Partner Visa 820/801 lawyers — build your future in Australia.
The 820/801 is a two-stage onshore visa for the partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. We guide couples through the whole process — with the pathway, evidence and responsibilities explained clearly.
One application. Two visas.
You apply once, and both stages are assessed from the same application — first the temporary visa, then permanent residency.
Not sure whether an application should be made in or outside Australia? Compare the 820/801 onshore and 309/100 offshore pathways, including bridging-visa and travel considerations.
Subclass 820
A temporary visa that lets you stay in Australia while your permanent visa is processed — with full work and study rights.
Subclass 801
A permanent visa granted after the later-stage criteria are met. The relevant timing is generally measured from the original partner visa application, but invitations, exceptions and assessment timing can vary.
The permanent stage needs current evidence.
The subclass 801 assessment is not simply an automatic administrative step after a temporary subclass 820 grant. When the permanent stage becomes due, the couple may need to provide current information showing that the relationship continues to meet the relevant requirements.
Keep evidence current
Continue collecting genuine financial, household, social and commitment evidence after the original application is lodged.
Record important changes
Address changes accurately, including contact details, family composition, living arrangements or circumstances affecting the relationship.
Prepare the permanent stage
Review updated forms and documents as one coherent account rather than treating the later assessment as an afterthought.
Know who is responsible for your onshore partner visa work.
The dedicated 820/801 service is delivered by Salvo Migration's Brisbane-based legal practice for clients across Australia. You can verify the lawyers independently and review the proposed stage, responsibilities and fixed-fee scope before engagement.
Martin Salvo
Principal Migration Lawyer, working on Australian partner visa applications, complex eligibility assessments, refusals and review pathways.
Verify Martin on the QLS register →Rachel Hamada
Practice Manager and Senior Lawyer within Salvo Migration's lawyer-led partner visa team.
Verify Rachel on the QLS register →A defined two-stage scope
The written engagement states which work is included for the subclass 820 application and later subclass 801 assessment. It does not treat every future task as automatically included.
Meet the complete legal team →Can both partner visas be granted close together?
“Double grant” is an informal expression people use when the temporary subclass 820 and permanent subclass 801 are decided together or close in time. Home Affairs says it might grant the permanent 801 in less than two years where the applicant was in a long-term partner relationship with the sponsor. That does not make an early permanent grant automatic.
Long-term relationship assessment
The Department assesses the relationship history and application against the current criteria and evidence. A couple should not assume that their own calculation guarantees a particular decision sequence.
Prepare for both possibilities
Provide an accurate initial application and keep evidence current so the matter is ready whether the stages are assessed separately or closer together.
Check the current Home Affairs subclass 801 information and Partner Visa FAQs. Individual outcomes and timing cannot be guaranteed.
Do you qualify for the 820/801?
- ✓Your relationship
You must be married to, or in a de facto relationship with, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
- ✓De facto couples
Applicants generally need to establish that the de facto relationship existed for the 12 months immediately before application. Registered relationships and other exceptions can apply.
- ✓Genuine and ongoing
You'll need evidence your relationship is genuine and ongoing — joint finances, shared household, photos and communication records.
- ✓In Australia at application
The 820/801 is the onshore pathway — you apply while you're in Australia. Outside Australia? You'll want the 309/100.
For the shared sponsor, relationship, health, character and evidence framework, read the Australian partner visa requirements guide. The subclass 820 location, current visa status, any Section 48 restriction and Schedule 3 questions still need to be checked separately.
The 820/801 application process.
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1
Submit the subclass 820 application
We prepare the relevant identity, relationship and sponsorship material for review against the agreed scope before lodgement.
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2
Temporary visa grant (820)
Once approved, you'll receive the temporary Partner Visa 820, allowing you to stay in Australia with work and study rights.
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3
Apply for subclass 801
When the permanent-stage assessment becomes due, we prepare updated evidence showing that the relationship continues to meet the relevant criteria. Timing is generally measured from the original application, not simply time spent holding the temporary visa.
