What is the Prospective Marriage Visa?

The Prospective Marriage Visa…

the Partner Visa's lesser known cousin!

​The Prospective Marriage Visa (subclass 300) allows you to enter Australia to marry your sponsoring Australian partner.  This is a great option for those of you who find it difficult to build the paper-trail background needed by the Department to directly lodge for a Partner visa.
​
Yes, by going down this pathway it will take a little longer to achieve final permanent residency status and will also cost more… but this extra time and cost will lead to definite success.  And in the end, that’s what you want, right?

Related post: which partner visa is the best?

---

Understanding the Prospective Marriage VisA

This is the visa that is one step before the Partner Visa.  It’s a temporary visa that gives you the opportunity to travel to Australia to marry your partner.  You will be able to live and work in Australia for up to nine months, as it is expected that once you are married you will lodge your Partner Visa onshore.  If for any reason you do not marry, your visa will expire and you will be expected to leave the country unless you are able to apply for a different visa to match the reason of your stay in Australia.

THE BASICS:

1. Temporary Stay: The visa allows you to stay in Australia for up to nine months. During this time, you must marry your partner.
2. Work Rights: Once granted the visa, you can work in Australia.
3. Travel: You can travel in and out of Australia while your visa is valid, but remember that the visa expires after the nine-month period.
4. Pathway to Permanent Residency: After your marriage, you apply for a Partner Visa (subclass 820/801) to remain in Australia permanently.  Once this is lodged, you will be issued a bridging visa to allow you to remain in Australia whilst it is processing and your Prospective Marriage visa has expired.

Eligibility CriteriA

The great part about this visa is that the threshold to prove your relationship is far less.  This is because it is understood by the Department that you can’t as yet prove your relationship to the higher threshold of the Partner Visa.  Once you come to Australia and living your married life, this is when you will have the necessary documents to support your Partner Visa application.
​
To qualify for the Prospective Marriage Visa, you will need to have documents in support of your relationship as it stands at that moment:

1. Relationship Status: You must be engaged to an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Your relationship must be genuine and ongoing.  You also have made arrangements through the relevant authorities to be married.
2. In Person meeting: Internet relationships are very common these days, however the Department does require that you have met your partner in person.  Generally this means that the Australian sponsor travels to the applicants home country where they will likely meet extended family and friends; it could also include travel to a third country where you both met to take a holiday together.
3. Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
4. Health and Character Requirements: You’ll need to undergo health examinations and provide police clearances to ensure you meet Australia’s health and character standards.
5. Location: This application is only available to people lodging from outside of Australia, and will only be granted to you whilst you are outside of the country.  You can travel to Australia in the meantime with a standard tourist visa.

Tips for a Successful Application

Be Thorough and Provide Solid Evidence

​Include as much evidence as possible to demonstrate the genuineness of your relationship.  This can include documents like: flight boarding passes, hotel booking receipts, engagement party invitations, photos, email correspondence, videocall logs, and joint financial commitments if funds have been transferred.

---

The Australian Prospective Marriage Visa is a fantastic opportunity for couples looking to start their journey together in Australia. By understanding the requirements and following the application process diligently, you can increase your chances of a successful application.
​
Contact Great Australian Migration to put you on the best path to visa success and a new life in Australia!

---