for this stream is:

• Main applicant: $11,710
• Additional applicant 18 or over: $5,860
• Additional applicant under 18: $2,930

These are government charges. They are paid to the Department, and the government charge is the same no matter who lodges the application, whether it is lodged by the applicant personally, by a registered migration agent or by an Australian legal practitioner.

Professional fees are separate. A registered migration agent or lawyer may charge for advice, document review, preparing the application, drafting submissions, dealing with Department requests and follow-up after lodgement. Those professional fees are not set by the government, so they vary from one provider to another.

Government charges are indexed and usually change on 1 July. If a guide is read months after publication, it is worth checking the current charge before lodgement.

Other third-party costs can arise during the process, such as health examinations, police certificates, translations and document certification. These are not part of the visa application charge.

How long it takes#

Published processing guidance: Commonly 12-24 months to the 309 grant.

Processing times are not fixed deadlines. A case can move faster or slower depending on factors such as how complete the application is at lodgement, whether the Department asks for more information, how quickly police checks and health results are provided, and whether documents need verification from overseas authorities.

Applications with clear, organised evidence are generally easier for a case officer to assess than applications with missing identity documents, missing relationship evidence or inconsistent dates. Delays can also happen if contact details are out of date and the applicant misses a Department request.

Because this is the offshore 309/100 stream, the process often runs over a long period. That means some documents lodged early may expire before a decision is made and may need to be updated.

What the process involves#

The process starts with preparing the application for the Offshore 309/100 stream. This usually includes identity documents, civil documents such as birth and marriage records where relevant, relationship evidence, and information about the sponsoring partner.

The application is lodged while the applicant is outside Australia. After lodgement, the Department issues acknowledgements and may later request further information if something is missing or if updated documents are needed.

Relationship evidence is usually a large part of the file. In practical terms, applications often include documents showing the history of the relationship, periods spent together, communication while apart, financial arrangements, living arrangements and statements from people who know the couple. The Department looks at the total picture rather than one single item.

Health examinations and police certificates are commonly required during processing. The timing can vary. Sometimes these are arranged early, and sometimes the Department asks for them later in the process.

If children are included, the application usually also needs documents about parentage, identity and any required consent or family law material. Missing child-related documents can slow a file down substantially.

During processing, the Department communicates through the application system and the contact details recorded on the file. If there is a change of residential address, email address, phone number, passport, relationship status or family composition, the Department generally needs to be told so the application record stays current.

If the provisional 309 visa is granted, the holder can then move to the later stage of the partner process for the subclass 100. That later stage is not a fresh partner visa category, but part of the same offshore 309/100 stream process.

What commonly goes wrong#

A common problem is incomplete evidence at lodgement. Partner visa applications are document-heavy, and delays often start when basic items are missing, such as identity documents, civil records, or enough material to show the history and nature of the relationship.

Another frequent issue is inconsistent information across forms, passports, certificates and written statements. Different dates for when the relationship started, different residential histories, or unexplained gaps in time can lead to questions from the Department and more requests for information.

Documents expiring mid-process is also common. Passports, police certificates and some other records may no longer be current by the time a case officer is ready to decide the application. When that happens, updated documents may be requested, which can add weeks or months.

Poor document quality causes practical problems. Scans that are cut off, unreadable, untranslated or uploaded in the wrong document slot make it harder for the Department to assess the file. A strong document in the wrong place can be almost as unhelpful as a missing document if the officer cannot easily find it.

Some applicants do not tell the Department about a change of address, email or phone number. That can lead to missed deadlines if the Department sends a request for information and the request is not seen in time.

Changes in personal circumstances are another trouble spot. New passports, new children, marriage after lodgement, separation, reconciliation, or long periods living apart can all affect the factual record. If the file is not updated, the Department may be assessing an outdated picture.

Applications sometimes rely too heavily on photos and chat logs but provide little evidence of practical shared life. Photos can help, but they are usually only one part of the overall evidence. Files are often stronger when they also include material about finances, household arrangements, travel, communication and future plans.

Another common mistake is waiting until the Department asks before gathering police checks, health documents or hard-to-get civil records. Some overseas documents take a long time to obtain, especially if they need legalisation or official translation.

People also sometimes assume a bridging visa carries the same rights as the substantive visa they previously held. Bridging visas have their own conditions and are separate visas with their own effect. In partner matters, confusion about visa status and travel rights can create practical problems if travel is planned without checking the actual grant notice and conditions.

Finally, some applications are lodged without a clear, organised timeline of the relationship. Even where the relationship is genuine, a file can become harder to assess if key events are scattered across uploads and dates do not line up cleanly.

Frequently asked questions#

Can I apply for the 309 partner visa while I am in Australia?#

This is an offshore visa in the Offshore 309/100 stream. The application is made outside Australia, and the visa is designed for applicants who apply outside Australia as the partner of an Australian citizen, PR or eligible NZ citizen.

How much is the government fee for a 309 partner visa?#

The government charge is $11,710 for the main applicant. It is $5,860 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over, and $2,930 for each additional applicant under 18. These charges are separate from any professional fees charged by a registered migration agent or lawyer.

How long does a 309 partner visa take?#

Published processing guidance is commonly 12-24 months to the 309 grant. That is general guidance only, and the actual timeframe can be affected by document completeness, updated checks, Department requests and the complexity of the file.

What evidence is usually included in a 309 partner visa application?#

Applications commonly include identity documents, civil documents and material about the relationship. In practice, that often means evidence about shared finances, living arrangements, time spent together, communication while apart, social recognition of the relationship and statements from people who know the couple.

What happens after the 309 visa is granted?#

The 309 is the provisional stage in the Offshore 309/100 partner process. After that stage, the permanent subclass 100 is considered later in the process if the legal requirements at that stage are met.

About this page. This is general information about how the Partner visa (offshore, provisional) (subclass 309) works. It is not immigration assistance and it is not advice about your situation. Under section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 only a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner can give you that. Charges are indexed and most change on 1 July, so check any figure against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you rely on it, and check any agent's registration on the OMARA register.