- Where you are when you lodge decides the category. In Australia at lodgement means the onshore subclass 820/801. Outside Australia means the offshore subclass 309/100.
- The government charge is identical either way. From 1 July 2026 it’s A$11,710 for the main applicant, paid once at lodgement and covering both the temporary and the permanent stage.
- Onshore gives you a bridging visa, offshore does not. A Bridging Visa A gives full work rights and Medicare access while you wait whereas with an offshore application, you do not receive a Bridging visa and in most cases would need to apply for a visitor visa to come to Australia during processing.
- Check your current visa conditions before you pay anything. Condition 8503 (No Further Stay) blocks most onshore lodgements, and given recent government directions, will be imposed on all future visitor visa applications.
One fact decides your partner visa category, and it isn’t where you live or where you met. It’s where you’re physically standing when the application is lodged. Get that wrong and you risk a non-refundable charge of A$11,710 plus a wait measured in years. This guide covers eligibility, cost, processing times and your rights while you wait, so you finish knowing which category applies to you.
What’s the Difference Between an Onshore and Offshore Partner Visa?
The difference is location at lodgement, and very little else. Both pathways lead to permanent residence for the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and both are decided in two stages under one application and one charge.
- Onshore, subclass 820/801: lodged while the applicant is in Australia. The 820 is the temporary visa, the 801 the permanent one.
- Offshore, subclass 309/100: lodged while the applicant is outside Australia. The 309 is provisional, the 100 permanent.
- Same relationship test: you’re proving a genuine and continuing relationship either way.
- Same health and character requirements, and the same sponsor eligibility rules.
Sponsorship is assessed as part of the application via an additional form that is submitted after the partner visa application is lodged first.. If you’re engaged rather than married or de facto, a different subclass may suit you better, and we’ve compared them in our guide to the Prospective Marriage Visa pathway.
Does Being in Australia Mean You Have to Apply Onshore?
No. Plenty of applicants currently in Australia choose to depart and lodge offshore, usually because they travel often or because a visa condition blocks the onshore route. Location matters twice, not once:
- At lodgement: you must be in Australia for an 820, and outside Australia for a 309.
- At grant of the temporary stage: you generally need to be in Australia when the 820 is granted, and can be in or outside Australia when the 309 is granted.
That second rule catches people out. Lodge offshore, then move to Australia on a student visa, and you may have to leave again before the 309 can be granted.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Each Pathway?
The eligibility bar is the same on both sides. What changes is your lawful status in Australia and the conditions attached to the visa you’re currently holding. Both pathways require:
- A marriage, or a de facto relationship of at least 12 months, unless the relationship is registered.
- Evidence the relationship is genuine and continuing, assessed across finances, household, social recognition and mutual commitment.
- Health and character clearance for every applicant included.
- A sponsor who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Condition 8503, No Further Stay, is the most common blocker for onshore applicants. It’s attached to many visitor visas and prevents you lodging most further applications while you’re in Australia. A waiver is possible, but only where circumstances have changed in a compelling and compassionate way beyond your control. Schedule 3 is the other trap. If you’re unlawful or holding a bridging visa when you lodge onshore, additional criteria apply and the application gets much harder to argue.
How Much Does a Partner Visa Cost in 2026?
A$11,710 for the main applicant, and it’s the same figure whether you lodge onshore or offshore. You pay it once at lodgement, and it covers both the temporary and the permanent stage.
- Main applicant: A$11,710 from 1 July 2026, up from A$9,365 from the previous financial year.
- Additional applicant aged 18 or over: A$5,860.
- Additional applicant under 18: A$2,935.
Health examinations, police certificates, NAATI-certified translations and professional fees usually add several thousand dollars on top. None of it comes back if the application is refused, which is why the category decision is worth getting right before you open an ImmiAccount.
How Long Does Each Pathway Take to Process?
Both run into years rather than months. Home Affairs publishes processing figures based on applications it has recently decided, reported at the 50% and 90% marks, so they describe the past rather than predict your file. As reported through 2026:
- Subclass 820 (onshore temporary): roughly 18 months at the 50% mark, with 90% decided inside about 32 months.
- Subclass 309 (offshore provisional): a little shorter, around 17 months at the 50% mark and 30 at the 90% mark.
- Subclass 801 and 100 (permanent): assessed around two years after lodgement, with updated evidence required then.
