spouse permanent visa: subclass 100

Australia Subclass 100 Visa (Permanent Residency)

If you are the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, the Partner (Migrant) Visa — Subclass 100 — is the pathway that leads to permanent residency in Australia. It is not a standalone application. It is the second and final stage of a two-stage offshore Australia spouse visa process and understanding how the full system works is essential before you begin.

What Is the Subclass 100 Visa?

The Subclass 100 is a permanent visa that allows the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia permanently. It forms the second stage of the offshore partner visa process, which begins with the Subclass 309 (Partner Provisional) visa. Visazone

You do not apply for the Subclass 100 separately at a later date. You apply for Subclass 100 at the same time as Subclass 309. The Department of Home Affairs assesses the permanent visa only after a waiting period, usually around two years from the date of your initial application. raccaustralia

How the Two-Stage Process Works

Understanding the structure of this visa is important before you lodge anything.

Stage 1 — Subclass 309 (Temporary)

The first stage is the temporary partner visa Subclass 309. To be eligible for this visa, the applicant must provide substantial evidence of their genuine de facto relationship or marriage, including documentation such as joint financial records, shared responsibilities, and cohabitation details. You must be outside Australia at the time you lodge this application. Australian Migration Lawyers

Stage 2 — Subclass 100 (Permanent)

After two years on the Subclass 309 visa, the applicant can apply for the Subclass 100 visa, which grants permanent residency in Australia. At this stage, the Department reassesses your relationship to confirm it is still genuine and ongoing. Your 309 visa will remain active during the process of your 100 visa application, and you can work or study in Australia while waiting for the decision. Australian Migration Lawyers Onederland

Exception for Long-Term Partners

Long-term partners can be granted the permanent partner visa without having to wait for two years. For example, if you have been married to your Australian spouse for more than three years, or you have been in a de facto relationship for more than two years and have a child together, you may qualify for an earlier grant. Elena K Lawyers Onederland

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Subclass 100 visa, you must meet these core conditions:

Be in a genuine and ongoing relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Abbasimigration
Be married to your partner, or have been and continue to be in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before applying, unless an exemption applies. Elena K Lawyers
Be over 18 years old. Abbasimigration
Meet the standard health and character requirements. Elena K Lawyers
Hold a valid Subclass 309 visa and have continued to meet the requirements of that visa throughout the waiting period.

Same-sex couples are fully eligible under the partner visa program. Abbasimigration

Proving Your Relationship Is Genuine

This is the most critical part of both the 309 and the 100 assessment. The Department of Home Affairs looks at four categories of relationship evidence.

Financial aspects — joint bank accounts, shared loans, shared financial commitments, or evidence that one partner supports the other financially.

Nature of the household — proof of living together, shared lease or mortgage, evidence of shared responsibilities for household duties.

Social aspects — evidence of being recognised as a couple by family and friends, joint attendance at social events, and joint travel history.

Commitment — evidence of knowledge of each other’s lives, joint future plans, and the length and history of the relationship.

You will need to provide proof of your connection through combined financial obligations, shared home duties, and social recognition. Your sponsor (your Australian partner) must also provide statutory declarations supporting the relationship, and you can submit Form 888 declarations from people who know you both as a couple. |

Sponsorship Requirements

Your Australian partner must formally sponsor your application. Your Australian partner must be willing to sponsor your visa application in addition to meeting the relationship criterion, which entails submitting a sponsorship application and fulfilling specific financial commitments, such as giving support for your daily necessities if necessary. |

Application Fee and Costs

There is no additional government fee for the Subclass 100 visa. The cost is included in the original partner visa application fee paid at lodgement. raccaustralia

The combined fee for the Subclass 309 and 100 is AUD 9,365 as of July 2025. This covers both stages. Additional costs you should budget for include: Onederland

Medical examinations (approximately AUD 350–500 per person)
Police clearance certificates from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years
Certified document translations if required
Optional registered migration agent fees

The total cost for a single-applicant case typically ranges from AUD 12,000 to 16,000 including all disbursements and professional fees. Government fees are non-refundable if the visa is refused. Australia Migrate

Processing Times

Partner visas in the 309/100 offshore category take 10 to 29 months across both phases, reflecting thorough evidence checks and application volumes. More specifically, as of April 2026, most Subclass 309 offshore partner visa applications are processed within roughly one to two years, with around half of applicants receiving a decision in 13 to 16 months, while more complex cases may take 22 to 25 months or longer. TerraTern VEM

What You Get After the Subclass 100 Is Granted

Once your permanent partner visa is approved, you receive significant long-term benefits:

You can live legally in Australia with no time limit, and study and work in Australia with no restriction. Onederland
You can enrol in Medicare, sponsor eligible family members to Australia, join the free Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), and travel freely in and out of Australia for five years from the date of grant. Onederland
You can apply for Australian citizenship if you meet the residency requirements. Onederland

The five-year travel facility is attached to the visa from the date of grant. After it expires, you will need a Resident Return Visa to re-enter Australia if you travel abroad.

Key Things to Keep in Mind

Lodge the 309 and 100 application together through ImmiAccount — the online portal of the Department of Home Affairs.
Continue gathering and uploading relationship evidence even after the 309 is granted. The Department may request updated documents before making the permanent visa decision.
Both you and your sponsor must meet health and character requirements at the time of the permanent visa assessment, not just at the time of initial lodgement.
The permanent visa may not be granted if relationship or visa requirements are not met at the time of assessment. raccaustralia

The Subclass 100 pathway is one of the most document-intensive visa streams in the Australian immigration system. Careful preparation of relationship evidence from the very beginning of the process gives you the strongest foundation for a successful outcome at both stages.