Decision-ready Partner Visa preparation.
For couples building a life together in Australia. We prepare your application across the four pillars — financial, household, social, commitment — so your story carries the weight it deserves.
Who this is for
- Couples already in Australia where one partner is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Engaged or married partners offshore preparing to lodge from outside Australia
- De facto partners with at least 12 months cohabitation, or a registered relationship in an Australian state or territory
- Couples who previously held a Prospective Marriage visa (SC300) converting to the partner visa pathway
Eligibility at a glance
Onshore (SC820/801)
You apply while in Australia. You hold a valid substantive visa (without condition 8503), or a Bridging Visa A. Once lodged, you receive a Bridging Visa A that activates when your current visa expires.
Offshore (SC309/100)
You apply while outside Australia. You remain offshore until the temporary stage visa is granted.
Both pathways require evidence across four pillars:
- Financial aspects — joint accounts, shared bills, financial interdependence
- Nature of household — shared address, joint utilities, electoral roll registration
- Social aspects — recognition by family and friends, supporting Form 888 statements
- Nature of the commitment — long-term plans, mutually exclusive relationship, future-shared decisions
Plus, Both Pathways Require
- A valid sponsor (citizen, PR, or eligible NZ citizen) who has not sponsored another partner within the last 5 years
- Police clearances from every country lived in 12+ months since age 16
- Immigration medical examination
- Translated and certified documents for any non-English originals
How we prepare your partner visa application
We don’t lodge applications that aren’t ready. A Request for Further Information typically adds 6 to 12 months to your processing time. Our methodology is built to avoid that.
01
Pre-lodgement audit
We assess your current evidence across all four pillars and identify gaps. We’ll then guide you through the right next step — whether that’s lodging now, strengthening evidence first, or considering an alternative pathway.
02
Strategic structuring
We help you understand which pathway fits your circumstances — onshore, offshore, or relationship registration to bridge a cohabitation gap. We flag Schedule 3 risks and Section 48 bars before they become problems.
03
Form 888 strategy
We brief your supporting witnesses on what makes a strong statement and review their drafts before submission. Generic character references will not satisfy the Department.
04
Decision-ready lodgement
Your application leaves our office only when the four pillars are complete, the personal statements are consistent, and every documentary requirement is satisfied.
Timeline & cost
Partner visa processing in 2026 sits at a median of around 17 months for onshore applications at the temporary stage. Offshore processing is typically longer.
The fee structure for partner visas is set by the Department of Home Affairs and is reviewed periodically. We’ll walk you through the current applicant and dependant fees, plus expected costs for medicals, police checks, NAATI translations, and any health waivers, during your consultation.
What costs more than the application itself: lodging without decision-ready preparation. Requests for further Information and refusals carry costs far heavier than getting it right the first time.
Why decision-ready matters
Most partner visa delays aren’t caused by the Department being slow. They’re caused by Requests for Further Information — and most of those are avoidable.
The five most common triggers for RFIs:
- Lodging without 12 months cohabitation OR a registered relationship
- Form 888 statements that read as generic character references
- Joint financial evidence concentrated only in the months immediately before lodgement
- Personal statements from applicant and sponsor with mismatched dates or details
- Schedule 3 issues missed at the moment of lodgement
None of these are sophisticated. All of them are avoidable with the right preparation.
Take the next step
Find out where you stand
Take the Partner Visa quiz — a 3-minute self-assessment across the four pillars Home Affairs assesses. Receive a free decision-ready checklist tailored to your readiness tier.
Or book a consultation
Speak with Dulari Premadasa Smith (MARN 2418399) about your specific situation. We’ll review your evidence, identify gaps, and tell you honestly whether DNA is the right fit for your case.
Frequently asked questions
No. De facto relationships qualify if you have at least 12 months of cohabitation, or your relationship is registered with an Australian state or territory. Marriage is not a requirement.
The four pillars of evidence are identical for both. The differences are procedural: onshore (SC820/801) requires you to be in Australia at lodgement and decision; offshore (SC309/100) requires you to be outside Australia. Onshore applicants typically receive a Bridging Visa A on lodgement.
Median processing time for onshore SC820 at the temporary stage is currently around 17 months. The permanent stage (SC801) is typically assessed approximately 2 years after the temporary visa is granted. Offshore processing tends to be longer.
Schedule 3 of the Migration Regulations applies if you are unlawful (no substantive visa) or holding only a bridging visa at the moment of lodgement. It requires you to demonstrate compelling reasons not to apply Schedule 3 — a high bar. If Schedule 3 may apply to your situation, do not lodge without strategic legal advice.
Yes. Both partners must satisfy character requirements (police checks for every country lived in 12+ months) and health requirements (immigration medical). Health concerns can sometimes be addressed via a health waiver. Character matters — including matters more than 5 years old — must be disclosed.