Partner Visa When You Live in Different Countries

First: confirm the facts

Before you spend months gathering evidence, check the basics.

Log in to VEVO. If you hold any current Australian visa, check its conditions at VEVO. Look for condition 8503 (no further stay) — this matters if you plan to apply onshore later.

Check your partner's status. Your Australian partner (the sponsor) needs to be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. They also need to meet sponsorship requirements — including limits on how many times they can sponsor a partner.

Confirm you've met in person. This is a hard requirement. The Department will not grant a partner visa to a couple who have never physically met. Plan a visit before you apply if you haven't met yet.

Your two main options

### Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300)

This visa is for couples who plan to marry but haven't yet. It lets the overseas partner travel to Australia and marry their sponsor within nine months of arrival.

Key features:
- You must intend to marry (not just be in a de facto relationship)
- Valid for 9 months — you must marry within this time
- After marrying, you apply onshore for the Partner visa (subclass 820/801)
- Single entry unless you request multiple entry
- No work restrictions once in Australia

Best for: Couples who are engaged or plan to marry and want the overseas partner to move to Australia before the wedding.

### Offshore Partner visa (subclass 309/100)

This visa is for couples who are already married or in a de facto relationship. It has two stages — temporary (309) then permanent (100).

Key features:
- Must be outside Australia when you apply and when the temporary visa is granted
- Work rights come with the temporary visa
- Permanent stage (subclass 100) is usually assessed two years after the temporary application
- No requirement to marry — de facto relationships accepted

Best for: Couples who are already married or have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months (or can show registration of the relationship).

### Which one should you pick?

| Factor | Prospective Marriage (300) | Offshore Partner (309/100) |
|--------|--------------------------|---------------------------|
| Relationship status | Engaged, not yet married | Married or de facto 12+ months |
| Where you apply | Offshore | Offshore |
| Where you marry | In Australia within 9 months | Already married or de facto |
| Next step after grant | Apply for 820/801 onshore | Permanent stage (100) follows |
| Total visa fees | 300 fee + 820/801 fee | 309/100 fee (one combined charge) |
| Time to be together | Faster — you come to Australia sooner | Slower — you wait offshore for the 309 |

For many long-distance couples, the Prospective Marriage visa gets you to Australia faster. But you pay two sets of visa fees (300 plus 820/801). The Offshore Partner visa has one fee but a longer wait offshore.

Building evidence across the distance

The Department assesses your relationship against four pillars. Here's how each works when you live apart.

### Financial aspects

Long-distance couples often struggle here. You may not have joint bank accounts or shared expenses. Focus on what you do have:

- Money transfers between you (bank statements showing regular transfers)
- Splitting costs for visits (flight bookings, accommodation receipts)
- Contributing to each other's expenses (paying for each other's bills, subscriptions)
- Sending gifts with receipts and tracking numbers
- Joint savings plans or investment accounts opened together

### Social aspects

This is where long-distance couples can build strong evidence:

- Visit records. Flight itineraries, boarding passes, passport stamps, hotel bookings. Keep everything.
- Communication logs. Call history showing frequency and duration. WhatsApp, iMessage, or Telegram chat exports. Video call logs from FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype.
- Photos together. Date-stamped photos from visits. Photos with each other's families and friends.
- Social media. Posts tagging each other, relationship status, comments, shared photos.
- Statements from family and friends. Statutory declarations from people who know you as a couple in both countries.

### Household aspects

This pillar is the hardest for long-distance couples. The Department understands you cannot share a household while living in different countries. Instead, show:

- How you lived together during visits (staying at each other's homes)
- Plans for living together once the visa is granted
- Evidence of shared domestic life during visits (grocery receipts, cooking together, photos at home)
- If you have ever lived together previously, provide that evidence

### Commitment

Show the Department your relationship has a future:

- Marriage certificate or evidence of engagement
- Plans for the wedding (venue booking, invitations)
- Evidence of meeting each other's families
- Correspondence about future plans (moving, housing, career plans)
- Wills or superannuation beneficiary nominations naming each other
- Joint travel bookings for future trips

Video call evidence — what actually works

Immigration case officers see a lot of video call evidence. Here's what makes yours stand out:

Call logs beat screenshots. A phone bill or app export showing 200 video calls over 12 months is more powerful than 10 screenshots of video calls.

