Partner visa 309: provisional stage, priority and processing

The Partner visa (subclass 309) is a provisional visa for the partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, applied for while you are outside Australia. It is the first stage of a two-stage process: after the 309 is granted, eligibility for the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) is assessed, and the 100 is granted if you still meet the requirements. The 309 is not a permanent visa in itself. Processing is governed by Ministerial Direction 117, which gives highest priority to onshore Partner visa applications (subclasses 820 and 801); offshore applications such as the 309 and 100 are given lower priority and are likely to experience longer processing times. There are no published processing times specific to the 309 in the official guidance, so you must check the current global processing times and the visa processing time guide for an indication.

What the subclass 309 visa is and what it leads to

The Partner visa (subclass 309) is the provisional stage of the partner visa pathway for applicants outside Australia. It is lodged together with the Partner visa (subclass 100) in a single application, and the two are assessed sequentially. The 309 allows you to travel to and stay in Australia temporarily while the permanent stage is considered. The subclass 100 is the permanent visa that follows. The official guidance does not set out the relationship evidence requirements, sponsorship rules or the specific criteria for the 309; those are set out on the visa-specific step-by-step pages, which you should read before lodging.

If you hold a temporary Partner visa (subclass 309 or 820), two years must have passed since you applied for that visa before you are eligible for assessment of the permanent visa. This means the 100 cannot be granted until that two-year period has elapsed, regardless of how quickly the 309 is granted.

How Partner visa applications are prioritised

Partner visa applications are processed according to Ministerial Direction 117. Applications are generally assessed in the order in which they are received, with highest priority given to onshore Partner visa applications for subclasses 820 and 801. Lower priority is given to offshore applications for the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) and the Partner visas (subclasses 309 and 100). The consequence is that applications in the lower-priority groups are likely to experience longer processing times.

This priority structure means the 309 and 100 are not processed in the same order as onshore partner applications. If you are comparing the 309 with the 820, the key difference is not just where you apply from but also how your application is ranked within the processing queue. The 820 is onshore and receives highest priority; the 309 is offshore and receives lower priority.

Processing times and what affects them

The official guidance does not give a specific processing time for the subclass 309. The Department publishes median processing times by visa category, and for the July 2026 data the median for Partner (Provisional/Temporary) visas was 23 months. That figure is a median for the category as a whole, not a promise for your application, and it does not separate the 309 from the 820. Processing times vary for each Partner visa subclass, so you should use the visa processing time guide tool to see recently decided applications and the global processing times page for current standard times.

Several factors affect processing times generally. The Department lists the following as reasons processing times vary:

• Whether applications have all necessary supporting documents.
• Whether applications are lodged online or on paper – applying online helps streamline processing.
• How quickly responses to requests for further information are provided.
• How long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character and national security requirements.
• For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program.
• The complexity of the application.
• The number of visa applications increasing or decreasing.
• Changes to Ministerial Directions.
• Deciding older applications increasing processing times.

You should not contact the Department about progress if your application is still within the standard processing time. You can check the status of your application and whether you have provided all supporting documents through ImmiAccount.

Lodging the application and what to attach

You must apply online via ImmiAccount. Paper applications are accepted only in limited circumstances and only by invitation; if you apply on paper without being invited, your application will be invalid and will not be processed. The official guidance does not state the current visa application charge for the 309, so you must check the visa pricing table for the subclass you are applying for. Note that the subsequent temporary application charge may apply to certain temporary visa applications, but it is not charged for permanent visa applications, and it is not charged where the applicant is outside Australia while making their substantive temporary visa application.

To make sure you include all required information, use the checklist provided in ImmiAccount and visit the web page of the visa you are applying for, selecting the step-by-step tab. The official guidance lists the following subclasses with their own step-by-step pages: 820, 801, 309, 100 and 300.

After you apply: documents, health and withdrawing

Once you have lodged, you can find your Application ID in the correspondence sent to you about your application, including the acknowledgement of application received letter, the notification of visa grant letter, or the email subject line. You must attach further information or documents to your ImmiAccount. If you cannot provide requested documents within the specified timeframe, you can request additional time using the Partner processing enquiry form. Your request must include evidence showing the steps taken to provide the requested information, such as a payment receipt or booking confirmation, and it must be made before the original timeframe for response expires. Additional time is not guaranteed.

Health examinations can be completed after you apply. The results of your health assessment are valid for 12 months from the time you complete your examinations; if you are asked to sign a health undertaking, it is valid for 6 months. The Department may ask you to provide health results again if they expire before your visa is decided.

If you need to withdraw your application, you can do so online using ImmiAccount. Applicants aged 18 years or over included in the withdrawal must provide their consent, and you must attach a signed statement for each applicant 18 years of age or older. If your application is for a Partner visa (subclass 309 and 100), you must withdraw both subclasses.

Priority processing requests

Under Ministerial Direction 117, the Department may prioritise a Partner visa application if you can show that it involves special circumstances of a compassionate nature and there are compelling reasons to depart from the order of priority. There is no guarantee that a higher priority will be given, because other applicants might have equally or more compelling and compassionate circumstances. Most requests for priority processing cannot be approved.

Two conditions are important. First, the Department will only consider priority processing if all supporting documents and information are submitted with your application. Second, 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 priority processing request.

What to do next and what to verify

Before you lodge, read the step-by-step tab for the subclass 309 on the Department’s website and confirm the current visa application charge on the visa pricing table. Check the global processing times page for the current standard processing time for the Partner visa you are applying for, and use the visa processing time guide to see recent decisions. Lodge online through ImmiAccount with all supporting documents attached, and do not contact the Department about progress while your application is within the standard processing time. If you believe you have compassionate or compelling circumstances, review the Factsheet: Partner Visas – Requests for Priority Processing before deciding whether to request priority processing.