Subclass 820 (Onshore Partner Visa Australia)
If you are in Australia and want to stay here with your partner permanently, the Subclass 820 is your starting point. It is the temporary stage of the onshore partner visa pathway, what many couples refer to as the spouse visa process.
Our registered migration agents assess your eligibility, build your evidence file, and prepare a decision-ready application for the Department of Home Affairs from day one.
The Subclass 820 is a temporary partner visa for applicants in Australia at the time of lodgement. It is the first stage of the onshore spouse visa pathway under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth).
You lodge one combined application covering both the Subclass 820 (temporary) and the Subclass 801 (permanent residency). The temporary stage is assessed first. Once granted, you can live, work, and study in Australia while the permanent stage is assessed roughly two years after your original lodgement date.
You must be in Australia both when you lodge and when the temporary visa is granted.
The applicant must:
- Be in Australia at the time of lodgement
- Be the spouse or de facto partner of an eligible sponsor
- Be in a genuine, exclusive, and continuing relationship
- Meet health and character requirements, including providing police clearances from every country lived in for 12 or more months since turning 16
- Hold a substantive visa or a bridging visa that is not affected by a Section 48 bar
The sponsor must:
- Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Meet character requirements
- Not have sponsored more than two partner visa applicants in their lifetime, with a minimum five-year period between sponsorships
- Not be subject to a sponsorship ban under the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth)
De facto applicants: The relationship must have existed for at least 12 months before lodgement. Some exceptions may apply if the couple has a dependent child together, or if the relationship is registered with a state or territory authority. Registration is available in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and the ACT. It is not available in Western Australia or the Northern Territory.
Section 48 bar: If you have had a visa refused or cancelled since last entering Australia, a Section 48 bar may apply. This does not automatically prevent lodgement but adds requirements at assessment. We assess Section 48 implications at the initial consultation.
A Bridging Visa A (BVA) is issued when you lodge your spouse visa application onshore whilst holding a substantive visa. It activates when your substantive visa expires, allowing you to remain in Australia lawfully throughout processing.
Work rights: Based on the conditions of your previous visa. We confirm your specific conditions as part of preparing your application.
Medicare: You can enrol as soon as your application is lodged.
Travel: You must apply for a Bridging Visa B (BVB) through ImmiAccount before leaving Australia. Departing on a BVA without a BVB cancels your bridging visa. Once the Subclass 820 is granted, you have full travel rights.
The Department of Home Affairs assesses every spouse visa application against four relationship categories under Migration Regulation 1.15A or 1.09A. All four must be addressed with documented evidence.
Financial aspects: Evidence of shared financial arrangements and joint commitments.
Nature of the household: Evidence of shared living arrangements and domestic life over time.
Social aspects: Evidence that the relationship is recognised by family, friends, and the broader community.
Nature of commitment: Evidence of a genuine, mutual, and long-term commitment to a shared life.
Gaps in any one category are among the most common causes of requests for further information from the Department. Our registered migration agents build your evidence file to address all four before anything is lodged.
Government Application Charge
The government application charge for the combined Subclass 820/801 application is AUD $11,710 for the primary applicant in the 2026–27 financial year. This charge covers both stages, is paid once at lodgement, and is not refunded if the application is refused.
Additional costs include health examinations, police clearances from relevant countries, document translation where required, and biometrics where applicable.
Please note: Government visa application charges are reviewed and typically adjusted by the Department of Home Affairs each July. The figures above reflect the 2026–27 financial year. If you are reading this page after 1 July 2027, some charges may have changed. We recommend confirming current fees at the Department of Home Affairs visa pricing estimator or contacting us directly before you budget for your application.
Professional Fees
Our registered migration agents charge a professional fee for preparing and managing your spouse visa application. This is separate from the government application charge. Our fees are confirmed in full before you commit to anything, and we offer flexible payment plans to help you manage the cost of your application.
Based on data published by the Department of Home Affairs in early 2026:
- 50% of Subclass 820 applications are decided within approximately 16 months
- 90% are decided within approximately 24 months
The single most effective way to reduce processing time is lodging a decision-ready spouse visa application from the outset. Incomplete files and inconsistent evidence are the most common causes of delay.
For the most current processing time estimates, visit the Department of Home Affairs Global visa processing times page.
