Everything You Need to Know About the 801 Partner Visa

When love knows no borders, the 801 partner visa becomes a bridge that unites two people permanently in Australia. If you’re considering applying, you’re starting one of the most important journeys of your life. This process requires careful planning, patience, and accurate information.

Here, we’re going to detail the important stuff you need to know about the 801 partner visa process, from eligibility through application timeline, to what to expect when you become a permanent resident.

What is the Partner Visa 801?
The 801 partner visa is a permanent visa. It is for people married to or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. It’s the second step in the partner visa application process — the first being the temporary 820 partner visa. You typically submit both the 820 and the 801 applications concurrently when you apply. After meeting certain conditions and completing a waiting period, you become eligible for the 801 permanent visa.

One of the best parts of the partner visa 801 is the freedom it brings. You can live, work, and study in Australia permanently. You also gain access to Medicare and may be entitled to various social security benefits after a waiting period.

Who can be Eligible for a Partner Visa 801?
To qualify to apply for an 801 partner visa, you would have to first have a temporary 820 visa in hand or be applying at the same time for both. Either way, you must provide proof that your relationship is real, serious, and ongoing. Here is a brief overview of minimum eligibility criteria:

You must be married to or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.

• You need to have a real and ongoing relationship.
• You and your partner should live together, or not permanently apart.
• You need to meet health and character requirements.
• You need not to have any cancellations of visas or serious criminal charges that will exclude you.

For de facto couples, you usually must show you’ve been in a relationship for over 12 months before applying, unless you have officially registered your relationship with a state or territory government.

The Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
It is generally a two-step procedure applying for an 801 partner visa:

1. Lodging the Initial Application:
   When you submit your application, you’re applying for both the 820 (temporary) and 801 (permanent) visas. You’ll need to provide detailed proof of your relationship, such as joint financial evidence, cohabitation, social documents, and signs of commitment.
2. Waiting Period:
   After receiving the 820 visa, most applicants must wait about two years from the date they first lodged their combined application before they become eligible for the 801 visa. This period gives the Department of Home Affairs time to ensure your relationship is still genuine and lasting.
3. Assessment for the 801 Visa:
   At around the two-year point, you’ll have to submit new evidence validating that your relationship is still ongoing. Provided everything goes according to plan, you’ll be given the 801 partner visa.

It is absolutely essential that you continue submitting relationship evidence to your file while waiting. The more detailed your evidence, the easier your transition from temporary to permanent residency will be.

What Kind of Evidence Should You Submit?
Demonstrating that your relationship is genuine is likely the most important aspect of your partner visa 801 application. The Australian government is very serious about these tests in an effort to avoid visa scams. Below is the kind of evidence you might want to provide:

• Financial Evidence: Joint bank accounts, joint bills, proof of joint financial obligations such as loans or leases.
• Household Evidence: Testimony regarding how you both divide up household tasks, joint ownership of property, or rental contracts.
• Social Evidence: Joint photographs, invitations to both of you, common travel history.
• Commitment Evidence: Friend and family testimony, future plans such as wills or life insurance with each other as beneficiaries.

Each one paints a picture of an actual, committed relationship.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Although it may sound easy to process the 801 partner visa application, most of the applicants end up in unwarranted pitfalls. Some of the pitfalls include:

• Supplying incomplete or incongruent proof.
• Failure to inform the Department of Home Affairs if your circumstances change (i.e., houses or jobs moving).
• Failure to meet deadlines on the provision of additional documents.
• Supposing that marriage as such is sufficient to automatically ensure visa approval — it is not. The relationship must still qualify as genuine as per the benchmarks.

Having the assistance of an approved registered migration agent can oftentimes make matters easier, particularly if your own relationship history is complicated or visa problems in the past are an issue.

Life After the 801 Partner Visa
Once you have an 801 partner visa, you can then begin your life in Australia in earnest. You can sponsor eligible family members to immigrate, access higher education loans, and ultimately, if you wish, apply for Australian citizenship after residing in Australia for a sufficient amount of time.