How To Apply For Partner Visa Step By Step

A complete step-by-step guide to lodging an Australian Partner visa in 2026 — ImmiAccount, Form 40SP, evidence, health checks, and what happens after.

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The Partner visa process feels overwhelming mostly because nobody lays out the actual sequence clearly — which form comes first, what your sponsor needs to do, and when. Once you see it broken into steps, it's a manageable process. Here's exactly how to apply, in the right order, based on current Department of Home Affairs procedure.

Step 1: Confirm Your Pathway And Eligibility

Before touching ImmiAccount, confirm which pathway applies to you:

Onshore (Subclass 820/801) — if you're in Australia when you lodge and will be in Australia when the temporary visa is decided
Offshore (Subclass 309/100) — if you're outside Australia at lodgement; since 25 November 2023 you no longer need to remain offshore for the decision, only at the point of lodging
Prospective Marriage visa (Subclass 300) — if you're engaged but not yet married and haven't lived together for 12 months

Pathway	Where you apply from	Leads to	Bridging visa?
Subclass 820/801	Onshore (in Australia)	Permanent Subclass 801	Yes — Bridging Visa A
Subclass 309/100	Offshore (outside Australia)	Permanent Subclass 100	No — no bridging visa applies
Subclass 300	Onshore or offshore	Marriage, then 820/801 application	Depends on location at lodgement

Your sponsor must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, and both partners must generally be 18 or over.

Step 2: Create Your ImmiAccount And Start The Application

Partner visa applications are lodged entirely online through ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au — paper applications are not accepted. Setting up an account takes a few minutes and only requires basic details and an email address you check regularly, since all Department correspondence goes there.

Once logged in: select "New application" → "Family" → "Partner or Prospective Marriage Visa." Starting the application immediately generates your Transaction Reference Number (TRN) — you'll need this to link your sponsor's application to yours.

Step 3: Your Sponsor Lodges Form 40SP Separately

Your Australian partner doesn't need to be present when you lodge. They complete their own sponsorship application — Form 40SP, "Sponsorship for a Partner to Migrate to Australia" — through their own ImmiAccount, using the TRN you provide them. This form covers the sponsor's background, character checks, and any previous sponsorship history, and is assessed independently alongside your application.

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Step 4: Build And Upload Your Evidence

This is the step most applications succeed or fail on. Home Affairs now expects applications to be decision-ready at lodgement — meaning your evidence across the four pillars (financial, household, social, and commitment) should be complete before you submit, since follow-up requests aren't routinely issued.

Scan documents in colour, at high resolution, keeping individual files under the upload size limit
Label every file clearly by category so a case officer can navigate your evidence quickly
Include certified NAATI translations alongside any non-English documents
Organise evidence into the same four categories the Department assesses against

Step 5: Complete Health And Character Checks

Alongside your relationship evidence, you'll need:

A health examination through an approved panel physician, booked via the Health Appointment Service (HAS) and valid for 12 months
Police certificates from Australia (if you've lived here 12+ months since age 16) and any other country you've lived in for 12+ months since turning 16
Certificates obtained within 12 months of lodgement and kept valid through to the decision date

Step 6: Pay The Application Charge And Submit

Once your evidence, health checks, and character documents are ready, pay the government application charge — currently $11,710 for the primary applicant — and formally submit. This single payment covers both the temporary and permanent stages, so there's no second Department charge later.

Step 7: Respond To Requests And Track Your Case

After lodgement, onshore applicants automatically receive a Bridging Visa A, giving lawful stay and generally full work rights while the application processes. From here:

Check ImmiAccount regularly — any Request for Further Information typically carries a strict 28-day deadline
If planning overseas travel on a BVA, apply for a Bridging Visa B first, or your bridging visa will cease when you leave
For applications sitting in the queue a year or more, submit updated evidence periodically to show the relationship remains current

How Australian Immigration Consultants Can Help

Every step above has a way to go wrong — an incomplete Form 40SP, a mislabelled evidence file, an expired police certificate, or a missed RFI deadline — and any one of them can add months to your wait or put your $11,710 charge at risk. At Australian Immigration Consultants, our MARA-registered agents manage the entire sequence for you: confirming your pathway, coordinating your sponsor's Form 40SP, building a decision-ready evidence file, and monitoring your case through to grant, so nothing slips through the cracks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first step to apply for a Partner visa? Confirm your correct pathway (onshore 820/801, offshore 309/100, or Prospective Marriage 300) before creating your ImmiAccount and starting the application.

Does my sponsor need to apply at the same time as me? They lodge Form 40SP separately through their own ImmiAccount, linked to your application using your Transaction Reference Number.

How long are police certificates and health checks valid for? Both must generally be obtained within 12 months of lodgement and remain valid through to the Department's decision.

Can I submit a paper Partner visa application? No, all Partner visa applications and supporting documents must be lodged online through ImmiAccount.

What happens if I get a Request for Further Information? You typically have 28 days to respond, and a slow or missed response can pause your application and add months to processing.