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There are things you need to know and might need to do before you apply.
Prospective Marriage Visa Subclass 300
This visa lets you come to Australia to marry your prospective spouse and then apply for a Partner visa.
Overview
COST
9 to 15 months from date of grant of visa.
COST
From AUD9,095.00
WITH THIS VISA
stay in Australia for 9 to 15 months from your visa grant date
work and study in Australia.
Eligibility (per DOHA guidelines)
HAve a sponsor
You and anyone who applies for the visa with you must have a sponsor when you lodge your application and while you are on this visa.
Your sponsor is your prospective spouse.
We must approve your sponsor.
be the right age
You must be 18 years old or older when you apply for the visa.
Meet our HEALTH requirement
You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement. We might ask for health information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Meet our character requirement
You and any family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirements. We might ask for character information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Pay your debts to the Australian government
If you or any family members owe the Australian government money, it must have been paid back or arranged to be paid back. This may include family members who do not accompany you to Australia.
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia. Check if visa cancellation affects your eligibility.
best interests of the child
We might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
Step by Step (per DOHA guidelines)
Before you apply
Organise health exams
You might need to have health examinations. You can complete them before you apply or you can wait until we tell you to have them.
Get help with your application
You can appoint anyone to receive correspondence relating to your visa application.
To appoint someone to receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF).
If you need help with your application, you can appoint someone to give you immigration assistance. A person who gives you immigration assistance can:
- discuss your application with us
- give us information
- send and receive correspondence about your application.
We treat any correspondence they send as if it came from you.
If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance they must be:
To appoint someone to provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (225KB PDF) .
For more information, see who can help you with your application.
Gather and prepare your documents
You should provide all required information with your application, or as soon as possible after lodging your application. Applications with all required information reduce processing delays.
You have the option to obtain your police certificates before you apply. However for immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date.
If more than 15 months has passed since your National Police certificate (NPC) was issued by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), new checks will be required to progress your application.
Ensure that all information you provide is accurate. As a visa applicant, you must prove your identity and provide true information with your application. For more information, see Providing accurate information.
Identity documents
Provide a birth certificate showing the names of both parents.
If you cannot provide this, provide one of the following:
- Identification pages of a family book showing the names of both parents.
- Identification pages of an identification document issued by the government.
- Identification pages of a court-issued document that proves your identity.
- Identification pages of a family census register.
Also provide:
- the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates
- a national identity card, if you have one
- proof of change of name, if applicable, such as:
- a marriage or divorce certificate
- change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
- documents that show other names you have been known by.
Your relationship with your prospective spouse
You must provide statements from 2 witnesses who:
- are 18 years or older
- know you and your prospective spouse
- know about your relationship.
Statements from witnesses can be done by completing Form 888 – Supporting statement in relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application (170KB PDF).
If the witness is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, provide evidence of this, such as a passport or birth certificate.
Also provide other evidence of your relationship such as:
- evidence that you and your prospective spouse have met face-to-face as adults since turning 18 and know each other personally
- evidence (such as a letter from the person who will officiate at the wedding) that you will marry your prospective spouse within 9 months of being granted the visa
- evidence that you and your prospective spouse genuinely intend to live as spouses
- written statements showing the history of your relationship, such as:
- how, when and where you first met
- how your relationship developed
- when you got engaged
- what you do together
- significant events in the relationship
- your future plans as spouses.
Former relationships
If you have previously been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated, provide divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations.
Character documents
To show that you meet our character requirements you need to provide:
- a police certificate from every country where you spent a total of 12 months or more during the last 10 years since you turned 16
- military service records or discharge papers if you served in the armed forces of any country.
For immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date.
To get a police certificate, see Offices outside Australia.
Complete and attach to your application Form 80 Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment (596KB PDF).
Australian police certificate
Provide an Australian police certificate if you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since you turned 16.
We only accept complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. We do not accept standard disclosure certificates or national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police.
To get an Australian police certificate see National Police Checks.
Dependants under 18 documents
For each of the members of the family unit under 18 years old who is applying with you, provide:
- identity documents
- evidence of your relationship with your dependant, like a birth or marriage certificate
- health examinations
- character documents, if the dependant is 16 or 17 years of age
- adoption papers or parental court orders, if applicable
- evidence of enrolment at school, college or university, if applicable
- evidence of sole custody, if applicable.
Parental responsibility documents
You must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who:
- has a legal right to decide where the child lives and
- is not coming to Australia with the child.
They must complete one of the following:
- Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (276KB PDF).
- A statutory declaration giving their consent for the child to migrate to Australia.
Include:
- an identity document that shows the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver’s licence
- adoption papers or other court documents, if applicable.
Alternatively, you can show us one of the following:
- An Australian court order that allows your child to migrate to Australia
- That the laws of the child’s home country allow them to leave their home country permanently.
Dependants over 18 documents
To include members of the family unit who are over 18 in your visa application, they must be:
- between the ages of 18 and 23, and dependent on you or your partner
- over 23 years of age and unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and dependent on you or your partner.
