Partner Visa Subclass 100: Your Pathway to Permanent Residency
Expert guidance for your permanent partner visa Australia application. The partner visa subclass 100 allows you and your family to live, work, and study in Australia permanently with your sponsor.7
Key Facts
Status
Permanent Residency
Work and Study
Rights to work and study in Australia
Medicare Access
Access to Australia's public healthcare scheme
Citizenship Pathway
Eligibility to apply for Australian citizenship
What is the Subclass 100 Partner Visa in Australia?
The partner visa subclass 100 is the permanent stage of the offshore Partner visa pathway. It is available to applicants who hold a temporary Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) or a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445). This is a permanent partner visa. You become a permanent resident on the day the visa grant. There is no limit to how long you can stay in Australia.
You are eligible for consideration of the permanent partner visa two years after you apply for the temporary and permanent Partner visas. If you were in a long-term relationship or your sponsor held a specific visa before you applied, you might be granted the permanent visa in less than 2 years.
How Long Can You Stay?
This is a permanent visa. You become a permanent resident on the day we grant the visa. You can live in Australia indefinitely.
Travel facility:
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the visa grant date
- After the initial 5-year travel facility, apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) to continue travelling as a permanent resident
- Use VEVO to check when your travel facility ends
Eligibility Requirements for Partner Visa in Australia (Subclass 100)
To be eligible for the partner visa subclass 100, you must meet the following requirements:
- Hold a temporary Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) OR a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445)
- 2 years must have passed since you applied for the subclass 309 and 100 visas (check the date in ImmiAccount)
- Continue to be in a genuine and ongoing relationship with your sponsor
- Be the spouse or de facto partner of the same person who sponsored you for the temporary Partner visa
Note: You might still be eligible for the permanent visa if your relationship ends or your partner dies before the grant. If you are experiencing domestic and family violence, you may still be eligible for the grant of your permanent visa.
- You and any members of the family unit must continue to meet Australia's health requirement
- If you had health examinations for your subclass 309 visa, you will be notified if you need to undertake them again
- Family members not travelling with you may also need to meet the health requirement
- Provide a current Australian police certificate (complete disclosure National Police Certificate from Australian Federal Police)
- Provide overseas police certificates from any country where you spent 12+ months since the grant of your 309 visa
- Police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date for immigration purposes
- If you or any family members owe the Australian Government money, you must pay it back or arrange to pay it back
How to Apply for Subclass 100: Step-by-Step Process
The partner visa 100 Australia application process for the permanent stage follows these steps:
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility Date
- You are eligible for consideration 2 years after you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas
- Check the date you submitted your application in ImmiAccount
- Do NOT submit documents before this 2-year period has passed
- Use VEVO to check which visa you currently hold
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
We prepare and submit a complete, professional application
- Collect all identity, character, and relationship evidence documents (see checklist below)
- Ensure all documents are current and valid
- Have documents translated if not in English
- Scan all documents in colour
Partner Visa 100 Document Checklist
Gathering the right documents is critical for a successful partner visa australia application. Here is your comprehensive partner visa 100 document checklist:
- Copy of pages from your most recent passport showing photo, personal details, signature, and issue/expiry dates
- Current Australian police certificate (complete disclosure from Australian Federal Police only)
- Overseas police certificates from any country where you spent 12+ months since receiving your 309 visa
Providing strong relationship evidence partner visa documentation is essential. You must demonstrate you continue to be in a genuine relationship with your sponsor.
Relationship Documents:
- Commonwealth statutory declaration completed by your sponsor addressing: mutual commitment, genuine and continuing relationship, living arrangements, when the relationship began, financial commitments, nature of household, social aspects, nature of commitment, and future plans
- Marriage certificate (if married) or proof of de facto relationship
Financial Evidence:
- Joint mortgage or lease documents
- Joint loan documents for major assets (homes, cars, appliances)
- Joint bank account statements
- Household bills in both names
Household Evidence:
- Statement about how you share housework
- Household bills in both names
- Mail or emails addressed to both
- Documents showing joint responsibility for children
- Documents proving your living arrangements
Social Evidence:
- Statements from 2 witnesses (18+ years old) who know you both and your relationship, completed using Form 888
- Evidence that witnesses are Australian citizens or permanent residents
- Joint invitations or evidence you go out together
- Proof of friends in common
- Proof you have notified government, public, or commercial bodies about your relationship
- Proof of joint sporting, cultural, or social activities
- Proof you travel together
Commitment Evidence:
- Evidence showing knowledge of each other's background, family situation, and personal details
- Evidence that you have combined your personal matters
- Evidence you stay in touch when apart
- Evidence you are not related by family
- Terms of your wills (if applicable)
- Copies of passports for family members holding subclass 309 or 445 visas
- Documents showing any changes to their situation
- Police certificates for dependents 16 years or older
- Translate all non-English documents into English (Australian translators must be NAATI accredited)
- Scan or photograph all documents in colour (clear enough to read)
- Save multi-page documents as one file
- Certification is NOT required
Step 3: Submit Through ImmiAccount
- Log in to ImmiAccount
- Select ‘New application’
- Select ‘Family’
- Select ‘Stage 2 – Permanent Partner Visa Assessment’
- Complete your application
- Attach supporting documents (you can attach up to 100 documents per person)
- Clearly label your documents
- Keep a copy of your completed application
Step 4: Wait for Processing
- Track and manage your application using ImmiAccount
- Respond to any requests for more information promptly
- Notify the Department of any changes to your situation
- Do not contact the Department if within standard processing times
Step 5: Receive Your Visa Decision
- You can be in or outside Australia when the decision is made
- You will be notified in writing of the decision
- If granted: you will receive your visa grant number, start date, and any conditions
- If outside Australia at grant: you must enter Australia before the first entry arrival date in your grant letter
- Keep a copy of the decision letter
What Happens After Your Visa is Granted?
