Partner Visa Sponsorship

You can sponsor your partner for an Australian partner visa if you meet the sponsor criteria (with no sponsorship bars or limitations), you're in an eligible relationship, and your partner satisfies the visa requirements.

Who can be a sponsor?

To sponsor a partner, you must be:

• An Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen; and

• At least 18 years old – or if you are under 18, in certain situations you may elect a parent or guardian to act as the sponsor for your spouse or de facto partner.

When is my relationship eligible?

Firstly, to sponsor your partner, you and your partner must be one of the following:

• Legally married; or

• In a De Facto relationship for at least 12 months; or

• In a De Facto relationship and the relationship has been registered; or

• In a De Facto relationship and there are compassionate and compelling circumstances.

Secondly, you and your partner must demonstrate to the Department that:

• The relationship is genuine and continuing;

• You and your partner are living together, or do not live apart on a permanent basis; and

• You and your partner are mutually committed to a shared life together to the exclusion of all others.

Am I unable to sponsor my partner due to my history?

There is also a list of limitations that prevent certain people sponsoring a partner, including:  

• A person who has previously sponsored two other people in their lifetime.

• A person who has sponsored another person in the past 5 years.

• A person who themselves has been granted a partner visa based on an application they lodged within the past 5 years.

• A person who has been granted a specified parent visa within the past 5 years and was the spouse or de facto partner of the intended visa applicant at the time of grant.

• A person who has committed certain types of criminal offences or has a significant criminal record.

In certain circumstances, there are provisions for the limitations to be waived.If you are considering Partner Migration, reach out and book a consultation with one of our Registered Migration Agents today. We can help you understand your eligibility and guide you through the process.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is of a general nature only and does not constitute immigration advice. For more detailed and case-specific information or advice, please get in touch with SCA Connect.