As globalisation accelerates, international contacts are becoming more frequent. For foreigners who wish to establish a stable and long-lasting relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, applying for an Australian Companion Visa is a good way to resolve such issues. This article analyses in detail the processing time and factors affecting the Australian Partner Visa, and aims to provide a detailed reference and guidance for those who are interested in applying for this visa.
Australian Partner Visa Definition
A partner visa is a special visa for foreigners who are in a long-term, stable relationship with an Australian citizen or resident with permanent residency. The main purpose of this visa is to provide the foreign partner with permanent resident status, which allows them to enjoy the same rights and benefits in Australia as Australian residents. Not only can they live, work and travel in Australia without restriction, but they also have access to Medicare benefits and may even be eligible to apply for tuition fee concessions at educational institutions in their home country.
Overview of Partner Visa Benefits
When you become a permanent resident of Australia, you are free to move in and out of the country and to settle, work and travel here on a permanent basis. Meanwhile, healthcare is one of the key benefits Australia offers to permanent residents, providing a range of healthcare services and protection. In addition, permanent residents have the right to apply for Australian citizenship after two years.
Partner Visa Application Requirements
Some of the most crucial elements to a successful application for an Australian partner visa include:
- (b) Intimacy in the category of "spouse" or "de facto relationship";
- (b) Reaching a state of virtual cohabitation or prolonged long distance living together within 12 months of the relationship;
- If the two of you do not fulfil either of these descriptions, please contact us for an in-depth discussion.
Visa Type Selection
It is worth noting that applying for an Australian Partner Visa does not require the applicant and their Australian partner to be living in Australia at the same time. Currently, applicants who are already living in Australia on land on other temporary PR visas have the option of applying for a Coastal Partner Visa (i.e. subclasses 820 and 801); and those living overseas have the option of applying for an Offshore Partner Visa (i.e. subclasses 309 and 100). In addition, if the applicant and their Australian partner are engaged to be married, they may also have the option of applying for a prospective wedding visa if the applicant is overseas.
Companion visa Treatment of dependent children
Applicants may consider attaching dependent minor children to their application if they are bringing their children with them on their partner visa application. These minor children may also be eligible for Australian Government Dependent Child visas while their parents are applying for a permanent visa. Once the partner visa applicant is successful in obtaining permanent residence, they can again sponsor the children in need of care in their own name.
Introduction to the Partner Visa Process
The application process for an Australian partner visa is divided into two stages - firstly, applicants are required to submit a temporary partner visa (i.e.820respond in singing801respective subclasses] or temporary partner visas (i.e.309respond in singing100The next stage is to apply for a Permanent Partner Visa, after demonstrating a genuine and enduring relationship between the sponsoring Australian partner (under the respective subclasses).
Compared to the second stage, the first stage of the approval process is relatively cumbersome. At this stage of the assessment, the immigration department focuses on the integrity of the family, the financial stability of the family, the depth of the relationship and a healthy social environment. If the immigration department determines that there is a genuine and enduring relationship between the applicant and the Australian partner, it will grant the applicant a partner visa known as a "temporary" visa. After two years from the date of submission of the application, the applicant will be eligible to apply for a permanent partner visa, which is referred to as the second stage.
What factors affect the processing time for partner visas?
Partner visa applications are processed by Home Office case officers who are currently dealing with thousands of partner visa applications. This backlog is a key factor affecting the processing times for partner visa applications.
Generally speaking, the more complete the documents are at the time of submitting the application, the shorter the processing time will be, as this will reduce the number of times the case officer has to review the information provided by the applicant and the sponsor.
Typically, permanent partner visas are processed more quickly than temporary partner visa applications because the two applications differ in their evidentiary requirements.
Processing time for partner visasThis varies depending on whether you choose to apply onshore or offshore. The Home Office currently estimates that onshore partner visa applications can take between 3 and 9 months to process and offshore applications can take between 5 months and 8 years. In our experience, visa applications can be processed more efficiently with our support.
The Australian Companion Visa is an attractive option for a wide range of migrant groups in the face of increasing global demand and internationalisation. For up-to-date information on processing times, visit the Department of Home AffairsOfficial website.
简体中文 
English (Australia)