Someone in a reader thread mentioned they’d budgeted $9,000 for their partner visa based on a friend’s application from a couple of years back, then found out the actual fee had jumped by more than $2,000 since then. Visa fees here move fast, and partner visas specifically have just had one of the bigger increases on the books.
Quick answer: The Partner visa (onshore subclass 820/801, or offshore 309/100) lets you live in Australia with your married or de facto partner, moving from a temporary stage to permanent residency. From 1 July 2026, the base application charge for the primary applicant is $11,710 (up from $9,365), and the whole process — temporary plus permanent stage — realistically takes around 2.5 to 3 years from lodgement to the permanent visa being granted.
Onshore vs Offshore: Which One Applies to You
If you’re already in Australia when you apply, you’re generally looking at the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820, moving to 801). If you’re applying from outside Australia, it’s the offshore equivalent (subclass 309, moving to 100). The core requirements — genuine relationship, married or de facto — are the same either way; the difference is mainly about where you are when you lodge and whether you get a bridging visa while you wait.
What the Fee Actually Covers
The $11,710 base charge (from 1 July 2026) covers both stages of the visa — you don’t pay again to progress from the temporary to the permanent stage. If you’re including additional applicants on the same application, expect an extra $5,860 for each dependent aged 18 or over, and $2,935 for each dependent under 18. This fee is non-refundable, including if the application is ultimately refused, so it’s genuinely worth getting your evidence right before lodging rather than treating the application as a first attempt. For the broader picture on how visa fees moved this year, see our Australia visa prices update.
The Realistic Timeline
As a rough guide, the temporary stage has recently been taking somewhere in the range of 12 to 24 months, with roughly half of applicants decided by around the 17-month mark. The permanent stage (801 or 100) generally can’t even be assessed until at least two years after you first applied, and then typically takes a further several months to a year once you’re eligible. All up, budgeting for 2.5 to 3 years from lodgement to permanent visa is the realistic expectation, not the exception.
What “Genuine Relationship” Evidence Actually Means
This is where most applications get delayed, not the paperwork itself. The Department wants to see your relationship is genuine and ongoing across several dimensions:
- Financial aspects. Joint bank accounts, shared bills, or evidence of financial interdependence.
- Social aspects. Being known as a couple to friends and family — joint invitations, photos, statements from people who know you.
- Household aspects. Shared living arrangements and how you divide domestic responsibilities.
- Commitment. How long you’ve been together, and evidence of a shared future — this is where things like joint travel, cohabitation history, and long-term plans come in.
For de facto couples specifically, you generally need to show at least 12 months of living together before applying, unless you’re registered as a de facto relationship in an Australian state or territory, or there are compelling reasons (like children together) that let you apply sooner.
Common Mistakes
- Budgeting off an old fee figure. Partner visa costs have moved substantially this year — always confirm the current charge on the Department of Home Affairs Partner visa page before you lodge.
- Treating evidence as a checklist rather than a genuine record. A thin folder of documents assembled just before applying looks different to a case officer than a relationship’s actual paper trail.
- Assuming the permanent stage is automatic. It requires its own assessment at the two-year mark, not just a formality once the temporary visa is granted.
If a permanent skilled visa is a more realistic path for your situation, our guide to skilled visas 189 vs 190 vs 491 covers the points-tested alternative, and our citizenship test guide covers what comes after permanent residency.
This article is general information, not migration advice. Partner visa fees, processing times, and evidence requirements change and are highly fact-dependent — confirm your specific situation with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent before applying.