The cost of an Australian partner visa is more than one number. A realistic budget separates the Department of Home Affairs application charge, any professional fee and the third-party expenses that depend on your circumstances.
As checked on 16 July 2026, Home Affairs lists a base application charge of AUD 11,710 for most primary applicants in the combined onshore 820/801 pathway and the offshore 309/100 pathway. The Prospective Marriage subclass 300 page lists a lower main-applicant charge from AUD 9,365. Charges can change, concessions apply in limited circumstances and family members cost extra, so confirm the amount for your intended lodgement date.
Is the Australian spouse visa cost different?
People often search for a spouse visa cost, but Home Affairs places married spouses and de facto partners within Australia's Partner visa pathways. The government charge therefore depends on the actual pathway—usually 820/801 if applying in Australia or 309/100 if applying overseas—not on whether you informally call it a spouse visa or partner visa. Home Affairs' partner visa overview explains the spouse, de facto partner and prospective-spouse options.
1. Government partner visa application charge
The government charge is paid to the Department, not to Salvo Migration. The current official subclass pages state:
- Partner Visa 820/801: from AUD 11,710 for most main applicants. The charge covers the temporary and permanent applications lodged together.
- Partner Visa 309/100: AUD 11,710 for the main applicant. The charge covers the provisional and migrant applications lodged together.
- Prospective Marriage Visa 300: from AUD 9,365. A later 820/801 application has a further charge, although a lower rate may apply when an eligible subclass 300 holder applies before that visa ends.
Use the official Visa Pricing Estimator for your facts. Home Affairs notes that its estimator is a guide and may not capture every possible charge.
2. Additional applicants and concessions
The total can change when children or other eligible family members are included. Age, location, prior visa history and the pathway can affect the calculation.
From 1 July 2026, Home Affairs describes a lower partner visa cost for eligible citizens who lodge a valid application using a valid passport issued by one of the specified countries. ImmiAccount recognises eligible applicants during the application process. Family members are also eligible based on the passport of the primary applicant (or visa holder who satisfies the primary criteria).
The current 820, 309 and subclass 300 pages list:
- Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru and Palau;
- Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa and Solomon Islands;
- Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Home Affairs does not present one universal lower amount on those pathway pages. Check the amount shown in ImmiAccount and the official pricing estimator for the actual applicants before payment; do not assume eligibility from residence, ancestry or a family member's passport alone.
3. Professional legal fees
Professional fees are separate from the government application charge. Salvo Migration currently publishes a AUD 5,997 including GST fixed legal fee for the first-stage preparation and representation scope on its pricing page. The scope, payment terms and any guarantee conditions are confirmed before engagement.
A professional fee should be compared by scope, not price alone. Check who will assess the pathway, review relationship evidence, prepare submissions, handle Department requests and assist with the later permanent stage.
4. Other costs to allow for
Third-party expenses vary from case to case and are usually paid directly to the provider. They can include:
- health examinations;
- Australian and overseas police certificates;
- translations and interpreter services;
- biometrics where required;
- document, identity or civil-record fees; and
- travel or bridging visa costs where relevant.
A practical budget example
For a straightforward primary applicant considering Salvo's published first-stage service, the known starting figures are the current government charge and the published fixed professional fee. Third-party costs and any additional-applicant charges then sit on top. This is a budgeting framework, not a quote or a calculation for your circumstances.
Check before you pay
- Confirm the correct pathway: 820/801, 309/100 or subclass 300.
- Run the official estimator using the intended lodgement date and every applicant.
- Ask for professional scope and fees in writing.
- Budget for certificates, health checks and translations rather than treating the application charge as the complete cost.