Partner Evidence for Subclass 884: Marriage and De Facto Proof in 2026

A partner included in a Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) application must provide either a current marriage certificate or documents proving a de facto relationship that had already lasted at least 12 months before the application is lodged, according to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) page (as of the October 2026 official page). The partner also needs identity documents, character documents if requested, and documents about any other relationships where relevant.

What exactly does the Department ask for from a partner?

The partner documents section of the Subclass 884 page is short and specific. For a partner applying with you, the Department asks for:

identity documents
character documents
evidence of your relationship with them — either your current marriage certificate or documents proving a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before you apply
documents about other relationships, if applicable

The relationship proof is the part applicants most often under-prepare. Marriage and de facto are separate routes, and the page treats them as alternatives: you go down one or the other, not both.

Marriage or de facto: which proof applies to you?

Your situation	Core document	Supporting documents the page names
Married	Current marriage certificate	Proof of change of name, if applicable
De facto	Documents proving at least 12 months of de facto relationship before you apply	Joint bank account statements, billing accounts in joint names, joint leases or mortgages, documents showing you lived at the same address

Note the wording: "current" marriage certificate. A certificate that has been superseded, or that you cannot produce, does not satisfy the item as written. If your name changed through marriage or divorce, the identity section of the page separately lists a marriage or divorce certificate as proof of change of name, so the same document can serve two purposes.

How is the 12-month de facto period counted?

The page states the de facto relationship must have existed for at least 12 months before you apply. The clock runs backwards from lodgement, not from the date you gather documents and not from the date of any decision.

What matters in practice is that the documents you submit cover that window with dates on them. A joint lease signed last month supports the recent part of the period; older statements, accounts and address records are what bridge the earlier part.

What documents prove a de facto relationship?

The Department gives four examples, and they are examples rather than a checklist where any single item is decisive:

joint bank account statements
billing accounts in joint names
joint leases or mortgages
documents that show you have lived at the same address as your partner

Each of these does a different job. A joint bank account speaks to shared finances. A joint lease or mortgage speaks to a shared household commitment. Billing accounts and address records speak to cohabitation over time. Because the underlying requirement is a relationship of at least 12 months' standing, documents carrying visible dates across that period carry more weight than a single recent item.

If your partner has been married before, or has another relationship that could be relevant, the page asks for documents about other relationships as well.

Is a joint bank account enough on its own?

The page lists joint bank account statements as one of the documents that prove a de facto relationship, not as a stand-alone substitute for the whole requirement. A joint account opened recently shows a financial arrangement; it does not, by itself, show 12 months of relationship.

A reasonable reading is that the financial and household documents work together: the account shows shared money, the lease or address records show a shared home, and the spread of dates shows the relationship persisted. This article is general information only and is not personalised advice about your circumstances — the official page and, where your situation is unusual, a qualified professional remain the authority for your own case.

What about identity and character documents for the partner?

Identity is not a soft requirement. The page states that if you cannot prove your identity, the Department will refuse the visa application, and it might not grant another visa — to you or to any family members listed on your application — for 10 years.

For a partner, that means providing the pages of their current passport showing photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates, plus a national identity card if they have one and proof of change of name if applicable.

Character documents are handled differently: the Department says it might ask for them, including police certificates, and that you should not arrange a police check until you are asked to. Sending an unsolicited police certificate is not the same as meeting a request.

Is a partner assessed the same way as a dependent child?

No, and mixing the two up is a common error. A partner is assessed on the relationship. A dependent child aged 18 or over is assessed on dependency: the page requires proof that the person has been financially dependent on you for at least 12 months before you apply, supported by a completed Form 47A (Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over) plus proof of the relationship, and it suggests proof they live with you, their tax records, or proof they are currently studying.

Separately, the page states that each member of your family aged 18 years or over must complete Form 47A even if they are not migrating.

Can a partner be added after the application is lodged?

Possibly, but only before a decision is made — adding family members is not guaranteed. The page says you might be able to add family members after lodgement by completing and sending Form 1436 (Adding an additional applicant after lodgement), and that you will also need to give evidence of your relationship and a copy of the family member's passport.

Two constraints apply. Any family member added after you apply must be in Australia at the time you add them, and the same relationship evidence standard applies — adding a partner does not lower the bar for proving marriage or 12 months of de facto.

How does the partner fit into the paper application?

Subclass 884 has no online lodgement for temporary Contributory Aged Parent applicants. You complete Form 47PA (Application for a parent to migrate to Australia), your sponsor completes Form 40 (Sponsorship for migration to Australia), and you must be in Australia — but not in immigration clearance — when you submit and when the decision is made.

The page also notes you cannot apply for this visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa, and that if you have a pending application for a different Parent visa you must withdraw it by completing Part B of Form 47PA.

On documents generally: send certified copies rather than originals (police certificates excepted), complete all forms in English, and keep a copy of the application and supporting documents for your records. If a step is incomplete, the page warns that your application may be invalid and that invalid applications are not processed.

What happens if the relationship evidence is inaccurate or thin?

The page links partner documents to the broader requirement to provide accurate information and states there are consequences for information that is not accurate or complete. Where identity cannot be proved, the stated outcome is refusal, with the possible 10-year consequence described above.

The other consequence is financial and final: if the visa is refused, the application fee is not refunded. The second instalment must also be paid before the visa can be granted, and the page states that if you do not pay that invoice when it is due, the application will be refused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need a marriage certificate if we are already married?

Yes. The Department asks for your current marriage certificate as the evidence of your relationship for a married partner. If a name changed through that marriage or a later divorce, the same certificate is also listed as proof of change of name.

Can a de facto relationship of less than 12 months be accepted?

The Subclass 884 page states that the documents must prove a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before you apply. No shorter alternative or exception is described on that page, so periods under 12 months fall outside what the page sets out.

Is one joint bank account statement enough as de facto proof?

The page lists joint bank account statements as one of several documents that prove a de facto relationship, alongside joint billing accounts, joint leases or mortgages, and documents showing a shared address. A single recent statement shows shared finances but does not by itself cover the required 12-month period.

Does my partner need a police certificate with the application?

Character documents, including police certificates, may be requested, and the Department says not to arrange a police check until it asks you to. Identity documents, by contrast, are part of the partner's required documents from the outset.

Can I add my partner after I have lodged the Subclass 884 application?

The page says family members might be added before a decision by completing Form 1436, and that you must also provide evidence of your relationship and a copy of their passport. Any family member added after lodgement must be in Australia when you add them.

What if my partner cannot prove their identity?

The page states the visa application will be refused if identity cannot be proved, and that the Department might not grant another visa to you or to family members listed on your application for 10 years. That makes identity documents for the partner as important as the relationship evidence itself.