Once your permanent partner visa subclass 100 is granted
- Australian visas are digital - no label is placed in your passport
- Your digital visa record is linked to your passport
- Use VEVO to prove you have a visa and show your conditions
- Your visa number is in your grant letter
- Full work rights protected by Australian workplace law
- Ability to study in Australia (see StudyAssist for eligibility)
- You might have to wait to access certain Australian Government payments and benefits
- Learn about newly arrived residents' waiting periods from Services Australia
- After meeting residency requirements, you may be eligible for Australian citizenship
- For citizenship purposes, permanent residency starts on the day your visa was granted (if in Australia) or the day you first entered Australia on this visa (if offshore)
- Tell the immigration officer you have a permanent Australian visa and do not want a Special Category visa (subclass 444)
- A subclass 444 visa can override your permanent visa and affect citizenship eligibility
Including Family Members
Important: You cannot add any family members after the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) is granted.
- You can add a dependent child to your application before the decision is made
- Your child must first apply for and hold a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445)
- Your child can be in or outside Australia
- Complete Form 1002 - Application by a subclass 445 dependent child for a permanent partner visa
- Your child must meet health and character requirements
- If you have a baby after applying, notify the Department using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form
- As an Australian permanent resident, you may be able to sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia through separate visa applications
- After meeting residency requirements, you may be eligible for Australian citizenship
- For citizenship purposes, permanent residency starts on the day your visa was granted (if in Australia) or the day you first entered Australia on this visa (if offshore)
- Tell the immigration officer you have a permanent Australian visa and do not want a Special Category visa (subclass 444)
- A subclass 444 visa can override your permanent visa and affect citizenship eligibility
What Changes Must You Notify?
- Changes to your marital or de facto status
- The birth of a child
- Changes to contact details, address, or passport
- Any other changes relevant to your application
- A request to withdraw your application
- Complete the Notification of Relationship Cessation form in ImmiAccount
- You might still be eligible for the permanent visa
- All information you provide is confidential
- If experiencing domestic and family violence, support is available
Online Safety Tip: Protect your ImmiAccount and email passwords. Do not share them with anyone. Consider changing passwords if your relationship has ended.
What is the Cost of a Partner Visa Subclass 100?
Visa fees and processing timelines are taken from the Department of Home Affairs and may differ depending on the visa stream and applicant’s circumstances.
Subclass 100 Visa Cost
Understanding the cost of a partner visa subclass 100 helps you plan your application budget:
Fee Type | Amount |
Subclass 100 Visa Application Fee | Already paid with your Subclass 309 application |
Other documents (Health, Australian and Overseas Police Certificate, Examinations)(if required) | Varies (may be required if previous examination expired) |
You paid for the permanent partner visa when you made your applications for the temporary and permanent Partner visas. There is no additional visa application fee for the subclass 100.
Subclass 100 Visa Processing Time
The 100 visa processing time starts from your eligibility date, which is 2 years after you had been a holder of 309 visa.
Processing Type | Processing Time |
Visa processing | 50% processed in 10 Months |
Visa processing | 90% processed in 21 Months |
Factors that may affect processing time:
- Incomplete application or missing documents
- Need for additional information
- Time taken to verify information
- Complex cases may take longer
Additional fees apply for each family member included in your application. You may also need to pay for health examinations, police certificates, and biometrics.
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Why Clients Choose The Migration
Partner visas are personal. Your relationship, your family, your future—these are not just documents to us. We understand what is at stake. With expert guidance, The Migration submits your visa application on your behalf to ensure accuracy, faster processing, and peace of mind.
We have helped couples navigate straightforward applications and complex situations. Relationships that started overseas. Partners with previous visa refusals. Cases involving children from prior relationships. Applications where things changed mid-process.
