Offshore Partner Visa (Subclasses 309 & 100)
Reviewed 25 Aug 2026
How does the offshore partner visa (subclass 309/100) work?
The offshore partner visa lets the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen move to Australia. You lodge one application from outside Australia and pay one application charge: $11,710 for the main applicant.
Two visas come out of that single application. The temporary subclass 309 is decided first and lets you live, work and study in Australia. The permanent subclass 100 is decided at a second stage, usually assessed from two years after you first applied.
Half of 309 applications are currently decided within 17 months, and 90 per cent within 30 months (checked 24 August 2026). With that fee and that wait, the application is worth getting right the first time.
One application, two visas: the temporary 309 first, the permanent 100 later, with no second application charge. You must be outside Australia when you apply, but the 309 can be granted whether you are inside or outside Australia on decision day.
What can you do on each visa?
On the temporary 309
The 309 is temporary but carries close to full rights while the permanent stage is processed:
- Live, work and study — anywhere in Australia, with no work limits.
- Travel — leave and re-enter as many times as you want.
- Medicare — you can enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme.
- Free English classes — through the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible.
What the permanent 100 adds
Once granted, the subclass 100 makes your stay permanent:
- Indefinite stay — you live in Australia permanently.
- Family sponsorship — you can sponsor eligible relatives.
- A citizenship path — you can apply once you meet the residence rules.
- Five years of travel — after that, a Resident Return visa renews your travel rights.
Who can apply for the 309 visa?
Three sets of rules decide eligibility: your relationship, your sponsor, and where you are when you lodge. Health and character checks apply to every applicant.
Your relationship
You must be married to, or in a de facto relationship with, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and the relationship must be genuine and ongoing.
De facto couples generally need 12 months of de facto relationship immediately before applying. A relationship registered in an Australian state or territory, or compelling and compassionate circumstances, can cover a shorter period.
Sponsorship by your partner
Your partner applies to sponsor you, and sponsors are assessed in their own right: character checks apply, and there are limits on how many times a person can sponsor a partner.
Location, health and character
You and any family members applying with you must be outside Australia when the application is lodged. You can be inside or outside Australia when the 309 is decided.
Health examinations and police certificates for the countries you have lived in are standard for partner applications.
What does the offshore partner visa cost?
The government application charge is $11,710 for the main applicant, $5,860 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over, and $2,935 for each child under 18. One charge covers both stages: nothing more is payable when the permanent 100 is assessed.
Budget beyond the application charge for health examinations, police certificates and certified translations. Our partner visa cost guide prices each of them and gives a worked total. Every current government charge is on our Australian visa fees reference, and our own professional fees are fixed and published on our fees page.
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★★★★★ 4.9How long does the 309 visa take?
| Visa | Half decided within | 90 per cent decided within |
|---|---|---|
| Partner (Provisional) subclass 309 | 17 months | 30 months |
| Partner (Migrant) subclass 100 (permanent stage) | 10 months | 19 months |
These are the Department of Home Affairs published times, checked 24 August 2026 and updated monthly. Partner applications are processed under a global model: any Home Affairs office, in or outside Australia, can be allocated your file, so the processing office says nothing about your progress.
For couples weighing up where to apply from: the onshore 820 currently shows 18 months at the half-way mark, almost identical to the 309’s 17. But under Ministerial Direction 117, in force since 25 July 2026, applicants in Australia are processed first, so 820 files are expected to pull ahead of the published figures.
Whether applying from inside Australia is open to you depends on your visa situation, so treat the choice as a legal question, not a timing one. Compare the onshore 820/801 route, and see why partner files run long in our partner visa delays guide.
When does the permanent 100 stage happen?
You become eligible to be assessed for the subclass 100 two years after the date you lodged the combined application, not two years after the 309 was granted. Home Affairs then asks for updated evidence that the relationship is still genuine and ongoing.
You must hold the 309 (or a dependent child subclass 445 visa) when the 100 is decided.
Long-term couples can move faster. If your relationship was already long-standing when you applied (broadly, three years together, or two years with a dependent child of the relationship), the permanent visa can be granted without the two-year wait.
What if the relationship ends before the permanent stage?
Some applicants can still be granted the permanent visa after a relationship breaks down. The main situations: the sponsoring partner has died; you or a family member experienced family violence committed by the sponsor; or you and the sponsor share a child and parental responsibility continues.
The family violence provisions carry their own evidence rules: our guide to the partner visa family violence provisions explains them.
Can you visit Australia while the 309 is being processed?
Yes. The rule fixes where you are when you apply, not where you wait. Many applicants spend time in Australia on a visitor visa during processing, and the 309 itself can be granted while you are in Australia.
One caution: a visitor visa has its own rules, including that you are a genuine visitor. Time spent in Australia does not speed the 309 up.
FAQs about the Offshore Partner Visa
What happens if the 309 visa is refused
You are notified in writing with reasons. Review rights at the Administrative Review Tribunal depend on where you were at decision: for a refusal while you are offshore, your sponsor lodges the review from within Australia. Deadlines are short and strict, so get advice immediately.
Can my children be included
Yes. Dependent children outside Australia can be included in your application. Each pays the additional applicant charge: $5,860 if aged 18 or over, $2,935 if under 18.
Is it faster to apply onshore with the 820 instead
The published times are close: half of 820s take about 18 months against the 309’s 17. But those figures describe files decided before the queue changed: since 25 July 2026, Ministerial Direction 117 tells visa officers to prioritise family visa applicants who are in Australia, so 820 files are expected to move ahead of offshore ones.
Applying onshore is only possible if you are in Australia and your visa situation allows a valid application. Which route fits is a question about your circumstances.
Do I have to stay outside Australia the whole time
No. You must be outside Australia when you apply, but you can travel to Australia during processing on a visa that permits it, and the 309 can be granted while you are in Australia.
