Partner Visa Lawyer Sunshine Coast: 820/801, 309/100 & Complex Cases

Partner Visa lawyer Sunshine Coast: choosing the correct pathway

Couples in Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Caloundra, Buderim, Kawana, Nambour, Noosa and surrounding communities usually begin with the same question: which Partner Visa should we apply for? The answer depends on the applicant’s location, relationship status, visa history and long-term plan.

The main pathways are the Subclass 820/801 Partner Visa for eligible applicants applying onshore, the Subclass 309/100 Partner Visa for eligible offshore applicants, and the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visa for eligible couples who intend to marry.

Home Affairs describes the 820 as the temporary onshore Partner Visa leading to the 801 permanent stage, and the 309 as the provisional offshore Partner Visa leading to the 100 permanent stage. The applicant’s circumstances at lodgement matter, so the application should not be chosen simply because one subclass sounds faster or more convenient.

For wider local migration information, see our Immigration Lawyers Sunshine Coast guide.

What evidence does a Partner Visa application need?

Australian Partner Visa assessment looks at the relationship as a whole. Regulation 1.09A requires consideration of circumstances including the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship and the nature of the couple’s commitment to each other.

That means a strong application is not measured by the number of files uploaded. It is measured by whether the evidence is relevant, consistent and capable of explaining how the relationship operates.

• Financial evidence: joint accounts, shared expenses, major assets, liabilities, transfers and evidence of financial support.
• Household evidence: living arrangements, leases, utilities, correspondence to the same address, division of domestic responsibilities and care of children.
• Social evidence: family and friends, events, travel, photographs, invitations, Form 888 declarations and how the relationship is recognised by others.
• Commitment evidence: relationship history, periods of separation, communication, future plans, wills or beneficiary arrangements where relevant, and evidence showing a long-term shared life.

See our Partner Visa evidence guide for a deeper explanation.

Consistency is as important as quantity

The dates in the application, sponsor information, relationship statements, leases, travel records and supporting declarations should make sense together. A genuine couple can still create avoidable problems if the file contains unexplained contradictions.

A Partner Visa lawyer in Sunshine Coast should therefore do more than ask for documents. The legal review should identify what each document proves, where the evidence is weak and whether any inconsistency needs to be explained before lodgement.

De facto Partner Visa applications and the 12-month rule

Home Affairs states that a de facto applicant will usually need to show that the de facto relationship existed for at least 12 months immediately before the Partner Visa application, unless an applicable exception applies. A registered relationship with an Australian State or Territory authority can be relevant to that requirement in qualifying circumstances.

Queensland permits eligible couples to register a civil partnership. Registration can be relevant to the usual 12-month de facto requirement for some Partner visa applicants, while the broader relationship evidence still needs to satisfy Home Affairs. See the official Queensland civil partnership registration.

Relationship registration should not be treated as a shortcut that proves the whole visa case. The couple still needs evidence that the relationship is genuine and continuing. Nor should a couple wait until the current visa is about to expire before checking the 12-month rule or registration timing.

Subclass 820/801 Partner Visa lawyer Sunshine Coast

The 820/801 pathway is commonly used by the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is applying from Australia.

Before lodgement, we would usually check the applicant’s current visa, expiry date, visa conditions, previous refusals or cancellations, any No Further Stay condition, section 48, Schedule 3 and whether the application can be validly made onshore.

What happens to your current visa?

Lodging an 820/801 application does not usually cancel the substantive visa the applicant already holds. The existing visa and its conditions continue until it ceases. A bridging visa may then become relevant if the Partner Visa remains undecided.

Do not assume every bridging visa has the same work or travel rights. In particular, travel while relying on a Bridging Visa A should be planned carefully because a Bridging Visa B may be needed to leave and return while the substantive application is pending.

Subclass 309/100 Partner Visa lawyer Sunshine Coast

The 309/100 pathway is commonly used where the applicant is outside Australia at the time of application. These cases can involve long-distance relationships, periods of living apart for work or immigration reasons, overseas civil documents and evidence held in more than one country.

Physical separation does not automatically mean a relationship is not genuine. The application should explain why the couple has lived apart, how the relationship has continued, how finances and decisions are managed and what plans exist for living together.

Where a sponsor lives in Sunshine Coast and the applicant is overseas, our paperless system allows both partners to contribute to the same evidence strategy without needing to be in the same country.

Complex Partner Visa cases in Sunshine Coast

Some Partner Visa files need a separate legal strategy in addition to proving the relationship. Our Partner Visa practice regularly deals with matters where the complication can determine whether the application is valid, whether additional criteria apply or whether substantial submissions are required.

Schedule 3

An applicant who does not hold a substantive visa can face additional Schedule 3 requirements in an onshore 820 case. A genuine relationship does not automatically remove Schedule 3. See our Schedule 3 Partner Visa guide.

Section 48 after a visa refusal

People often search for a “Section 48 Partner Visa waiver”. Section 48 is not simply waived by asking Home Affairs to ignore it. The real issue is whether section 48 applies and whether an onshore Partner Visa can still be validly lodged in the circumstances. See our Section 48 Partner Visa guide.

Partner Visa sponsorship limitations

Previous Partner Visa sponsorships can restrict a new sponsorship. The sponsor’s history should be reviewed before lodgement, especially if they have previously sponsored partners or were themselves sponsored as a partner. Our Partner Visa sponsorship limitations guide explains this area.

Health waivers

Partner Visa applicants are generally subject to health requirements. Where the relevant criterion permits a waiver, a complex medical case may require legal and evidentiary submissions addressing the applicable health-waiver test. See our Partner Visa PIC 4007 health waiver guide.

Character issues and sponsor police checks

Applicant criminal history can affect the visa, and sponsor criminal-history issues can also be relevant to sponsorship approval and disclosure obligations. These matters should be addressed accurately rather than omitted. See our guide to Partner Visa sponsor police checks and relevant offences.

Relationship breakdown and family violence

If the relationship ends before the permanent Partner Visa is decided, the immigration consequences depend on the circumstances. Certain family violence, child and other provisions can allow consideration of the visa despite relationship breakdown where the legal criteria are met. See our Partner Visa family violence provisions.

Who can sponsor a Partner Visa?

The standard Partner Visa pathways generally involve sponsorship by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. But sponsor status is only the beginning. Previous sponsorships, relevant criminal history and other sponsorship criteria may need to be checked.

It is better to identify a sponsor problem before the visa application charge is paid than after Home Affairs raises it.

What happens after a Partner Visa is lodged?

A Partner Visa file continues to develop after lodgement. Home Affairs may request police certificates, health examinations or additional relationship material. The couple may move house, travel, change passports, have a child or experience another significant event.

Evidence should be updated strategically. Uploading every new receipt or photograph is rarely necessary. See our guide on how often to upload Partner Visa evidence after lodgement.

When the permanent 801 or 100 stage becomes relevant, the couple may need to provide current relationship evidence. If no invitation arrives, there may still be a way to initiate the permanent-stage assessment through ImmiAccount. See our 801/100 Stage 2 guide.

Legal review

Reviewed by Madhab Kharel — Principal Lawyer

Madhab Kharel is the Principal Lawyer and Director of Emigrate Lawyers. His migration practice includes Partner Visas, Schedule 3, Section 48, sponsorship limitations, health and character issues, visa refusals and Administrative Review Tribunal matters.

Date reviewed: 26 September 2026
View Madhab Kharel’s profile

Partner Visa lawyer Sunshine Coast: frequently asked questions

Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and is not legal advice. Australian migration law and policy can change, and advice should be obtained for the individual circumstances of the applicant and sponsor.