Quality over quantity for screenshots. Don't submit 500 identical screenshots. Pick 20-30 that show different dates, settings, and contexts — holidays, birthdays, meeting family, everyday moments.

Export your chat history. WhatsApp and Telegram let you export full chat histories. A year of daily messages shows consistency.

Don't stage evidence. Case officers are experienced. A sudden burst of activity right before lodgement looks suspicious. Your genuine, ongoing communication pattern is the best evidence.

How often should you visit?

There is no magic number. But the Department expects to see that you make genuine efforts to be together.

What helps:
- Visits of meaningful duration (a weekend trip is less convincing than a two-week stay)
- Visits in both directions (not just one person always travelling)
- Regular pattern of visits (every few months rather than one visit per year)
- Staying at each other's homes rather than hotels

What raises questions:
- Very few visits over a long relationship
- Only short visits
- Only one person ever travelling
- Large gaps between visits with no clear reason

If travel is expensive or visas to visit each other's countries are hard to get, explain this in your relationship statement. The Department considers your circumstances.

Common mistakes in long-distance partner applications

Weak relationship timeline. Write a detailed chronological statement. Include when you met, how the relationship developed, every visit, key milestones, and your plans. This is your chance to tell your story.

Ignoring the sponsor's obligations. The Australian partner has their own form and requirements. A sponsorship limitation (they've sponsored a partner before) can prevent the application entirely. Check the sponsorship rules before applying.

Not enough third-party evidence. Statutory declarations from friends and family carry weight. Get statements from people in both countries who can speak to your relationship.

Poor document organisation. Label every document clearly. Create a chronological index. Case officers process hundreds of applications — make yours easy to assess.

Applying for the wrong visa. If you're already married, the 309/100 is usually the right choice. If you're engaged and want to come to Australia to marry, the 300 is the way. Applying for the wrong subclass wastes time and money.

When to talk to an agent

Consider getting help from a MARA-registered migration agent if:

- Your relationship history is complicated (previous marriages, children from other relationships, short relationship duration)
- Either of you has a character or health concern
- The sponsor has previously sponsored a partner
- You need to build a case around limited in-person contact
- You've had a previous visa refusal for any Australian visa
- You're unsure whether to apply for the 300 or 309/100

A migration agent can review your evidence before lodgement and identify gaps you may have missed.

Next steps

1. Check your situation. Confirm your partner's Australian status and sponsorship eligibility.
2. Decide on your visa subclass. Use the comparison table above or talk to an agent.
3. Start gathering evidence now. Don't wait until you're ready to lodge. Start saving communication logs, photos, and financial records today.
4. Read the evidence checklist. Our partner visa evidence guide breaks down exactly what to collect for each of the four pillars.
5. Get professional advice. A MARA-registered migration agent can review your specific situation and tell you the strongest approach.

Related resources

- Partner Visa Evidence Checklist 2026
- Visitor Visa While Waiting for Partner Visa
- Partner Visa Refusal Recovery
- Bridging Visas Explained
- Visa Application Taking Too Long?
- Visa Refused — Appeal or Reapply?

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Can I get a partner visa if we've never met in person?

No. The Department of Home Affairs requires that you and your partner have met in person. There is no exception to this rule. Video calls alone are not enough. You must have physically met before applying for either the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) or the Offshore Partner visa (subclass 309/100).

How many times do we need to visit each other for a partner visa?

There is no minimum number of visits. However, multiple visits strengthen your case. The Department looks at the overall picture of your relationship, including frequency and length of visits, communication between visits, and future plans to live together.

Can my partner visit Australia on a visitor visa while the partner visa is processing?

Yes, but be careful. Your partner can apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) while the offshore partner visa is processing. However, the visitor visa application must show genuine intention to leave Australia. Applying for onshore visas while on a visitor visa with condition 8503 is not permitted.

How long does a long-distance partner visa take?

The Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) typically takes 14 to 24 months. The Offshore Partner visa (subclass 309) temporary stage takes 12 to 26 months. Processing times vary depending on case complexity, country of application, and completeness of evidence.