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4
Permanent visa grant (801)
Upon approval you become a permanent resident of Australia — with the pathway to citizenship open.
Your evidence pack, built properly.
These core document categories help Home Affairs assess identity, sponsorship and the claimed relationship — and are also covered in our free checklist.
Identity documents
Passports, birth certificates and national identity documents for both applicant and sponsor.
Relationship evidence
Joint finances, shared household arrangements, photos, travel and communication records across the life of your relationship.
Relationship statements
A detailed account of the relationship, checked against shared dates, facts and supporting evidence.
Supporting statements
Use the document type required by the current instructions. Form 888 is commonly used, but eligible applicants without a substantive visa may need two recent statutory declarations instead; read the current Form 888 exception.
Police checks & health
Police certificates and health examinations planned with request timing and document validity in mind.
Sponsor documents
Your partner's sponsorship application, identity and supporting evidence.
Fixed legal fees. No surprises.
Every engagement is a clear, fixed-price agreement — you know exactly what to expect before you commit.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Salvo Migration legal fee — Stage 1 (820)Full preparation, document reviews, submissions and representation. No Visa, No Fee Guarantee applies.* | $5,997 inc GST |
| Government application chargeSet by the Department of Home Affairs and indexed each July — we confirm the current figure line-by-line on your call. | Confirmed on call |
| Third-party costsPolice checks, health examinations and any translations — payable at cost to the provider. | At cost |
See the current government charge, professional fees and other expenses in our partner visa cost guide, or review all fixed fees.
Processing times change. Preparation still matters.
Home Affairs processing times change and cannot be guaranteed. Our partner visa processing-time guide explains how to read the official figures. Preparation does not control the queue, but the following issues can create extra work or delay:
Incomplete documents
Missing, inconsistent or poorly explained material can lead to follow-up questions or further document requests.
Certificates & medicals
Delays with police certificates or medical assessments can slow things down — we sequence them correctly.
Requests for information
Home Affairs may request more evidence even after a carefully prepared lodgement. A clear initial application can make the response task easier, but cannot prevent a request.
Evidence you can inspect
Review published visa approvals and, when you choose, load current Google reviews before deciding whether Salvo Migration is right for you.
Published approval examples
See recent published outcomes with pathway and grant-date context. Personal details are redacted.
Inspect published approvals →Current Google reviews
Load the review source when you want to inspect recent client feedback.
Past outcomes and client reviews do not predict or guarantee the outcome of another application. Every matter is assessed on its own facts and decided by the Department of Home Affairs.
If it's not approved, our fees come back.*
Lawyer-led preparation and personalised support, with a conditional No Visa, No Fee professional-fee promise for eligible partner visa engagements.
*Applies to eligible partner visa applications where guarantee conditions are met.
Questions couples ask us most.
Can I work and study on the temporary 820?
Yes — the temporary Partner Visa 820 allows you to work and study in Australia while the permanent stage is processed.
Can I apply while on a bridging visa?
It depends on the visa history and circumstances. Schedule 3 and other criteria may apply, so obtain individual advice before assuming an onshore application is available.
What is an 820/801 double grant?
It is an informal term for the temporary and permanent stages being decided together or close in time. Home Affairs may assess the permanent stage sooner in some long-term relationships, but this is not automatic or guaranteed.
Can my children be included?
Yes, dependent children can be included in your partner visa application.
What if our relationship ends during the process?
If your relationship ends, your visa application may be affected. Contact us for advice on your specific situation — there are protections in limited circumstances.
What if I've already been refused?
Review rights, deadlines and any option for a further application depend on the decision and your circumstances. Get advice promptly and read our partner visa refusal guide before assuming a review is available.
Make your 820/801 decision-ready.
Book your free consultation and let us guide you through the Partner Visa 820/801 process — eligibility, strategy, fees and next steps.
Prefer to talk now? 1300 644 788