Partner Visa Subclass 801 (Onshore) — Your Pathway to Permanent Residency in Australia
If you are currently living in Australia on a temporary Partner Visa Subclass 820, the next step in your migration journey is the permanent stage — the Partner Visa Subclass 801. This visa allows the spouse or de facto partner of an eligible Australian sponsor to remain in Australia permanently, and it is almost always assessed as part of the same combined application lodged with the Subclass 820.
Understanding how the 801 is assessed, what triggers the permanent grant, and what could delay or prevent it helps you arrive at this stage well-prepared rather than caught off guard.
At FTS Visa Services, our MARA-registered migration agents support applicants from our offices in Parramatta, Sydney, and Melbourne through both stages of the onshore partner visa process — including the permanent assessment that determines whether the Subclass 801 is granted.
What Is the Partner Visa Subclass 801?
The Partner Visa Subclass 801 is the permanent stage of Australia’s onshore partner visa pathway. It is not a separate application — when you lodged your Subclass 820 (temporary) application, your Subclass 801 (permanent) application was lodged at the same time, as a combined application.
The 801 is not assessed immediately. In most cases, the Department of Home Affairs will assess whether the permanent visa can be granted approximately two years after the initial application date — provided your relationship is genuine and ongoing at that point.
The Partner Visa Subclass 801 allows you to:
- Live in Australia permanently
- Work for any employer without restriction
- Study in Australia
- Travel to and from Australia
- Sponsor eligible family members for Australian residency
- Apply for Australian citizenship once eligibility criteria are met
Key Facts at a Glance
|
Detail |
Information |
|
Visa Type |
Permanent (onshore) |
|
Application Cost |
Included in the original 820/801 combined application fee |
|
When Assessed |
Generally two years after the application date |
|
Processing Time (75%) |
Approximately 14 months from eligibility date |
|
Processing Time (90%) |
Approximately 15 months from eligibility date |
|
Pathway From |
Partner Visa Subclass 820 or Dependent Child Visa 445 |
|
Leads To |
Eligibility for Australian citizenship |
Processing times refer to the period from the eligibility date — not from the original application date. The eligibility date is typically two years after the combined application was lodged.
Who Can Be Granted the Partner Visa Subclass 801?
To receive the permanent Subclass 801, you generally need to:
Hold a valid temporary Partner Visa Subclass 820 (or a Dependent Child Visa Subclass 445) at the time the permanent visa is assessed. You cannot receive the 801 if your 820 has lapsed or been cancelled.
Be in a genuine and continuing relationship with your Australian sponsor at the time of assessment. The Department re-evaluates whether the relationship meets the genuine ongoing requirement before granting the permanent visa — it is not automatic.
Have a sponsor who continues to meet their obligations. If your sponsor has been barred from sponsoring, the permanent visa cannot be granted.
Satisfy character and health requirements that remain current at the time of the permanent assessment.
There is an important exception to the two-year requirement. If you were in a registered relationship at the time of lodgement, or if you had been living together in a de facto or married relationship for three or more years (or two or more years with a dependent child), the permanent visa may be assessed without waiting the full two years.
What Happens at the Two-Year Review?
The two-year review is one of the most important stages in the onshore partner visa journey, and it’s the point at which the Partner Visa Subclass 801 assessment properly begins.
The Department of Home Affairs will typically write to both the applicant and the sponsor requesting updated evidence that the relationship is genuine and continuing. This is not the same evidence file submitted with the original application — it needs to reflect the relationship as it exists at the time of review.
Updated evidence commonly includes:
Financial evidence — continued joint financial commitments, accounts, or shared expenses in the period since lodgement.
Household evidence — evidence of continued shared living arrangements, or a clear explanation if the couple is living apart.
Social evidence — recent photographs, travel together, social recognition of the relationship.
Personal statements — updated statutory declarations from both partners, and ideally from supporting witnesses, describing the relationship as it currently stands.
Gaps in updated evidence — or a relationship that has changed significantly since lodgement — can delay the permanent assessment or result in requests for further information.
What If the Relationship Has Ended?
If your relationship with your sponsor ended after the Subclass 820 was granted, the Partner Visa Subclass 801 will generally not be granted. However, there are limited exceptions for cases involving family violence.
If family violence occurred during the relationship, you may still be eligible for the permanent visa even if the relationship has ended. This is a specific and evidence-intensive area of migration law — if this applies to your situation, seeking professional advice from a MARA-registered agent is strongly recommended before responding to any departmental contact.
How FTS Visa Services Supports Your Subclass 801 Assessment
When the two-year review approaches, many applicants are uncertain about what to prepare, what the Department is looking for, and how to present their current relationship in a way that satisfies the assessment.
FTS Visa Services assists clients with:
- Preparing updated relationship evidence files for the two-year review
- Reviewing and advising on the strength of current evidence
- Drafting updated personal statements that reflect the current state of the relationship
- Responding to any departmental requests received during the permanent assessment
- Advising on the family violence provisions where relevant
- Supporting clients through to the permanent visa grant
Related Visa Pathways
- Partner Visa Subclass 820 (Temporary — Onshore)
- Partner Visa Subclass 309 (Temporary — Offshore)
- Partner Visa Subclass 100 (Permanent — Offshore)
- Family Visa Overview
- Registered Migration Agent Sydney
Arrange a Consultation With Our Team
If your two-year review is approaching or you have received contact from the Department regarding your Partner Visa Subclass 801 assessment, speaking with a MARA-registered migration agent can help you respond accurately and prepare evidence that reflects the strength of your relationship.
FTS Visa Services assists clients from our offices in Parramatta, Sydney, and Melbourne, and by phone or video appointment for clients elsewhere in Australia.
📞 02 8859 8944/45 ✉️ info@ftsvisa.com.au 👉 Book a Consultation: https://ftsvisa.com.au/book-appointment/
Frequently Asked Questions — Partner Visa Subclass 801
No. The 801 requires a separate assessment, typically triggered around two years after the combined application date. The Department evaluates whether the relationship is genuine and continuing at that point before granting the permanent visa.
The Partner Visa Subclass 801 will generally not be granted if the relationship has ended unless family violence provisions apply. If you are in this situation, seek professional advice promptly.
Yes, provided your Subclass 820 includes travel conditions or you hold a Resident Return Visa or appropriate travel authority. Check your visa conditions before travelling.
Yes. The Department expects current evidence reflecting the relationship as it exists now — not just the original evidence file from lodgement. Updated financial, household, social, and personal evidence should be prepared.
Processing varies. Current data indicates 75% of permanent assessments are finalised within approximately 14 months of the eligibility date, and 90% within 15 months.