Written by Navpreet Aulakh, Registered Migration Agent MARN 2619467
Checked against Department of Home Affairs guidance on 4 November 2026
A partner visa checklist is a list of the documents you and your partner gather to prove who you are, that your relationship is genuine and continuing, and that you both meet the character and health rules. Home Affairs groups the relationship evidence into four areas: finances, your household, social matters and commitment. This guide walks through each part so you can spot gaps before you lodge.
The same evidence categories apply whether you apply in Australia for the Partner visa (subclass 820 and 801) or outside Australia for the Partner visa (subclass 309 and 100). For a broader look at what decision-makers look for, see our partner visa evidence page.
What does a partner visa checklist need to cover?
Home Affairs asks you to provide all required information with your application, or as soon as possible after you apply. A complete application usually has six parts:
| Part | Who provides it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Applicant and sponsor | Passport pages, birth certificate, national identity card, change of name documents |
| Relationship history | Applicant and sponsor | Written statements about how you met and how the relationship developed |
| Relationship evidence | Both of you | Finances, household, social matters and commitment documents |
| Witness statements | Two people who know you as a couple | Form 888 supporting statements |
| Character | Applicant and sponsor | Australian and overseas police certificates, Form 80 for the applicant |
| Health | Applicant and any dependants | Health examinations |
If you are not sure which partner pathway fits, read onshore vs offshore partner visa first, because where you are when you apply decides which subclass you lodge.
What identity documents do you need?
For the applicant, Home Affairs asks for a birth certificate showing the names of both parents. If you cannot provide one, you can give the identification page of a family book showing both parents' names, a government-issued identification document, or a court-issued document that proves your identity.
You 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 any change of name, such as a marriage or divorce certificate or change of name documents
- documents that show other names you have been known by
Your sponsor must provide evidence that they are an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Home Affairs lists a copy of their passport, a copy of their birth certificate and a photo of their face. A sponsor who is a permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen must also show that they usually live in Australia, for example through a home, work, property or family here.
How do you prove your relationship history?
Home Affairs asks you to tell them in writing about:
- how, when and where you first met
- how the relationship developed
- when you moved in together, got engaged or married
- what you do together
- time you spent apart
- significant events in the relationship
- your plans for the future
Write these statements in your own words and make sure the dates match your other documents. A statement that says you moved in together in March, next to a lease that starts in July, will raise questions.
Married couples and de facto couples
If you are married, provide your marriage certificate or other evidence that your marriage is valid in Australia. If you are in a de facto relationship, you must show that you have been in the relationship for at least 12 months before you applied. If you have not been together for 12 months, Home Affairs says you can provide evidence that you have registered your relationship with an Australian state or territory births, deaths and marriages agency, or tell them in writing about any compelling and compassionate circumstances.
What evidence goes under each of the four parts of your relationship?
Aim to show a shared life across all four areas, not a large pile of documents in one.
1. Finances
Evidence that you share financial matters, such as:
- joint mortgage or lease documents
- joint loan documents for major assets like homes, cars or major appliances
- joint bank account statements
- household bills in both names
2. Your household
Evidence that you share domestic matters, such as:
- a statement about how you share housework
- household bills in both names
- mail or emails addressed to you both
- documents that show joint responsibility for children
- documents that prove your living arrangements
3. Social matters
Evidence that other people know about your relationship. Home Affairs says you must provide statements from 2 witnesses who are 18 or older, know you and your partner, and know about your relationship. Witnesses can use Form 888 (Supporting statement in relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application). If a witness is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, include proof of this, such as a passport or birth certificate.
Other social evidence can include:
- joint invitations or evidence you go out together
- proof you have friends in common
- proof you have told government, public or commercial bodies about your relationship
- proof you do sporting, cultural or social activities together
- proof you travel together
4. Commitment
Evidence that you are committed to a long-term relationship. Home Affairs says this must show that you know each other's background, family situation or other personal details, have combined your personal matters, stay in touch when apart, and are not related by family. You can also provide the terms of your wills.
Our visa checklists page has printable lists you can tick off as you go.
What about former relationships and children?
If either of you has been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated before, provide divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations.