Please note: Processing times are published by the Department of Home Affairs as percentile estimates and are updated monthly. The figures above reflect data available in early 2026. Actual processing times vary depending on the complexity of the application, the completeness of evidence provided at lodgement, and application volumes at the time of decision. These figures are a guide only and are not a guarantee of when your application will be decided.
We handle your ImmiAccount lodgement and your sponsor's sponsorship application together, correctly, from the start.
We manage all correspondence with the Department from lodgement through to decision, including requests for further information.
When your Subclass 801 eligibility date approaches, we prepare your permanent stage submission.
Explore Other Partner Visa Services
Onshore Partner
Visa Pathways
For couples where the applicant is in Australia at the time of lodgement.
Subclass 820
Temporary Partner Visa
Learn More
Subclass 801
Permanent Partner Visa
Learn More
OFfshore Partner
Visa Pathways
For couples where the applicant is outside Australia at the time of lodgement.
Subclass 309
Temporary Partner Visa
Learn More
Subclass 100
Permanent Partner Visa
Learn More
Prospective
Marriage Visa
For engaged couples where the applicant is outside Australia.
Subclass 300
Prospective Marriage Visa
Learn More
Additional Partner Visa Services
For LGBTIQ+ applicants, family violence matters, and partner visa refusals.
Family Violence
Partner Visa Provisions
Learn More
Refusals
Merits Review
Learn More
LGBTIQ+
Partner Visa
Learn More
Spouse Visa News and Updates
Financial, household, social, and commitment. Every category matters. Here is what a decision-ready evidence file looks like across all four.
Most Australians search for a spouse visa. Here is what it's actually called, which subclass applies to you, and how to apply.
Not married but in a genuine relationship? The partner visa pathway is open to you. Here is what the Department looks for in a de facto application.
One application covers both stages. Here is how the temporary and permanent stages work and what changes between them.
Most de facto couples must meet a 12-month requirement before lodging. Here is what counts, what does not, and when exceptions apply.
A refused partner visa application is not necessarily the end. Here is what merits review involves and what you need to know before you apply.
Processing time estimates are updated monthly. Here is what the latest Department data means for onshore and offshore applicants right now.
Explore More Articles
What Is the Difference and Why Does It Matter?
One application covers both stages. Here is how the temporary and permanent stages work and what changes between them.
What the 12-Month Rule Actually Means
Most de facto couples must meet a 12-month requirement before lodging. Here is what counts, what does not, and when exceptions apply.
What Are Your Options at the Administrative Review Tribunal?
A refused partner visa application is not necessarily the end. Here is what merits review involves and what you need to know before you apply.
What the 2026 Data Shows
Processing time estimates are updated monthly. Here is what the latest Department data means for onshore and offshore applicants right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be in Australia to apply for the Subclass 820?
Yes. You must be in Australia at lodgement and when the temporary visa is granted. If you are outside Australia, the offshore spouse visa pathway (Subclass 309/100) applies.
Can I work while my application is being processed?
A Bridging Visa A is issued at lodgement if you hold a substantive visa at the time of applying and generally allow working rights once active. We will confirm your specific conditions on the Bridging Visa A and when you can commence work as part of preparing your application.
What if my visa expires before the Subclass 820 is granted?
Your Bridging Visa A activates automatically when your substantive visa expires. You will remain lawful in Australia throughout processing of the application.
Can I travel outside Australia during processing?
Not on a Bridging Visa A. Apply for a Bridging Visa B through ImmiAccount before departing. Leaving on a BVA without a BVB cancels your bridging visa.
What is the difference between the Subclass 820 and the Subclass 801?
Subclass 820 is the temporary stage of the spouse visa process. The Subclass 801 is the permanent stage. Both are applied for together. The 801 is assessed roughly two years after your original lodgement date, provided your relationship remains genuine and continuing.
What if my relationship ends during processing?
You must notify the Department of any change in circumstances. If your sponsor withdraws sponsorship, your application will generally not proceed. Family violence provisions under Australian migration law may apply in certain circumstances.
Can same-sex couples apply?
Yes. The Subclass 820 applies equally to same-sex and opposite-sex couples. Eligibility criteria and assessment are identical regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
What if my partner visa was previously refused?
A previous refusal does not automatically prevent a new application. A Section 48 bar may apply depending on the circumstances. We assess this at the initial consultation.
Trusted Australian migration experts helping individuals and families build their future in Australia.
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1300 372 999
Address
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