Partner Visa 309: Fees and Processing Times Explained

The Partner visa (subclass 309) is a provisional visa for partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens who apply from outside Australia. The official sources do not publish a specific fee figure for this visa on the pages cited, so you must check the current Visa Pricing Table for the exact amount. Processing times vary significantly, and offshore applications are given lower priority than onshore applications under Ministerial Direction 117, which means you should expect longer waits than the median figures suggest. The subsequent temporary application charge may also apply in certain circumstances, depending on your visa history in Australia.

What the Official Sources Say About Fees

The official guidance does not state a specific fee amount for the Partner visa (subclass 309). The Department of Home Affairs explains that visa application charges are made up of a base application charge, and in some cases, additional charges such as the subsequent temporary application charge. You must consult the Visa Pricing Table on the Department’s website to verify which charges apply to your application.

The subsequent temporary application charge is a separate fee that applies to certain temporary visa applications. It is payable by each person in the application and is based on their individual visa history. This charge is not paid for permanent visa applications, including the Partner visa (subclass 100) that you would apply for after holding the 309. It also does not apply if you are outside Australia when you make your substantive temporary visa application.

The charge is calculated through a four-step process. It only applies if you are in Australia applying for a temporary visa, you hold or last held a visa specified in Table 2, you applied for that Table 2 visa while in Australia, and none of the exemptions in step 4 apply. Table 1 lists the temporary visas that attract this charge, including subclasses 408, 407, 482, 500, 590, and 600. Table 2 lists previous visas that count toward the charge, including subclasses 417, 462, 457, 482, 500, and 600, among others.

If you apply for the Partner visa (subclass 309) from outside Australia, the subsequent temporary application charge will not apply. The charge is only relevant if you are in Australia applying for a temporary visa. The official guidance provides an example where an applicant who applies for a second Visitor visa while in Australia must pay the charge, but an applicant who leaves Australia before applying again does not.

Processing Times for the Partner Visa 309

The official sources do not provide a specific processing time for the Partner visa (subclass 309). The Department states that processing times vary and that applicants may experience longer processing times than expected. The median processing time for Partner (Provisional/Temporary) visas as at July 2026 is 23 months, but this figure covers all Partner visa subclasses and is not specific to the 309.

Offshore applications for the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) and the Partner visa (subclasses 309 and 100) are given lower priority than onshore applications for subclasses 820 and 801. This means offshore applications are likely to experience longer processing times. Applications are generally assessed in the order they are received, but within priority groups, not across them.

The Department advises applicants to use the Visa processing time guide tool to see processing times for recently decided applications. This tool is a guide only and is not specific to your application. The Department also publishes Global processing times, which show current standard processing times for each visa subclass. You should check these pages for the most current information.

Factors That Affect Processing Times

Several factors influence how long your Partner visa 309 application will take. The Department lists these reasons for variations in processing times:

• Whether applications have all necessary supporting documents
• Whether applications are lodged online or as paper applications
• How quickly responses for further information are provided
• How long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character, and national security requirements
• The complexity of the visa application
• The number of visa applications increases or decreases
• Changes to Ministerial Directions
• Deciding older applications increases processing times

Submitting a complete application with all supporting documents at the time of lodgement helps avoid delays. The Department encourages applicants to attach all required information using the checklist provided in ImmiAccount. If the Department requests further information, you should respond promptly.

Priority Processing Requests

Under Ministerial Direction 117, the Department may prioritise a Partner visa application if you can show special circumstances of a compassionate nature and compelling reasons to depart from the order of priority. There is no guarantee that your application will receive higher priority, because other applicants might have equally or more compelling circumstances.

The Department will only consider priority processing requests if all supporting documents and information are submitted with your application. Most requests for priority processing cannot be approved. You must meet all relevant legislative requirements before the Department can grant an application.

If you hold a temporary Partner visa (subclass 309 or 820), two years must have passed since you applied for that visa to be eligible for assessment of the permanent visa. If you are not yet eligible for the permanent visa, the Department cannot consider your request for priority processing.

How to Lodge Your Application

You must apply online via ImmiAccount. The Department does not accept paper applications except in limited circumstances and only by invitation. If you apply on paper without an invitation, your application will be invalid and will not be processed.

After you lodge, you can find your Application ID in correspondence the Department sends you about your application. This includes your acknowledgement of application received letter, notification of visa grant letter, or email subject line. You can check the status of your visa application and whether you have provided all supporting documents through ImmiAccount.

You can complete health examinations after you apply. The results of your health assessment are valid for 12 months from the time you complete your examinations. If the Department asks you to sign a health undertaking, this is valid for 6 months. The Department may ask you to provide health examination results again if they expire before your visa is decided.

What to Do Next

Check the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website for the current base application charge for the Partner visa (subclass 309). The official guidance does not provide this figure, and it may change over time. Then use the Visa processing time guide tool to see recently decided application times, and check Global processing times for current standard processing times for the 309.

Before lodging, ensure you have all supporting documents ready and attached to your ImmiAccount application. A complete application helps avoid delays. If you need to request additional time to provide requested information, use the Partner processing enquiry form before the original timeframe expires, and include evidence showing the steps you have taken to provide the information.

The Department will not respond to status enquiries if your application is still within the standard processing time. Do not contact the Department for updates unless your application has exceeded the published standard processing time.