To be eligible for a Partner Visa you must be married to, or in a de facto (common law) relationship, with an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Interdependent, or same sex partners are also eligible.

The eligibility of an Australian partner visa application depends on your relationship’s commitment status with your spouse. Australian authorities offer different Partners Visas for different relationship statuses. For instance, if you are married to an Australian citizen or a permanent resident and are offshore, then you will be required to present proof of a legal and formalized marriage between you and your spouse. In addition, you will also be required to present proof of a shared life together. For the offshore visa, it’s a process that involves verifications and processing from your local Australian consulate or embassy. The time involved can be anywhere between 12-18 months via this channel.

Apart from the legally married partner visa, the Australian authorities also offers the option of the Subclass 300 visa that is meant for prospective marriage between a couple. This is a short-term provisional visa spanning over 9 months and to be eligible for this, you are required to be sponsored by your prospective partner who can either be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident. Apart from this, you and your prospective spouse will need to be at least 18 years of age when applying for this visa.