Eligibility Review
We confirm you meet requirements before you invest time gathering documents
Document Assessment
We review your evidence and identify gaps before submission
Evidence Strategy
We help you present your relationship authentically and compellingly
Department Communication
We manage correspondence and respond to requests on your behalf
Application Lodgement
We ensure your Stage 2 documents are submitted correctly and completely
Complication Management
We handle difficult situations with experience and care
What is Subclass 100 Sponsorship?
Subclass 100 sponsorship is a legal commitment to provide financial and housing support for your partner’s first two years in Australia. It is the final permanent residency stage of the offshore partner visa process, requiring the sponsor to prove the relationship is genuine and ongoing.
If you’ve already sponsored your partner for the temporary subclass 309 visa. Now, for the partner visa subclass 100, you continue as their sponsor — no new application required.
Your role is to confirm:
- Your relationship is still genuine and ongoing
- You continue to support your partner financially and with accommodation
Sponsor cost: Free. There is no fee for the permanent stage.
Sponsor Eligibility Requirements For Subclass 100
Be the same person who sponsored them for the temporary subclass 309 visa
Continue to be married or in a de facto relationship with them
Your original sponsorship must have been approved during the 309 processing
Your Obligations as a Sponsor
Assist your partner and any family members included in the application financially.
Help provide suitable accommodation during the sponsorship period.
- Remain in a genuine relationship with your partner
- Continue as sponsor until sponsorship ends
You cannot withdraw as sponsor after the visa is granted
How Long Does Sponsorship Last?
Your sponsorship ends 2 years after:
If your partner is… | Sponsorship ends 2 years after… |
In Australia at time of grant | The visa grant date |
Outside Australia at time of grant | Their next arrival in Australia |
Documents You Need as Sponsor
- Personal details page of your most recent passport (showing signature), OR
- Australian driver's licence
Your declaration must address:
- Mutual commitment to each other (exclusive relationship)
- Whether your relationship is genuine and continuing
- Whether you live together (or reasons for living apart)
- When your relationship began and how long you've lived together
- Financial commitments you share
- Nature of your household (including responsibility for children)
- Social aspects of your relationship
- Your commitment to each other
- Plans for the future
How to Support the Subclass 100 Application
Wait until 2 years have passed since the original 309/100 application
Prepare your updated identity document and statutory declaration
Attach documents to your partner's application in ImmiAccount
Await the Department's decision on the permanent partner visa
If Your Situation Changes
- Your relationship status changes
- Your contact details or address change
- Any circumstances relevant to the application change
- You cannot withdraw as sponsor after the visa is granted
- If you experienced domestic or family violence, support is available through Family Violence Provisions
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Support Your Partner's Final Step
You have already invested time, effort, and commitment into this process. The Subclass 100 visa is the final stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the subclass 100 partner visa in Australia?
The subclass 100 is a permanent partner visa for spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens who applied from outside Australia. It is the permanent stage of the offshore Partner visa pathway, following the temporary subclass 309 visa.
What happens if we break up before my subclass 100 is granted?
You may still be eligible. If your relationship ends due to circumstances beyond your control — including domestic violence — the Department can still grant your permanent visa. Contact us to assess your options confidentially.
Do I need to submit new documents for the subclass 100, or does Home Affairs use my old ones?
You need to submit new documents showing your relationship is still genuine and ongoing. Your original 309 evidence is outdated — the Department wants to see what’s happened in the past 2 years.
What if we don't have joint bank accounts or property together?
That’s okay. Relationship evidence is assessed as a whole. If you lack financial evidence, strengthen other areas — social proof, travel together, witness statements, photos, communication records. Quality matters more than quantity.
My partner and I live apart due to work. Will this affect my application?
Not necessarily. Many genuine couples live apart temporarily. Explain your circumstances clearly and provide evidence you maintain your relationship despite the distance — regular visits, calls, financial support, future plans.
What if my police certificate expires during processing?
Police certificates are valid for 12 months. If yours expires, the Department will request a new one. Don’t stress — just respond promptly when asked.
Can I travel overseas while my subclass 100 is being processed?
Yes, your subclass 309 includes travel rights. However, if you’re overseas when a decision is made, you must enter Australia before the first entry date in your grant letter.
How do I prove my relationship is "genuine" after 2 years of living together?
Show ongoing commitment: recent joint finances, updated household arrangements, social recognition (events attended together), future plans (property, kids, travel). Two Form 888 witness statements from people who know you as a couple are essential.
What if my sponsor has a new job or we moved house — do I need to update the Department?
Yes. Notify the Department of any changes — address, contact details, employment, or family circumstances. Failing to update can delay your application or raise concerns.
What is the difference between partner visa 100 and 801?
The difference between partner visa 100 and 801 is the application location: Subclass 100 is for those who applied from outside Australia (offshore pathway), while Subclass 801 is for those who applied from within Australia (onshore pathway). Both grant the same permanent residency rights.
