Partner Visa Subclass 309 Australia – Temporary Partner Visa Guide

The Partner Visa Subclass 309 allows the de facto partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live temporarily in Australia. This visa is the first step towards applying for the Permanent Partner Visa (Subclass 100).

Eligibility for Partner Visa (Subclass 309)

To qualify for the temporary Partner Visa (309), you must:

• Be in a genuine and ongoing relationship with your Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand partner.
• Apply from outside Australia, but you can be in or outside Australia when the visa is granted.
• Ensure you and your family members meet all visa requirements, including health and character checks.
• Comply with Australian laws while holding this visa.
• Be over 18 years of age when you apply.
• Meet Health requirements.

Benefits of Partner Visa Subclass 309

This visa lets you:

• Live and work in Australia while your Permanent Partner Visa (Subclass 100) application is processed.
• Study in Australia (without access to government funding).
• Access Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare system.
• Enroll in free English classes up to 510 hours through the Adult Migrant English Program.
• Travel freely in and out of Australia during the visa validity.

Duration of Stay

• You can stay here until the department makes a decision about your subclass 100 (Partner visa) application or you withdraw the application.
• In some cases, if you have a long-term relationship, you might receive the permanent visa immediately after the temporary visa is granted.

Include Family Members

You can include eligible family members such as:

• Your dependent children in your visa application.
• Add dependent children after application but before the temporary visa decision.

Family members must:

• Meet health and character requirements.
• Be outside Australia when applying and when the visa is granted.
• Can also be added after visa approval.

Important Visa Conditions

• Condition 8502: You cannot enter Australia before your sponsoring partner or main visa holder has entered.
• Condition 8515: You cannot marry or enter a new de facto relationship before arriving in Australia; doing so may cancel your visa.