How to apply for Dependent / Spouse Visa in Australia?

Australia is a key destination for individual looking for a better quality of life, infrastructure and professional opportunities in overseas countries. Every year tens of thousands of people apply and obtain Permanent Residency in Australia. ​The Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens can sponsor their eligible family member, i.e. Spouse, de facto partner or dependent children, to come and live in Australia.

​What is a spouse visa in Australia?

A spouse visa allows the spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens and permanent residents to join their partners in Australia as permanent residents. You are eligible for a spouse visa or partner category visa if you are:

• Spouse of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, or
• Fiancé of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, or
• De facto partner with an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Which is right spouse visa category to apply from outside Australia?

If you are a partner of an Australian citizen and permanent resident living outside Australia, below are the right visa options for you:

Partner (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 309) and Permanent Visa (Subclass 100)

The Partner visas, i.e. subclass 309 visa and subclass 100 Visa, allows the spouse or partner of an Australian citizen, or permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to come and live in Australia.

Australian government approve the temporary Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) first, and it lets you stay in Australia. After the due course of time, the permanent Partner (Migrant) visa, the DHA allocate the (subclass 100). Hence, a Subclass 309 visa is a temporary visa allocated until you get the permanent residence visa, i.e. subclass 100 visa.

Who can apply for a Spouse visa?

You can apply for these categories of Visas, provided you are:

• Making an application for a visa outside Australia, and
• A spouse or de facto partner of a citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Willing to get married before the decision is made on your application for a Partner visa

Eligibility Requirements for Australian Spouse Visa or Partner visa

Find below the key eligibility requirements to apply for an Australian Spouse Visa or Partner visa:

• Age Factor: If you are married, generally, you need to be 18 or older when you apply for this visa, as you must be 18 or older for your marriage to be valid under Australian law. If you are a de facto partner, you need to be 18 years or older when you apply.​
• Relationship Factor: You need to be the spouse (married) or a de facto partner of an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. You may still be eligible in case your relationship breaks down after you lodge your application.​
• Sponsorship factor: You need to have a partner in Australia who will sponsor you, except if your partner is under 18 years of age.​
• The health factor: You need to meet health parameters.​
• Character: You need to meet character parameters.​
• Debts to the Australian government: You need to have squared, or have arranged to repay, any unpaid debts to the Australian government.​

How long does it take to get a spouse visa in Australia? 

Find below the key information about the processing time of an Australian spouse visa, which basis on the time taken for the recent applications:

However, the Australian visa processing time may vary based on individual applications and circumstances, which may comprise any of the following:

• Whether or not your application is complete, including all essential supporting documents
• How quickly you reply to any requests for additional information/document
• Time is taken to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
• Time is taken for receiving additional information from external agencies, particularly concerning health, character, and national security requirements
• How many seats are available in the migration programme for PR visa applications,
• How long it took to attend a Citizenship Ceremony or receive a Citizenship Certificate for citizenship applications 

Australia spouse visa fees

The Spouse Visa fee costs From AUD7, 715. An applicant pays only one fee, which takes care of the permanent and the temporary visa, and he/she pay this at the time of lodging the application. The government do not refund the Visa application fees in maximum cases, when your application’s withdrawal or your visa rejection.

Apart from visa fee charges, other costs for this visa include the cost of a police clearance certificate, medical certificate, etc.

Australia spouse visa document checklist

Here are the key documents needed to apply for an Australian spouse category visa:

• Documents to prove your identity, i.e.

• Birth certificate with parent’s name, identification document issued by the government, etc.
• pages of current passport showing your photo,
• Personal details and passport issue, and expiry dates.
• A national identity card, if you have one.
• Proof of change of name, if applicable.

• Documents about your relationshipwith your partner, i.e. marriage certificate, etc.
• Health documentsshowing that you meet health parameters.
• Character documents, such as Police certificates

What is a Dependent Child Visa?

A Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) is a temporary visa, which allows a child to travel to and from or live in Australia until Aussie government approve and allocate his/her parent’s permanent Partner visa.

The applicant need this particular visa if the child is to be included in a permanent Partner visa application after the grand of the temporary Partner visa to the parent.

The eligibility requirement to apply for a Dependent Child visa

An applicant or child applying for this visa needs to be the dependent child of a parent who has a temporary Partner visa or a Dependent Child visa. Generally, a parent applies on behalf of the child. The applicant child needs to be:

• a biological child, stepchild or adopted child of the parent
• sponsored by the same person sponsoring their parent with limited exceptions
• able to meet health and character requirements
• single (the child cannot be married, engaged to be married, or in a de facto relationship)
• younger than 18, or else be one of the following:

• financially dependent on the parent holding the temporary Partner visa
• Incapacitated for work due to the total or partial loss of bodily or mental functions.

Dependents document checklist (under 18)

For each dependent under 18 who is applying for this visa, provide:·

• identity documents
• character documents, if applicable
• Documents about other relationships (if applicable)

• If anyone else has a legal right to decide where the child under 18 lives, proof of their consent to your child getting this visa
• If the dependent is 16 or 17 years of age, a completed Form 80 – Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment (PDF 554KB).
• Adoption papers or parental court orders (if applicable)
• If the dependent is 16 or 17 years of age, police certificates (if applicable)
• Police certificates for your sponsor.

How to apply Australia spouse Visa or Dependent child visa?

Well, first, you must be outside Australia to apply for an Australia spouse visa, i.e. subclasses 309 provisional visas. Now create an Immigration count to start your application.

If you need help, advice, assistance or support to apply Spouse Visa or dependent child visa for Australia, you may contact certified Australia Migration Experts at Visas Avenue.

You may call Visas Avenue immigration expert on Toll-Free Number- 78-18-000-777. Alternatively, e-mail your queries to Visas Avenue e-mail id- info@visasavenue.com.