VISA FOR PROSPECTIVE MARRIAGE (SUBCLASS 300)

REQUIREMENTS FOR A PROSPECTIVE MARRIAGE VISA

Relationship

• You and your fiancé(e) must do the following:
• be at least 18 years old and not linked to anyone
• be able to marry each other
• truly want to marry within nine months of receiving the visa (the marriage may take place either in Australia or overseas)
• having met in person and are personally acquainted with each other
• sincerely desire to live together as a married pair

Sponsor

Your sponsor must be able to:

• be a citizen of Australia, a permanent resident of Australia, or a citizen of New Zealand who qualifies
• not have sponsored more than one additional fiancé, partner, or spouse for migration to Australia, and not have sponsored a fiancée, spouse, or partner for migration to Australia in the previous 5 years (unless there are compelling circumstances)
• within the last 5 years, you have not been sponsored for a Spouse, Partner, or Prospective Marriage visa by someone else (unless there are compelling circumstances)
• when the agency requests it, offer police checks, and
• You agree that any conviction for a “related offence” will be disclosed to the applicant(s) you are sponsoring by the department.

If you have a relevant criminal conviction and a long criminal history, your sponsorship will be denied. Offenses including violence, intimidation, breaching a protective order, people smuggling, human trafficking, and weapons are all examples of relevant offenses.

PROCESS OF APPLICATION

On behalf of you and your sponsor, this application has been filed with the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA). The most important condition is that your relationship and your sponsor match the above-mentioned requirements. You must also pass the regular health and character checks.

This visa is good for nine months and permits you to visit Australia before marrying your fiancé (e). Both when your application is submitted and when your visa is granted, you must be outside of Australia. The marriage must take place within nine months of the visa grant date, or during the validity period of your visa. It could take place in Australia or elsewhere.

Next Steps: Obtaining a Partner Visa

You will be able to apply for a Partner visa once you have arrived in Australia and your marriage has taken place. This application must be submitted before the expiration of your Prospective Marriage visa. The following are the major requirements for a Partner visa:

• You and your partner are in a relationship that is mutually exclusive.
• Your connection is genuine and ongoing.
• You either live together as a pair or live apart for a certain time.

You will be awarded a temporary Partner visa if you match the appropriate criteria, which will be valid for a ‘stand-down period’ of about two years from the date of application submission. If your partnership meets the standards outlined above, you will be eligible for a permanent Partner visa at the end of the two-year period.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

We estimate that preparing and filing your application will take several weeks, with the length of time largely determined by how quickly you (and your sponsor, if applicable) furnish us with the essential supporting information and documentation.

The amount of time it takes the DOHA to process your application is determined by its processing time service standards, but it may vary depending on a variety of other criteria, such as the complexity of your case, perceived risk factors, and processing priorities. Please contact us for the most up-to-date information on expected processing times for this type of application.