Partner visas look simple on the page and ruin people in practice — the refusal rate is high because the evidence requirements are unforgiving. That's the work we do every week.
You need to prove a "genuine and continuing relationship" to the standard of a sceptical Home Affairs officer who has never met you, who will assess your case against the four pillars — financial, household, social, commitment — without giving you the benefit of the doubt. Success Immigration Consultant is the busiest partner-visa practice on the Mid North Coast, and Pradeep Kaur (MARN 2619342) handles every file personally — the same agent at consultation, lodgement, RFI response, stage-two follow-on and (if needed) Tribunal appeal.
For applicants already in Australia. You apply for the temporary 820 first; the permanent 801 follows after the relationship-eligibility window. Two-stage process, one application fee. Suits applicants on student, working-holiday, visitor or 485 visas.
Subclass 820 → 801For applicants outside Australia. Same two-stage logic, applied for from the applicant's country. Often the right choice for partners in Thailand, India, the Philippines, Vietnam or the Pacific. Strong evidence at lodgement reduces costly RFIs.
Subclass 309 → 100The "fiancé(e) visa". For couples who plan to marry within nine months of the visa-holder entering Australia. Used where the couple aren't yet married and can't easily meet the 12-month de facto threshold.
Subclass 300You don't need to be married. A de facto relationship of at least 12 months — or registered with NSW Births, Deaths & Marriages — qualifies. NSW relationship registration is an underused shortcut that can transform a borderline case.
de facto · NSW BD&MWe assess the relationship, pick the right subclass, and give you a tailored four-pillar checklist focused on the gaps we've identified.
Sponsor documents and statutory declarations prepared in parallel. File reviewed and submitted with all evidence attached; onshore applicants move onto a BVA.
We handle every Home Affairs request, then diary the 801/100 window from the day of lodgement so you never miss it.
A Coffs Harbour couple — one party Australian, the other Thai — had their 309 refused once over insufficient evidence of ongoing commitment after Covid travel separation. We re-lodged with reorganised evidence — text-message timelines, joint finance, joint travel post-reopening, additional statutory declarations from both families — and the grant came through within months of relodgement. Names withheld.
Working through a partner visa yourself, or worried about an RFI?
Talk to a registered migration agent →For onshore 820 applications, processing typically ranges from 18 to 24 months for the temporary stage, with the permanent 801 following later. Offshore 309 cases can take 12 to 24 months depending on country — Bangkok, Manila, New Delhi and Hanoi each have their own rhythm. Times change quarterly.
The government application fee alone is over $9,000 for the main applicant (confirm at lodgement; it indexes each July). Total all-in cost including medicals, police checks, translations and agent fees is typically $10,000–$15,000.
Yes — onshore applicants are placed on a Bridging Visa A which usually carries full work rights matching the substantive visa held at lodgement. Offshore applicants don't get bridging visas because they're applying from overseas.
Four pillars: financial (joint accounts, bills, liabilities), household (lease, joint address, utility bills), social (photographs across time, joint friendships, family events) and commitment (statutory declarations, future plans, joint travel). We work through each pillar with you.
You generally have 21 days from notification to appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal. Don't delay. See our Visa Refusals & Appeals page. Tribunal set-aside rates for partner-visa cases have historically been around 30–40% — meaningful but not guaranteed.
Call 0402 942 136 or book online. We'll tell you honestly whether your relationship evidence is strong enough to lodge now.
Content approved by Principal Migration Agent Pradeep Kaur (MARN 2619342). Last reviewed: June 2026.