No. You may be eligible if you are married or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. For de facto applications, additional requirements can apply depending on the length and circumstances of the relationship.

Not necessarily in every case. De facto applicants generally need to show that they have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months before applying, although exceptions can apply, including where the relationship is registered under an Australian State or Territory law.

Potentially, yes. Your current visa does not by itself prevent you from applying for a Partner Visa, but your visa conditions, immigration history and where you are at the time of application can affect the appropriate pathway. For example, an 820/801 application must be lodged while you are in Australia, while a 309/100 application must be lodged while you are outside Australia.

Living apart does not automatically mean that you are ineligible. Genuine couples may spend periods apart because of work, study, family commitments or other circumstances. The reasons for the separation, how you maintain the relationship and the overall evidence will be important.

In some cases, yes. Applicants who were already in a long-term partner relationship at the time the Partner Visa application was lodged may be considered for the temporary and permanent stages without the usual two-year wait between stages.Under the Migration Regulations, a long-term partner relationship generally means the relationship had continued for at least 3 years at the time of application, or at least 2 years if the applicant and sponsor have a dependent child together who is not a stepchild.Meeting the long-term relationship definition does not mean that simultaneous grant is automatic. The Department must still be satisfied that all relevant requirements for both visa stages are met.

Yes. Same-sex couples are assessed under the same Partner Visa requirements as opposite-sex couples. You may apply on the basis of a legally recognised marriage or a de facto relationship, provided the relationship is genuine and continuing and the other relevant visa requirements are met.

As at October 2026, the Department’s base Visa Application Charge for most Subclass 820/801 Partner Visa applicants starts from AUD 11,710. The same government charge generally covers both the temporary and permanent stages of the combined Partner Visa application. Additional charges may apply for family members included in the application, and applicants should also budget for other expenses such as health examinations, police certificates and document translations where required.

Your sponsor must generally be your spouse, de facto partner or prospective spouse and must be:an Australian citizen;an Australian permanent resident; oran eligible New Zealand citizen.Partner Visa sponsorship is also subject to specific limitations. In general, a person may be prevented from sponsoring if:they have previously sponsored 2 other people for a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa;they have already sponsored another partner within the previous 5 years; orthey themselves were granted a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa on the basis of a sponsorship within the previous 5 years. There are also separate sponsorship requirements concerning certain criminal convictions and relevant offences. The Department must approve the sponsorship before the Partner Visa can be granted.In limited circumstances, the Department may allow an exception to the normal sponsorship limitations where there are compelling circumstances.