Partner visa 820 processing time and costs explained

The Department of Home Affairs does not publish a specific processing time for the Partner visa (subclass 820). It publishes a median processing time for the Partner (Provisional/Temporary) category as a whole, which was 23 months for applications decided in July 2026. Your individual application may take longer or shorter than this. The Department states that Partner visa applications are generally assessed in the order they are received, with highest priority given to onshore applications for subclasses 820 and 801, and that applications with lower priority are likely to experience longer processing times. For a more specific indication, you should use the visa processing time guide tool, which shows processing times for recently decided applications but is a guide only and not specific to your application.

How the Department prioritises Partner visa applications

Partner visa applications are processed according to Ministerial Direction 117. Under this direction, applications are generally assessed in the order in which they are received, with the highest priority given to applications for the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820 and 801).

Lower priority is given to offshore applications for the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) and the Partner visa (subclass 309 and 100). The Department states that applications with lower priority are likely to experience longer processing times.

This means that if you applied for the subclass 820 while in Australia, your application sits in a higher priority group than an equivalent offshore application. However, being in a higher priority group does not guarantee a faster decision, because the Department assesses applications in date order within each priority group.

What the published median processing time tells you

The Department publishes median processing times for key visa categories. For the Partner (Provisional/Temporary) category, the median processing time was 23 months for applications finalised in July 2026. This is the most recent figure available in the official guidance.

It is important to understand what a median means. The median is the middle value when all processing times are ranked. Half of the applications in the category were decided in less than 23 months and half took longer. It does not tell you how long your specific application will take, and it does not tell you the range of processing times around that median.

The Department also notes that processing times vary for each Partner visa subclass. The 23-month figure covers the Partner (Provisional/Temporary) category as a whole, which includes multiple subclasses. For a subclass-specific indication, you should use the visa processing time guide tool.

What affects how long your application takes

The Department lists several factors that can cause processing times to vary. These apply across visa categories, including Partner visas:

• Whether the application has all necessary supporting documents.
• Whether the application was lodged online or on paper. Applying online helps streamline processing.
• How quickly you respond to requests for further information.
• 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.
• Changes to Ministerial Directions.
• The number of visa applications increasing or decreasing.
• Deciding older applications, which increases processing times.

For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program is also a factor.

The Department encourages applicants to submit all necessary supporting documents at the time of applying. It states that lodging a complete application helps avoid delays.

What you should not do while waiting

The Department is explicit about one thing: do not contact them if your application is still within the standard processing time. They cannot provide any further updates on your application’s progress while it is within that timeframe.

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

If you need to provide further information or documents, you must attach them to your ImmiAccount. You cannot provide documents in the specified timeframe, you can request additional time using the Partner processing enquiry form. Your request must include evidence showing the steps you have taken to provide the requested information, such as a payment receipt or booking confirmation. The Department will only consider your request if it is made before the original timeframe for response expires, and they cannot guarantee additional time will be given.

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 your application will be given a higher priority. The Department states that other applicants might have equally or more compelling and compassionate circumstances. They will only consider applications for priority processing if all supporting documents and information are submitted with your application, and most requests for priority processing cannot be approved.

There is an additional eligibility condition. 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.

You must meet all relevant legislative requirements before the Department can grant an application.

Health examinations and processing times

You can complete your 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. This is one reason why the timing of your health examinations can affect your overall processing time. The Department advises you to refer to the visa processing times before you complete your health examinations.

What the official guidance does not tell you

The official guidance does not state the visa application charge (fee) for the subclass 820. It also does not state the fee for the subclass 801. You will need to check the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website to verify the current charges that apply to your application.

The official guidance does not give a specific processing time for the subclass 820. The 23-month median figure is for the Partner (Provisional/Temporary) category as a whole. To see the processing times for recently decided applications, use the visa processing time guide tool. That tool shows a guide only and is not specific to your application.

The official guidance does not state how long the subclass 820 takes in 2026 as a specific figure. The only 2026 figure available is the July 2026 median of 23 months for the Partner (Provisional/Temporary) category.

What to do next

If you have already lodged a subclass 820 application, check the status of your application and confirm you have provided all supporting documents through ImmiAccount. Do not contact the Department if your application is still within the standard processing time.

If you are still preparing to apply, ensure you lodge online via ImmiAccount, attach all required documents at the time of application, and use the checklist provided in ImmiAccount to make sure you include all required information.

To verify the current fee for the subclass 820, check the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website. To see an indication of current processing times for recently decided applications, use the visa processing time guide tool. Neither of these will tell you exactly how long your application will take, but they are the official sources for the most current information.