Partner Visa 309/100 (Offshore): Sponsoring a Partner

The offshore Partner visa is the pathway for the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, when the applicant is outside Australia at the time of applying. It runs as two linked subclasses: 309 (provisional) and 100 (permanent). As with the onshore pathway, the core requirement is showing a genuine and continuing relationship, not just marriage paperwork. This page explains when the offshore pathway applies and what to prepare.

What this visa is for

It lets a partner who is still overseas come to Australia to be with their sponsor and move towards permanent residence. It follows a two-stage, temporary-then-permanent structure: a single application, assessed in two steps.

Subclass 309 (provisional): usually granted first; it lets the applicant enter and live in Australia while the permanent stage is considered.
Subclass 100 (permanent): usually assessed after a period of time, when the department re-checks that the relationship is still continuing.

Because one application covers both stages, the case should be prepared carefully from the start.

Who it usually suits

The offshore pathway tends to fit people who:

are outside Australia and are the spouse or de facto partner of an eligible sponsor;
want to enter Australia on a partner visa rather than travelling to Australia first and lodging onshore;
already have a real relationship they can show developing naturally over time, even if the couple has spent periods living apart.

Someone who is inside Australia when they apply usually belongs in the onshore pathway (820/801) — that is the key distinction between the two.

Common misunderstandings

This is not a tourist or fast-entry visa. 309/100 is a pathway towards permanent residence; it requires full relationship evidence and a significant processing time.
It is not for people who only plan to marry. If the couple are not married and do not yet meet the de facto definition, the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) may fit instead.
A long-distance relationship is not automatically refused, but it is not “excused” from evidence either. When the couple live in two countries, you need to explain the situation and make up for it with evidence of contact, visits, and commitment.

Key conditions to look at

These are the conceptual, slow-changing conditions:

Genuine and continuing relationship: a mutual commitment to a shared life, to the exclusion of others, and an authentic relationship.
Spouse or de facto status: legally married in a way Australia recognises, or meeting the de facto definition.
The applicant is outside Australia at the time of applying (and usually when the 309 is granted).
An eligible sponsor: usually an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Health and character requirements: these apply to the applicant.

Some factors have specific numeric thresholds — for example the minimum length of a de facto relationship, or sponsorship limits. Those numbers can change over time; when you check the Home Affairs page, confirm the figure that applies to your situation.

The sponsor’s and applicant’s roles

The sponsor undertakes to support the applicant financially and with accommodation for a period after the visa is granted, and is one half of the relationship that must be shown. The department also looks at the sponsorship history: there are limits on how many people someone has sponsored and the gap between sponsorships (sponsorship limits). The concept is stable, but the specific numbers should be checked against the official source.

The applicant is the person being sponsored, currently overseas. In the two-stage structure, the applicant maintains the relationship and, at the 100 stage, usually provides updated evidence that it is still continuing.

The relationship evidence you usually prepare

The department generally assesses relationship evidence across four categories. A strong case spreads evidence across all four:

Financial: joint accounts, mutual financial support, jointly owned property, shared commitments. For couples apart, money transfers that support each other can be suitable evidence.
Household: any period of living together (if any), plans to live together once reunited, sharing of responsibilities. If you have not lived together because you are in two countries, explain it clearly.
Social: photos together across visits, statements from friends and family describing specifically what they have observed, being recognised as a couple.
Commitment: a history of regular contact (messages, calls), evidence of visits in both directions, shared plans for the future, marriage or relationship registration (if any).

For a cross-border relationship, evidence of continuous contact and of visits is often especially important to show the relationship is real and continuing despite the distance.

The process at a glance

Confirm the right pathway: offshore (309/100), because the applicant is outside Australia.
Prepare evidence across the four categories, plus identity, health, and character documents — with emphasis on contact and visit evidence.
Lodge the application and fee through the official system; the sponsor lodges the sponsorship part.
Stage 309: usually assessed first; if granted, the applicant enters and lives in Australia.
Stage 100: usually assessed after a period, with updated relationship evidence.

The exact sequence and steps can change; follow the guidance on the official page at the time you lodge.

Fees, processing time, validity and conditions

According to the official Home Affairs page, the first instalment for most main applicants of the offshore 309 is from 11,710 AUDVerified 02/07/2026 · Source: Department of Home Affairs — and there may also be a second instalment at the 100 stage. Because fees change over time, confirm again with the official tools below. Partner visa fees are substantial, and processing times are typically long; both change with your circumstances. The timing of when the 100 stage is assessed, and the conditions attached to the 309, can also change — do not rely on old figures. When you check the Home Affairs page, confirm the fee, processing-time range, and conditions currently applying to subclass 309/100 and to your situation. Rules can change.

Two official tools help you estimate against your own circumstances:

Visa Pricing Estimator (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/visa-pricing-estimator): choose the correct subclass/stream and number of dependants to estimate the fee. Important for partner visas: the estimator may not include the second instalment of the application charge that can apply, so check the full total on the official fee pages.
Visa Processing Times (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times): updated monthly; match your exact subclass, stream and situation (lodged onshore or offshore).

Refusal risks

Weak or lopsided relationship evidence, especially missing contact and visit evidence for a couple apart.
Evidence that looks assembled or only appears right before lodging.
Health or character issues not handled or explained properly.
Inconsistent statements between documents or between the two partners’ accounts.
An ineligible sponsor because of earlier sponsorship limits.

Common mistakes

Assuming a long-distance relationship “needs less evidence” — in practice the opposite is often true.
Confusing the offshore and onshore pathways and lodging the wrong subclass, or entering at the wrong time.
Letting the 100 stage lapse, thinking the 309 was the finish line.
Relying on fee, time, or relationship-length figures heard from acquaintances instead of the official source.
Not keeping a record of contact and visits from early in the relationship.

When to ask a migration agent

Consider speaking to a registered migration agent (OMARA) when: there is a criminal record or character issue; you have had a visa refused before; the relationship has complicating factors (long periods apart, an earlier divorce, very different circumstances); or you are unsure how to present cross-border evidence. An agent does not guarantee an outcome, but can help you avoid hard-to-fix mistakes. This is general information, not personal advice for your specific case.

A quick self-check

Is the applicant outside Australia at the time of applying? (the condition for the offshore pathway)
Have you kept evidence of contact and visits across the relationship?
Is the sponsor eligible and clear of sponsorship limits?
Are you ready to prepare evidence again for the 100 stage, not just the 309?

Official sources

The Department of Home Affairs page for the offshore Partner visa (309/100): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/partner-offshore — this is the single reliable source for fees, processing times, conditions, and the specific figures currently applying.

Visa Pricing Estimator (Home Affairs): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/visa-pricing-estimator
Visa Processing Times (Home Affairs): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times

For a cross-border couple, the 309/100 pathway rewards steady preparation and keeping evidence from early on. Understanding the two-stage structure and the four evidence categories helps you build a solid case — and always check the current official source for every figure.