Australian Partner Visa Routes Compared 2026: 300, 309/100 and 820/801
The choice between Australia's partner routes comes down to marital status and location: Subclass 300 is the prospective marriage route for unmarried couples applying from outside Australia, Subclass 309/100 is the offshore married partner route, and Subclass 820/801 is the onshore married partner route — with a Subclass 300 holder expected to move onto 820/801 after marrying, or onto 309/100 if the marriage happens before the 300 is granted. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs Prospective Marriage visa (Subclass 300) official page, as of July 2026, the Subclass 300 visa is a temporary visa that lets you live, work and study in Australia for 9 to 15 months from the visa grant date, requires you to marry your prospective spouse before it expires, and is intended to lead into the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820 and 801) or, if you marry earlier, the offshore provisional and migrant partner visas (subclass 309 and 100). This comparison is general information only and does not constitute personalised migration advice; because eligibility turns on individual relationships, sponsorship and current official settings, confirm the details against the official latest publication before making decisions.
How do Subclass 300, 309/100 and 820/801 differ?
The three routes sit inside Australia's family-reunification partner stream, but they serve different situations. Subclass 300 is the route for couples who intend to marry; the 309/100 and 820/801 pairs are the partner routes that apply once the couple is married, split by whether the applicant is outside or inside Australia. This comparison covers only the prospective-marriage and married partner routes described on the Department's pages.
| Route | Subclasses | Marital status | Where the applicant is / applies | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospective marriage | 300 | Unmarried, intending to marry | Outside Australia at application | Single temporary visa, 9–15 months from grant |
| Offshore married partner | 309 (provisional) then 100 (migrant) | Married, in the comparison drawn here | Outside Australia (offshore) | Two-subclass: 309 Partner (Provisional) followed by 100 Partner (Migrant) |
| Onshore married partner | 820 and 801 | Married, in the comparison drawn here | Inside Australia (onshore) | Two-subclass Partner visa (subclass 820 and 801) |
In practice, Subclass 300 acts as a bridge. It brings an unmarried partner to Australia to marry; once the marriage takes place, the couple continues onto one of the two married subclass pairs. A married couple, by contrast, does not need the 300 visa at all — they go straight to 309/100 if applying from outside Australia, or to 820/801 if applying onshore.
What does a Subclass 300 visa allow, and what must happen before it ends?
Subclass 300 is a temporary visa whose stay period is specified in the grant letter — 9 to 15 months from the visa grant date. While it is valid, you can live, work and study in Australia and travel to and from the country as many times as you want.
You must be outside Australia when you apply, and any family members applying with you must also be outside Australia. The Department can decide the application while you are in or outside Australia, but if you are outside at the time of grant you must enter before the first entry arrival date shown in your grant letter. Once granted, the visa is digitally linked to your passport rather than issued as a label.
The central obligation is the marriage. You must marry your prospective spouse before the Subclass 300 visa expires, and the marriage must be valid under Australian law even if it takes place in another country. The Department's PAM3 guidance refers to conditions such as not marrying before first entry and marrying within the visa period, and the official page directs applicants to check the specific visa conditions attached to their grant. A sponsor is required — an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is at least 18 and whose sponsorship has been approved.
When does Subclass 300 lead to 309/100 instead of 820/801?
Marriage timing decides which married route follows. Suppose an applicant marries while the Subclass 300 application is still undecided: the applicant is no longer eligible for Subclass 300, must notify the Department, provide a registered marriage certificate, request consideration for the Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) and Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100), and withdraw the Subclass 300 request — otherwise the application will be refused.
If, instead, the applicant enters Australia on the granted Subclass 300 visa and marries afterwards, the onward step is the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820 and 801), applied for after the marriage and before the Subclass 300 visa ends. The official page states that you pay less for this Partner visa if you marry your prospective spouse and apply before the Prospective Marriage visa ends, which is why the timing of the onshore application matters.
