Are you a spouse or a de facto partner of an Australian citizen or a New Zealander? You can apply for a Partner Visa (Subclass 309). This visa program allows the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen or eligible New Zealander to reside in Australia temporarily and apply for a Permanent Partner Visa (Subclass 100) eventually.
So, until the Department of Home Affairs, Australia evaluates your permanent Partner Visa application and grants or rejects it, you can temporarily live, study and work in the country. You also get the right to travel offshore as many times as you want.
Eligibility for Australian Partner Visa (Subclass 309)
To apply for a Partner (Provisional) Visa,
- You must be in a real relationship with an Australian citizen or eligible New Zealander.
- If you are a de facto partner, you must be in a relationship for a minimum of one year and have registered the relationship under state law.
- Your partner must sponsor you.
- Your age must be 18 years or above.
- You must stay outside the country while applying for the visa.
Document Checklist for Australian Partner Visa (Subclass 309)
If you meet the above criteria and want to apply for the visa program, ensure gathering all essential documents as evidence of your claims.
Check out the below quick document checklist to get an in-depth idea about what you need to submit with the application.
1. Application Forms:
Two documents are essential:
- Visa Application by the primary candidate.
- Sponsorship Application by the PR spouse.
2. Identity Documents:
- You must submit your legal documents to verify your identity. You may need to submit your birth certificate showing your both parent’s name clearly.
If you fail to submit the birth certificate, make sure you submit:
- Certified copy of your national ID card
- Copy of Government-issued ID document pages
- Copy of ID document pages issued by the court
- Certified copies of your present passport pages with your photo, personal information, issue, and expiry dates
- Documents if you have legally changed your name before applying for the visa
3. Two copy of coloured passport size photographs (recent)
4. Documents of your Relationship:
The documents you need to submit as evidence of your relationship with your partner are:
- Registration copy of your relationship with your partner, such as marriage certification, de facto relationship registration copy, etc.
- If any of you were married before and divorced or widowed, you must submit legal copies of the divorce document, death certificate, etc.
- Both you and your partner must submit written copies of your relationship history.
- Copies of joint financial documents, like joint mortgage copies, joint bank accounts, etc.
- You must submit certified documents for sharing household responsibilities, family photographs, travel plans, etc.
- If you are in a de facto relation, you must show evidence of living together with your partner for the last 12 months before applying for the visa.
- Proof of your genuine relationship with your spouse or de facto.
5. Heath and Character Document
- Australian Police Certification copy if you have lived in the country for one year or more after turning 16.
- An Overseas Police Verification document from the country, including your home country, if you have spent more than one year there.
6.Legal Documents of the Sponsor:
- Legal documents as evidence that your partner is an Australian citizen or an eligible New Zealander
- Documents to show your sponsor resides in Australia
Australian Partner visas are the easiest way towards permanent residency. If you spend time collecting the necessary information you might be able to submit the visa by yourself. If you can’t manage that time or fear making mistakes, you can always contact a MARA-Registered Migration Agent.