There is no single guaranteed Australian partner visa processing time. Home Affairs publishes a live guide based on recently decided applications, and the result depends on the visa stream and date entered. It is a historical indicator—not a deadline for your application.
Use the official visa processing times guide for the latest figure. Home Affairs states that the tool does not assess the circumstances of an individual application and does not guarantee a decision within the displayed timeframe.
Jump to a pathway: 820/801 onshore, 309/100 offshore or subclass 300.
Why online processing-time figures differ
Articles may quote different numbers because they were checked in different months, use a median instead of a percentile, combine categories or refer to different stages. A figure for the temporary/provisional partner category is not automatically the processing time for every 820, 309 or 300 applicant.
Annual application demand and the number of files on hand are also different from an individual processing-time estimate. Our source-linked Australian partner visa statistics briefing separates lodgements, first-stage caseload and Migration Program outcomes without turning those figures into a promised wait time.
When comparing a number, check:
- the subclass or category selected;
- whether it relates to the temporary or permanent stage;
- the date the source was updated;
- whether it is a median, range or percentile; and
- whether the figure came from Home Affairs or a third-party estimate.
Partner Visa 820 processing time: onshore pathway
The 820/801 pathway starts with a combined application for the temporary 820 and permanent 801 visas. The temporary application is assessed first. The later permanent stage has its own eligibility and evidence process.
Home Affairs says applicants are generally eligible for consideration of the permanent partner stage two years after the original combined application, but that does not mean the permanent visa is automatically granted on the two-year date.
Partner Visa 309 processing time: offshore pathway
The 309/100 pathway also begins as a combined application. The subclass 309 is the provisional stage and the subclass 100 is the permanent stage.
Home Affairs explains that processing time for the subclass 100 permanent visa starts from the date of eligibility—generally two years after the combined temporary and permanent applications were made. The actual assessment and decision can occur later.
Prospective Marriage Visa 300 processing time
The subclass 300 has a separate processing-time entry. A person granted this visa must then satisfy its conditions and make a later partner visa application if they wish to pursue the onshore partner pathway after marriage. The time for that later process is separate from the subclass 300 assessment.
What can make an application take longer?
Home Affairs identifies factors such as an incomplete application, missing documents, the need for more information, complexity and the time required to verify information. Other practical factors may include health or character processing and changes in the applicant's circumstances.
A well-organised application cannot control the Department's queue or guarantee a faster result. It can reduce avoidable gaps and make it easier to understand what was provided. Start with the partner visa document checklist and keep records current while the application is pending.
Can you request priority processing?
Home Affairs says partner applications are generally assessed in the order received so that an applicant is not given an unfair advantage without a valid reason. Requests for priority processing are considered against the Department's current criteria and evidence; asking does not guarantee priority or a particular decision date.
How to monitor your own application
- Use ImmiAccount for application messages and status information.
- Keep contact, passport and relationship information current.
- Respond carefully to any request by its stated deadline.
- Check the official processing guide again rather than relying on an old screenshot.
- Do not make travel, employment or visa-expiry decisions from a generic online estimate.