Use the 90% figure for planning, and check the Home Affairs global visa processing times tool for current numbers. Given current processing times, you cannot anticipate any one pathway will be faster than the other and you will need to lodge an application based on your individual circumstance.
What Rights Do You Have While You Wait?
Onshore applicants get a bridging visa, offshore applicants don’t. That’s the practical difference that matters most across the two or three years an application can take.
| Onshore 820/801 | Offshore 309/100 | |
| Location at lodgement | In Australia | Outside Australia |
| Location at temporary grant | Generally in Australia | Generally outside Australia |
| Bridging visa | Bridging Visa A, once your current visa expires | None |
| Work rights while waiting | Full and unrestricted on a BVA | Only if another visa allows it |
| Medicare | Generally available once lodged | Not until the 309 is granted |
| Overseas travel | Requires a Bridging Visa B, granted before you leave | Unrestricted |
| Government charge | A$11,710 | A$11,710 |
A Bridging Visa B must be granted before you depart Australia. Leave on a Bridging Visa A without one and you can’t return on it.
Which Pathway Suits Your Situation?
Four situations cover most of the enquiries we see at Cedo Consulting.
- Already in Australia on a student, graduate or work visa: onshore is usually the answer. Check your grant notice for condition 8503, then lodge before your current visa expires so a Bridging Visa A attaches cleanly.
- Overseas and never held an Australian visa: offshore is generally your option. Start police certificates early, because they’re what usually stalls an otherwise complete file.
- In Australia on a visitor visa with 8503 attached: neither route is simple. You’ll need a waiver, or a plan to depart and lodge offshore.
- Travelling constantly for work or family: offshore often suits better, because you avoid Bridging Visa B paperwork every time you leave.
Treat these as starting points. The right answer depends on your visa history, travel plans and the strength of your evidence.
What Do You Need to Start Your Application?
Four groups of documents, and you can begin gathering all of them today.
- Identity and status: passports, birth certificates, current visa grant notices and evidence of any name changes.
- Relationship evidence: joint bank statements and bills (financial), a lease or mortgage (household), photos and statements from friends and family (social), and messages, travel records and future plans (commitment).
- Sponsor documents: proof of citizenship or permanent residence, identity documents and a sponsorship declaration.
- Health and character: police certificates from every country where you’ve spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years, and health examinations through a panel physician.
Evidence isn’t a one-off exercise. You’ll refresh it at the permanent stage, so keep collecting.
What Mistakes Cost Applicants the Most?
Five mistakes account for most of the refusals and delays we see:
- Lodging onshore with condition 8503 in place, which makes the application invalid.
- Leaving Australia on a Bridging Visa A without first obtaining a Bridging Visa B.
- Letting a substantive visa expire before lodging, which brings Schedule 3 into play.
- Submitting relationship evidence that’s thin, inconsistent or assembled poorly the week before lodgement.
- Treating the permanent stage as automatic and letting the evidence trail go cold.
If a partner visa is refused, most decisions can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal, and the deadlines are short and strict in terms of applying for an appeal. Our team can assess whether there are grounds to review a partner visa refusal and what evidence would strengthen the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for a partner visa on a tourist visa?
The tourist visa program generally should not be used as a way to circumvent lodging an offshore application, however, historically a lot of applications were lodged coming off a visitor visa. Given recent changes implemented by the government, all visitor visas are now expected to have condition 8503 attached to them meaning this pathway will become very difficult and if you are not already in Australia, you will need to submit an offshore application to qualify.
Can I travel while my partner visa is being processed?
Yes, but the mechanics differ:
- Onshore applicants on a Bridging Visa A must be granted a Bridging Visa B before leaving, or they can’t return on the bridging visa.
- Offshore applicants can travel freely, though they generally need to be outside Australia when the 309 is granted.
What happens if we separate before the permanent stage?
You must notify Home Affairs, and the permanent visa will usually be refused. Limited exceptions exist, including where family violence has occurred or where there’s a child of the relationship. Both need legal advice immediately. The category you apply in is a consequence of your circumstances, your visa conditions and your travel needs, and it’s fixed before you upload a single document. With a non-refundable charge of A$11,710 and a wait that can stretch past two years, a pre-lodgement review is the cheapest step in the whole process. Book a consultation with our team to confirm which category applies to you and have your relationship evidence reviewed before you lodge.