Provide:
- identity documents
- documents about their other relationships, if applicable
- health examinations
- character documents.
You must also provide evidence the child is dependent on you. This includes the following:
- Evidence of your relationship with the dependent such as a birth certificate or adoption papers.
- Evidence of financial dependence such as bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts.
- A completed Form 47a Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over (307KB PDF).
If the child is aged 23 or is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you must also provide a report from a qualified medical practitioner. This report should state that they are dependent on you or your partner due to the total or partial loss of their bodily or mental functions.
Tell us you are getting help documents
To nominate someone to:
- receive your correspondence, use Form 956a Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
- provide immigration advice, use Form 956 Advice by a migration agent/exempt person of providing immigration assistance (212KB PDF)
- act for you but not provide immigration assistance, let us know in writing what they can do on your behalf (such as submit or withdraw an application for you). Send your written notification with your paper application
See more about getting help with your application.
Prepare your documents
– Translate
Have all documents translated into English.
Provide original and translated documents in your application.
Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:
- full name
- address and telephone number
- qualifications and experience in the language they are translating.
These details must be in English.
– Scan or photograph
Scan or photograph all documents (English and non-English) in colour.
The scans and photos must be clear enough to read.
If a document is more than one page, save it all as one file.
You do not need to have any documents certified
– Keep
Keep a copy of your completed application.
Apply for the visa
You must apply:
- online, and
- while outside Australia.
Apply online
- Login to ImmiAccount. If you do not have an ImmiAccount login, you will be asked to create a new account.
- Select ‘New application’.
- Select ‘Family’.
- Select ‘Stage 1 – Partner or Prospective Marriage Visa’.
- Complete your application.
- Pay the visa application charge.
- Submit your application.
- Give your transaction reference number (TRN) to your sponsor. Your sponsor will need the TRN to apply for sponsorship.
- Attach supporting documents to your completed application.
We cannot process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge.
To find information for how to apply as a sponsor, click on the “Personalise this page..” toggle above to view this information.
The partner visa application form will ask you for your own phone number and email address. It is important to provide your own contact details in case we need to contact you directly about your application.
Clearly label your documents and only attach a document once, even if you are using it to show more than one thing.
Keep a copy of your completed application.
You can attach up to 100 documents for each person on your application.
The attachment limit cannot be increased.
If you reach the attachment limit for an applicant, you can attach more documents to other clients on the application.
For more information, see Applying online in ImmiAccount.
You can find the answers to common questions about this visa at Partner Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
What will happen after you apply
We will confirm your application has been lodged.
There are other things you need to know and might need to do.
Status updates
To help ensure your application is processed as quickly as possible, attach all necessary supporting documents to your application. The checklist provided on ImmiAccount will help make sure you include all required documents in your application.
If your application is within standard processing times, do not contact us. We cannot provide any further updates on your application’s progress. You can see if we have asked for more information in ImmiAccount.
To see standard processing times for this visa see Global processing times.
You can find the answers to common questions about this visa at Partner Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Travel
Do not arrange to travel to Australia until we let you know, in writing, that we have granted you the subclass 300 visa.
Biometrics
We will tell you if you need to provide biometrics.
Health exams
You need to have health examinations.
To organise your health examinations, see What health examinations you need.
The results of your health assessment are valid for 12 months from the time you completed your examinations. If we ask you to sign a health undertaking, this will be valid for 6 months.
For more information on health requirements and examinations, see Health
Attach more information
If you did not attach all documents when you applied, attach them in ImmiAccount as soon as you can.
We might ask you to provide more information.
For more information on attaching documents in ImmiAccount see Applying online or paper.
If you are unable to upload the relevant documents to you application in ImmiAccount, you need to contact us using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.
Stay lawful
If you travel to Australia on a visa while your Prospective Marriage visa is in progress, you are responsible for ensuring that you continue to hold a valid visa for the duration of your stay.
Add family
You can add members of the family unit to your application before we decide on your visa.
Complete Form 1436 – Adding an additional applicant after lodgement (481KB PDF) and attach it to your ImmiAccount.
Newborn children
Find out what to do if your child is born after you apply.
Mistakes on your application
Let us know as soon as you can if you have made a mistake on your application. For more information, see After you apply.
If you are unable to update your application in ImmiAccount, you need to contact us using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.
Help with your application
Let us know if you no longer want someone to:
- receive your correspondence. Complete Form 956a Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
- provide immigration advice. Complete Form 956 Advice by a migration agent/exempt person of providing immigration assistance (212KB PDF)
- act for you. Let us know in writing by uploading your advice in ImmiAccount
Tell us if things change
Tell us if things change after you apply but before we have made a decision.
Things you need to let us know about include:
- changes to your contact details, address or passport
- the birth of a child
- any other changes relevant to your application
- a request to withdraw your application.
For more information, see Change in your situation.
If you are unable to upload the relevant documents to your application in ImmiAccount, you need to contact us using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.
