Prospective Marriage

Unlike the married and de facto visas which are two step visas, starting with the provisional marriage visa and then progressing to a permanent visa, the fiancé visa has a ‘preliminary’ step.

This visa is tailor-made for applicants who come from countries and cultures where living together before marriage is not acceptable or otherwise where parties living apart may not be able to marry overseas or be able to establish a de facto relationship.

110_F_41953847_OsDk6vdZaGUxJNZcMo1cEKluglYC4f3JWhere one of the parties is one of the following; an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an Eligible New Zealand citizen , and are not married but intending to do so, are able to apply for a sponsored temporary 9 month ‘fiance’ visa, in order for their fiance (usually) to travel to Australia to get married.

After grant of the temporary 9 month fiance visa, the sponsor and the fiancé visa holder must marry and lodge an application in Australia for a temporary sub-class 820 visa. Similar to the other partner visas, two years after lodgement, DIBP will commence processing of the permanent partner visa (sub-class 801) – subject to parties continuing to meet the genuine and continuing relationship criteria.

Off-shore visa only

The fiance visa can only be applied for outside Australia. Fees and charges are split between the first stage temporary fiancé visa and the provisional on-shore 820 partner (or spouse) visas. If the marriage does not occur within the 9 month period then the visa holder must leave Australia.

Marriage overseas

The DIBP website and most other information sources refer to a fiance visa being granted to allow a fiancé visa applicant to come to Australia on the sub-class 300 visa to get married and then to apply on -shore for the subclass 820/801 visa. This is the usual scenario, but the regulations do not preclude a couple getting married overseas after the grant of the Sub-class 300 visa, as long as they travel to Australia first – effectively to activate that visa. They then are free to go off-shore to marry – as long as that marriage is recognised in Australia – and then return to Australia to lodge their on-shore partner visa within the 9 month visa allowance.

The required ‘intention to marry’ evidence required at application time will depend upon the country of marriage, but most often an authoritative letter from the person who will conduct the marriage, setting out the parties’ details, date and venue or equivalent will suffice. Marriage in the applicant’s country is often preferred to allow family to attend the ceremony.

*** Please contact us for further informaton

For further information on Partner, Married and De Facto or Other Partners Visa Types please click on the links.