Partner Visa (Onshore)
For partners already in Australia — a temporary stage now, permanent residency later.
Overview
Applicants lodge the temporary (820) and permanent (801) applications together as a single package, but they're assessed as two separate stages, often years apart. You'll hold a bridging visa with full work rights from the moment you lodge, while you wait for the first decision — and a single government charge covers both stages, with no separate fee due when the 801 is later assessed.
Who it's for
- The partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Applicants already living in Australia with their partner
Key requirements
- A genuine and continuing relationship — married or de facto — with your partner
- Your partner is an eligible sponsor and passes a character check
- Both of you are in Australia when you apply and when a decision is made
- Solid evidence of your relationship — financial, social and household
The visa application charge rose about 25% on 1 July 2026, from $9,365 to $11,710 — the fee that applies is whichever is in force on the date you lodge, not the date it's decided. Additional applicants cost roughly $5,860 for an adult and $2,935 for a child.
Applicants holding a passport from certain Pacific nations (including Fiji, PNG, Samoa, Tonga and several others) qualify for a reduced charge of around $9,600 under a concession introduced from 1 July 2026.
The permanent 801 stage is generally assessed roughly two years after lodgement, on top of the temporary stage's own wait. Building your relationship evidence file early matters — incomplete evidence is the most common cause of delay at either stage.
Not sure if this is the right visa for you?
Tell us your situation and we'll confirm whether the Partner Visa (Onshore) fits, or point you to the one that does.
Book a free visa assessmentVisa subclasses, eligibility criteria, streams, queues and fees are set by the Australian Department of Home Affairs and change periodically, often each 1 July. The figures above reflect published guidance as of August 2026 — your Rigpa House adviser will confirm current figures and eligibility before you apply.