Waiting for an Australian partner visa and hoping to visit your partner? You may be able to apply for a separate visitor visa while your partner visa application is being processed. The visitor visa is assessed on its own requirements, and having a partner application pending does not guarantee approval.
This guide focuses on someone who applied for an offshore Partner visa (subclasses 309 and 100) from Thailand and wants to make a temporary visit to Australia while waiting for a decision.
Which visitor visa would I apply for?
For a Thai passport holder applying from Thailand, the Visitor visa (subclass 600) Tourist stream is commonly used to visit a partner, family or friends. Select the stream that fits your circumstances and check the current Department of Home Affairs requirements before applying.
Explain that you have a partner visa application pending. Do not conceal the relationship or suggest you are travelling only for sightseeing if the real purpose is to spend time with your partner.
Will the pending partner visa cause a visitor refusal?
Not automatically. Home Affairs recognises that a person waiting for a substantive or permanent visa decision may want to visit family or take a holiday. It will still assess whether the person genuinely intends to visit temporarily under the visitor visa.
The application should explain the intended dates, length of visit, accommodation, funding and what the applicant plans to do when the permitted visit ends. Employment, business, family, study and other circumstances in Thailand may be relevant, depending on the individual case.
The long-term intention to live together if a partner visa is granted can coexist with a genuine short visit now. Be truthful about both plans and explain how you will comply with the visitor visa if the partner application remains undecided.
What evidence helps explain the visit?
- A clear explanation of the temporary visit and proposed dates
- Details of where the applicant will stay with the partner
- Evidence of available funds or the partner’s financial support
- Relevant circumstances and commitments outside Australia
- The partner visa application reference, where relevant
- An explanation of any previous Australian visa refusal
There is no document that guarantees approval. The evidence should fit the applicant’s real circumstances and the length of visit requested. If a visitor application has already been refused, read our guide to what to do after an Australian tourist visa refusal before applying again.
Can my subclass 309 partner visa be granted while I am visiting Australia?
Yes, it may be. Under current Home Affairs guidance, a subclass 309 applicant must be outside Australia when applying, but may be either inside or outside Australia when the temporary partner visa is decided. The old requirement to leave Australia solely for the subclass 309 decision should not be treated as current advice.
Keep your contact and travel details up to date in ImmiAccount and follow any instructions from the Department. Do not assume that the pending application itself gives you permission to remain in Australia beyond your visitor visa.
Can I work or stay until the partner visa is decided?
A visitor visa does not permit work merely because a partner visa is pending. You must follow the visitor visa’s permitted stay, entry limits and other conditions. Check the grant notice and VEVO rather than assuming a one-year visa permits a continuous one-year stay.
If Condition 8503, No Further Stay appears on the visitor visa, it restricts most further visa applications made while in Australia. It does not by itself determine the outcome of the already lodged offshore partner application, but the visitor’s stay and any future application plans need careful attention.
What about a prospective marriage visa?
If you are waiting for a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), check the current requirements for that specific visa rather than relying on the partner visa rules. Home Affairs states that a subclass 300 decision may be made while the applicant is in or outside Australia. A separate visitor application still needs to satisfy the visitor requirements.
Australian visas from Thailand
Want to visit while your partner visa is pending?
Tell us which partner visa you applied for, when it was lodged and how long you hope to visit. We can review the visitor application in light of your circumstances.
Discuss your visit on WhatsAppOfficial guidance: Travel while a visa is being processed · Subclass 309 Partner visa · Subclass 600 Tourist stream.