For each dependent child under 18 applying with you, Home Affairs asks for identity documents, evidence of your relationship with the child (such as a birth certificate), health examinations, character documents if the child is 16 or 17, and adoption papers, court orders, school enrolment or sole custody evidence where they apply. If someone with a legal right to decide where the child lives is not coming to Australia, they need to give consent using Form 1229.
What character and health documents are needed?
Character
If you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since you turned 16, you must provide an Australian police certificate. Home Affairs only accepts complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. You also need a police certificate from every country where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16, plus military service records if you served in the armed forces of any country. The applicant completes Form 80 (Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment).
Sponsors also provide police certificates to show they meet the sponsor character requirements.
Health
You need to complete health examinations. Home Affairs says the results are valid for 12 months from the date you complete them, and police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date. Both may need to be redone if they expire before a decision, so check the published processing times before you book them.
Who can sponsor, and what limits apply?
Your sponsor must be 18 or older and an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship, and most sponsors need to meet character requirements.
Home Affairs may refuse a sponsorship if it is the sponsor's third time sponsoring a partner, if they sponsored another partner within the last 5 years, or if they were sponsored as a partner within the last 5 years. Some exceptions apply, for example where you have a dependent child together or the relationship is longstanding.
How should you prepare and lodge your documents?
- Translate: have all documents translated into English and provide both the original and the translation. Translators in Australia must be accredited by NAATI. Each translation must include the translator's name, address, phone number and qualifications.
- Scan in colour: scan or photograph every document in colour, clearly enough to read, with multi-page documents saved as one file.
- No certification needed: Home Affairs says you do not need to have documents certified.
- Lodge online: you apply through ImmiAccount. The 820 must be lodged while you are in Australia and the 309 while you are outside Australia. Our ImmiAccount guide explains the set-up.
- Provide true information: giving false or misleading documents can lead to refusal under PIC 4020.
If you are applying in Australia and do not hold a substantive visa, extra rules apply, including the Schedule 3 criteria. Home Affairs also asks these applicants for at least two statutory declarations, each made within the last six weeks by an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, confirming your relationship.
How much does a partner visa cost and how long does it take?
Home Affairs lists the visa application charge for both the 820/801 and the 309/100 as from AUD11,710 for most applicants. If you hold a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), the onshore Partner visa costs from AUD1,955. Other costs, such as police certificates, health examinations and translations, are extra.
Home Affairs does not publish a fixed figure for how long a partner visa takes. Processing times change and every case is different. Our comparison of the prospective marriage visa vs partner visa covers timing differences between the routes.
What are the most common partner visa checklist mistakes?
- Heavy evidence in one area (for example, lots of photos) and very little in others, such as finances or household.
- Dates in your relationship statements that do not match leases, bills or travel records.
- De facto couples applying before 12 months together without a registered relationship or a written explanation.
- Witness statements from people under 18 or without proof of their citizenship or residence.
- Police certificates or health checks that expire while the application is waiting.
- Untranslated documents, or translations missing the translator's details.
Partner visa checklist: quick answers
How many Form 888 statements do I need?
Home Affairs says you must provide statements from 2 witnesses who are 18 or older and know you both and your relationship.
Do I need to certify my documents?
No. Home Affairs says you do not need to have documents certified. Scan or photograph them clearly in colour.
Can we apply as de facto partners if we have been together less than 12 months?
Possibly. Home Affairs allows you to provide evidence of a registered relationship with an Australian state or territory, or to explain compelling and compassionate circumstances in writing.
Is the evidence different for the 309 and the 820?
The relationship evidence categories are the same. The main difference is where you must be when you lodge: in Australia for the 820, outside Australia for the 309.
Can I add documents after I lodge?
Home Affairs asks for everything with your application, or as soon as possible after you apply.
Get help with your partner visa application
Every relationship is different, and the right evidence depends on your history, where you live and your current visa. A registered migration agent can review your documents, find gaps and explain the options on our partner and family visas page. Book your consultation with Nanak Migration Group to go through your checklist.
Official sources: Partner visa (temporary) (subclass 820) and Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not migration advice for your circumstances. Visa rules, charges and requirements change. Before you make any decision or lodge an application, book a consultation with a registered migration agent who can assess your situation.