How to get an Australian 801 permanent partner visa.

Once you have been granted an 820 Temporary Partner visa, the next step in being able to stay in Australia permanently is gaining approval for the 801 Permanent Partner visa.

This guide will look at what an 801 Permanent Partner visa is and how you can go about getting it. We’ll also see how Wise — for your international finances — can help smoothen the transition to living in Australia as a permanent resident.

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What is an 801 partner visa

The Subclass 801 Partner visa (Permanent) allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely.¹

To get this visa you’d usually need to have been granted an 820 Temporary Partner visa. See our step by step guide on applying for an820 subclass visa here.

Main benefits provided by an 801 subclass visa

Holding an 801 Permanent Partner visa entitles you to many of the benefits experienced by Australian citizens.²

• Live, work and study in Australia indefinitely
• Enrol in Medicare
• Sponsor family members for Australian visas
• Travel freely in and out of Australia for 5 years

Eligible holders of this visa subclass also have the opportunity to apply for Australian citizenship.

How to apply for an 801 partner visa

The initial application for the 801 Permanent Partner visa is done when you apply for the 820 Temporary Partner visa. You won’t be assessed for the Subclass 801 visa until 2 years after you lodged your initial application.³

1 month before the 2 years is up, you can start to complete and lodge the second phase of the application. ³

Here are the steps.

1. Gather the required documents and digitise them. Any that aren’t in English will need to be translated, just like for the Subclass 820 visa.

2. Go onto your ImmiAccountand complete “Stage 2 — Permanent Partner Visa Assessment (100, 801)”. Attach the relevant documents and when you’re done note down the Transaction Reference Number.

Requirements for an 801 partner visa

To be granted an 801 Permanent Partner visa you’d generally need to meet these criteria.⁴

• You hold a Subclass 820 visa
• You’re still in a relationship with the person from your Subclass 820 visa application
• Your sponsor is willing to continue sponsoring you for 2 years after your Subclass 820 visa was approved
• You and your family are debt free to the Australian government

Documents needed for an 801 partner visa application

When you complete the second part of the application for the Subclass 801 visa you’ll need to supply additional documents. This is so the visa officials can see how your relationship has continued in the 2 year period since your initial application.

Here’s a list of documents they’ll generally want to see.³

• Your marriage certificate or proof of your de facto partnership
• A completed Statutory Declaration — Partner Visa (Sponsor)
• Documents showing shared financial matters
• Documents or a statement showing your shared household
• Proof of your joint commitment to a long term relationship
• Evidence your relationship is public knowledge
• 2 completed statutory declarations from people who know about the relationship (Form 888)
• Notification of any changes in circumstance (Form 1022)
• Notification of a new passport or address (Form 929)
• Copy of the photo page of your passport
• Copy of the photo page of your partners passport or their Australian driver’s license

You may need to provide a new police clearance and there’s also additional documents needed for dependent children.³

801 visa application costs and fees.

The fees for Subclass 801/820 visas are combined, so there are no additional application fees.¹

Keep in mind you might incur additional costs for things like translations, getting original documents and obtaining police clearances.

Time needed to process and get an 801 partner visa

The time needed to process a Subclass 801 Partner visa varies. Currently, 75% of applicants receive an outcome within 11 months and 90% by 17 months.¹

Visa and immigration contact details

If you want to get in touch with the Department of Home Affairs: Immigration and Citizenship you can call them.

• 131 881 within Australia
• +61 2 6196 0196 from overseas

FAQ about the 801 partner visa

How long is this visa valid for?

This visa allows you to reside in Australia indefinitely as a permanent resident.¹

Can my children apply for this visa with me?

Yes they can, as long as they’re in Australia and hold a Subclass 445 Dependent Child visa.³ To add a child you need to fill in Form 1002, make sure your child meets the requirements and provide any required documents.

What are my obligations to be eligible to obtain this visa?

Your only obligation is to ensure you and any children on your visa continue to follow Australian law.²

Can I travel out of and back into Australia with this visa?

Once you’ve been granted a Subclass 801 visa you can freely travel in and out of Australia for 5 years.⁵ After the 5 year time period is up you have 2 options.

1. Get a Resident Return visa so you can re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
2. Become an Australian citizen and then use your Australian passport to leave and re-enter Australia.

What happens if the relationship breaks down during the visa process?

If your relationship status changes while the 801 Permanent Partner visa is being processed you need to let the Department of Home Affairs: Immigration and Citizenship know.³ Depending on the circumstances you can still be granted the permanent visa.

Wrapping up.

Moving to Australia for love is exciting but takes a bit of organising. By using Wise you can make transferring your finances to Australia easy.

If you want to send foreign currency straight to an Australian bank then you can do a simple online transfer with Wise. You’ll always get the real exchange rate, like the one you’d see on Google.

You’ll know any fees up front and you’ll likely find it’s much cheaper than dealing directly with the banks.

Open your Wise account in minutes 🚀

Alternatively, you can use a Wise Multi-currency account to store, exchange and spend local and foreign currency in Australia. There are over 50 different currencies to choose from and no monthly account fees.

With this account, you can order the Wise debit card, which is a low cost way to spend local and foreign currency on a daily basis.

Best wishes for your visa application.

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Sources:

1. Australian Department of Home Affairs Subclass 801 Partner Visa (permanent): Overview
2. Australian Department of Home Affairs Subclass 801 Partner Visa (permanent): About this visa
3. Australian Department of Home Affairs Subclass 801 Partner Visa (permanent): Step by step
4. Australian Department of Home Affairs Subclass 801 Partner Visa (permanent): Eligibility
5. Australian Department of Home Affairs Subclass 801 Partner Visa (permanent): When you have this visa
   Sources checked on date: 10 December 2021