What eligibility criteria does Subclass 300 apply under the Migration Regulations 1994?
The Migration Regulations 1994 and the Department's PAM3 guidance set out the core criteria reflected on the official page. Both the applicant and the prospective spouse must be at least 18, and both must have met in person and known each other since turning 18. The applicant must establish a genuine intention to marry, with the marriage intended to take place within the visa period, and the Minister must be satisfied that the parties genuinely intend to live together as spouses. There must be no impediment to the marriage under Australian law, and the sponsorship must be approved and still in force at the time of decision.
Public interest criteria — covering health, character and related matters — must be met, and applicants who have previously been in Australia may need to satisfy special return criteria. Family members included in the application must be members of the family unit, must be outside Australia, and must meet health and character requirements. Supporting documents include identity records, evidence of the relationship and of any former relationships, police certificates (valid for 12 months from issue, with new checks required if an Australian Federal Police national police certificate is more than 15 months old), health examinations (results valid for 12 months, with health undertakings valid for 6 months), and Form 80. The official page remains the reference for current visa settings and fees, including the Visa pricing estimator and the lower visa cost that, from 1 July 2026, applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens holding a valid passport from one of the specified countries.
What does this mean for families comparing Australia with other destinations?
Within global family-reunification planning, Australia does not offer a single partner visa covering every situation. Couples who are not yet married start with Subclass 300, or marry first and then use the offshore 309/100 pair; the married partner routes are considered here only after the marriage has taken place. After marriage, the physical location of the applicant determines the subclass pair: outside Australia means 309/100, inside Australia means 820/801.
For globally mobile families, the decisive variables are therefore marital status at the time of application and whether the applicant is inside or outside Australia. The Subclass 300 visa's 9-to-15-month window is the mechanism that lets an unmarried partner enter, marry, and then transition onto the onshore married route, while a wedding that happens earlier simply converts the case into the offshore married route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for Subclass 300 if I am already married?
No, Subclass 300 is only for people who intend to marry an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. If you marry before the Department decides the application, you are no longer eligible for the visa. In that case you must ask to be considered for the offshore Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) and Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100) and withdraw the Subclass 300 request.
How long can I stay in Australia on a Subclass 300 visa?
It is a temporary visa, and the grant letter specifies a stay of 9 to 15 months from the visa grant date. While it is valid you can live, work and study in Australia and travel in and out of the country as many times as you wish. You must, however, marry your prospective spouse before the visa expires.
Do I have to be outside Australia to apply for Subclass 300?
Yes, you must be outside Australia when you apply, and any family members applying with you must also be outside Australia. The Department may decide the application while you are in or outside the country, but if you are outside at the time of grant you must enter before the first entry arrival date shown in your grant letter. Once granted, the visa is digitally linked to your passport rather than issued as a label.
Which partner visa do I apply for after marrying on a Subclass 300 visa?
If you marry after entering Australia on the Subclass 300 visa, you apply for the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820 and 801) after the marriage and before the Subclass 300 visa ends, and you pay less for it if you apply within that window. If you marry before the Subclass 300 is granted, you instead request the offshore Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) and Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100). The marriage must be valid under Australian law, even if it takes place in another country.
What are the main reasons a Subclass 300 application can be refused?
Common reasons include not having met in person after both parties turned 18, failing to show a genuine intention to marry within the visa period, or not showing a genuine intention to live together as spouses. Refusal can also follow an unapproved or invalid sponsorship, an impediment to the marriage under Australian law, or not meeting health and character requirements. Marrying before the application is decided also ends eligibility and, without a switch to the offshore partner route, leads to refusal.
Is there a reduced visa cost for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost applies to eligible citizens of specified Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste who lodge a valid application. Eligibility is recognised through a valid passport issued by one of the listed countries, and family members are also eligible based on the primary applicant's passport. Confirm the current list and settings on the official page, and use the Visa pricing estimator for the amount payable.