Australia Spouse Visa from bangladesh
Helping Bangladeshi couples navigate the complex spouse visa application process

Australia Spouse (Partner) Visa
The Australian Spouse Visa, officially called the Partner Visa, is for married partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. It lets you move to Australia and live together with your spouse legally.
This visa starts as a provisional visa, which means it is temporary at first. During this time, you can work freely, access Medicare, and settle into your new life in Australia.
After living together for a period of time, you can apply for permanent residency. This makes the Partner Visa one of the most important visas for couples who want to build a long-term future in Australia.

Spouse Visa Requirements
To be eligible for an Australia Spouse Visa, you and your partner must meet the following core requirements:
You must be in a genuine, continuing, and exclusive relationship
Your partner (the sponsor) must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
You must meet Australian health requirements (medical examination)
You must meet character requirements (police clearance from every country you have lived in for 12+ months)
5 Types of Spouse Visas
The Australian immigration department has designed 5 types of spouse visas to suit individual situations and needs.
| Visa Subclass | Where You Apply | What It Is | Leads To | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 309 | Outside Australia | Temporary Spouse Visa | Subclass 100 | 9–13 months |
| Subclass 100 | Follows the 309 | Permanent Spouse Visa | Permanent Residency | 13–32 months |
| Subclass 820 | Inside Australia | Temporary Spouse Visa | Subclass 801 | 12–26 months |
| Subclass 801 | Follows the 820 | Permanent Spouse Visa | Permanent Residency | 11–30 months |
| Subclass 300 | Outside Australia | Fiancé Visa | Subclass 820 | 12–26 months |
Important: You apply once and pay one fee. The temporary and permanent stages are bundled into a single application — there is no second fee when you move to the permanent stage.
Offshore Spouse Visa for Applicants in Bangladesh
Subclass 309 — Australia Spouse Visa (from Bangladesh)
The subclass 309 is for applicants who are outside Australia, offshore, at the time of lodgment. If you are based in Bangladesh, this is the visa you apply for. It allows you to live, work, and study in Australia while the Department of Home Affairs monitors your relationship over a two-year period. If you are currently in Australia, then learn about 820 visa.
The Two-Stage Journey
- Stage 1 — Temporary (subclass 309): Live, work, and study in Australia for two years while your relationship is assessed.
- Stage 2 — Permanent (subclass 100): After two years, the Department confirms your relationship is genuine and ongoing, then grants permanent residency.
Requirements for Spouse Visa (Offshore)
- Be outside Australia when applying
- Be married to, or in a genuine de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Show the relationship is genuine and ongoing
- Have a sponsor — your partner must formally sponsor you
- Meet health requirements (medical examination)
- Meet character requirements (police clearance)
- Meet identity requirements
Subclass 100 — Permanent Spouse Visa
Australia spouse visa is the easiest pathway for you to join your Australian Partner. The Subclass 100 is the permanent stage of the offshore pathway. It follows automatically from the Subclass 309 — there is no separate application or additional fee required. Once granted, it gives you the right to live, work, and study in Australia permanently with no end date.
Requirements for Subclass 100
- You must already hold the Subclass 309 visa
- At least two years must have passed since the original application was lodged
- You must still be in a genuine and continuing relationship with the same sponsor
- You and any family members included must continue to meet health and character requirements
Fast-track note: If your relationship was already well-established at the time of applying — typically 3 or more years together, or 2 years if you have a dependent child — you may be granted the 100 visa at the same time as the 309, skipping the two-year wait entirely.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Confirm your eligibility
Check that both you and your partner meet all requirements.
Step 2: Gather documents
Relationship evidence, identity documents, police clearances, and medical results.
Step 3: Sponsor submits sponsorship application
Your partner lodges as your sponsor via ImmiAccount.
Step 4: Applicant lodges visa application
Submit your visa application online, pay the fee, and upload all documents.
Step 5: Medical examination
Attend a medical exam at a Home Affairs-approved clinic.
Step 6: Police clearance
Obtain police clearance from Bangladesh and any other country you have lived in.
Step 7: Provisional visa granted (309 or 820)
You can now live in Australia.
Step 9: Two-year wait
Continue living together and maintain your relationship evidence.
Step 10: Permanent visa granted (100 or 801)
Permanent residency with no further application or fee.
Processing Times
Processing times vary based on the volume of applications and individual case complexity. The following are approximate current timeframes:
- Subclass 309 (offshore temporary) — 9 to 13 months
- Subclass 100 (offshore permanent) — 13 to 32 months from lodgment
Processing times are indicative only. The Department of Home Affairs updates these regularly. Your individual case may be faster or slower depending on how complete your application is and whether additional information is requested.
Why Your Visa Might Get Refused
Partner visas are refused when the Department is not satisfied that the relationship is genuine. The most common reasons for refusal are:
- Insufficient relationship evidence — no shared finances, address, or social proof
- Inconsistent statements — your answers and your partner’s answers do not match
- Short relationship history — the couple has not been together long enough to establish credibility
- Failure to meet health or character requirements
- Documents that appear incomplete, inconsistent, or fraudulent
- Previous visa refusals or immigration history issues
Strong applications include a wide range of relationship evidence across all four categories the Department assesses: financial, social, household, and commitment. The more categories you can evidence, the stronger your case.