If you marry
If you get married before we decide on your visa application, you are no longer eligible for this visa. To tell us about this change:
- Sign into ImmiAccount
- Go to the ‘Update details’ tab
- Click on the ‘Change in situation’ option.
You will also need to attach the following to your application:
- evidence that your marriage is valid (registered marriage certificate issued by the relevant legal authority)
- a request to be considered for a Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309)and Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100)
- a statement telling us you want to withdraw your Prospective Marriage visa application.
After you have updated ImmiAccount, let us know by using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.
If you do not withdraw your application, it will be refused as you no longer meet the eligibility requirements for the visa.
If your relationship ends
Complete the Notification of Relationship Cessation form in the ‘Update Details’ tab in ImmiAccount.
If you are having trouble completing the ImmiAccount form, complete the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide your visa application.
We will tell you our decision in writing. Keep a copy of the decision.
If we grant your visa, we will tell you:
- your visa grant number
- the date your visa starts
- your visa conditions.
If we refuse your visa, we will tell you:
- why we refused the visa
- if you have a right to a review of the decision.
We will not refund the application fee if we refuse your application.
Apply with Us
Start your migration journey today
Send us an enquiry today to get started on your visa application.
Sponsor
- You must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria to sponsor your partner for this visa, your partner might be eligible for a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa (subclass 461).
- You must be 18 years old or older. If you are under 18 and you are married to the applicant, your parent or guardian might be able to sponsor your partner.
- There are no costs involved when applying for sponsorship. Your sponsorship obligations begin when the visa is granted and ends when the visa ceases. You will be responsible for any debts that your prospective spouse or their children owe the Australian government, any obligations your prospective spouse or their children have to their employer in Australia, and ensuring your prospective spouse and their children comply with the conditions of their visa.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I Apply Based On An Online-Only Relationship?
To be eligible for this visa, you would need to satisfy the following criteria:
- Prove that you and your prospective spouse have met face-to-face as adults since turning 18, as written correspondence (online, fax, telephone) will not suffice;
- Prove that you know each other personally, such as evidence of contact showing the development of the relationship.
2. How Should I Prepare Proof That I Wish To Marry My Partner?
You will need to provide proof that you will marry your prospective spouse within 9 months of being granted this visa. A Notice of Intention to Marry (NOIM) must be lodged with the celebrant who will officiate your wedding. The NOIM must be lodged no less than 1 month and no more than 18 months before the proposed date of the ceremony. The Department requires a letter from the celebrant confirming the date of the wedding and that the NOIM has been lodged.
3. When Should I Set The Marriage Date?
As the visa will have a maximum validity of 9 months, it is important that you set the marriage ceremony within that time frame. You will cease to hold a valid visa beyond the 9 month period, and the Department will not issue extensions or a further 300 visa, regardless of what caused the delays.
4. What Should I Do To Settle In Australia With My Spouse?
If you and your fiance are legally married while your 300 visa is still valid, you can proceed to apply for the onshore Partner (Temporary) Visa 820, and Partner (Permanent) Visa 801. If you apply for this before your current visa expires, the cost is AUD1,285. If you apply for the Partner visa after the expiration of your 300 visa, the cost is AUD1,630.
5. What Are The Sponsor’s Limitations?
You may be refused sponsorship if any of the following apply to you:
- You were sponsored for, and granted, a Partner visa or Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) that you applied for less than 5 years ago;
- You have sponsored more than 1 other person for a Partner visa or Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) that they applied for less than 5 years ago;
- You were granted a Contributory Parent visa after 30 June 2009 and the applicant was your spouse or de facto partner before we granted you that visa, and it has been less than 5 years since we granted you that visa;
- You were granted a subclass 204 visa in the 5 years before they applied and they were your spouse or de facto partner when you were granted that visa, but you are now divorced or permanently separated;
- You were granted a subclass 204 visa in the 5 years before they applied and they were your spouse or de facto when you were granted that visa but you did not tell us about them at the time;
- You have convictions or charges for specific offences relating to children;
- You refuse to provide a police check (Australian and foreign) and do not provide consent to the Department to disclose any relevant offenses to the applicant, if you have any.
6. What Are My Visa Conditions?
8502 – Not arrive before person specified in visa | You must not enter Australia before the person specified in the visa has entered Australia. This is usually the main visa holder or other relevant person such as your sponsor in the case of a Partner visa. |
8515 – Must not marry or enter into a de facto relationship before entry | You must not marry or enter into a de facto relationship before entering Australia. See what to do if your contact details have changed. The Department might cancel your visa if they find out you were engaged, married or in a de facto relationship before we granted you the visa but did not update your details. |
8519/8520 – Marry your partner while the visa is valid | If you are the primary holder of a subclass 300 (Prospective Marriage) visa, you must marry the person specified in your visa application while your visa is valid and before it ceases. You should inform the Department of any changes to your situation. |
Do You Have Any Further Questions?
We understand that you may have specific questions about your own unique situation, so if there is anything you need to know that is not addressed on this website, do not hesitate to contact us.
