Family & Partner Visas · Published 2026-09-24 · Updated 2026-09-24
Partner visa second stage (801/100): when it happens and what to send
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
The second stage of an Australian partner visa is the permanent stage: subclass 801 if you applied in Australia (following the temporary 820), or subclass 100 if you applied from outside Australia (following the temporary 309). You become eligible for it two years after the date you lodged your combined application — not two years after the temporary visa was granted. It is not a new application and there is no second visa application charge: you complete a short Stage 2 form in ImmiAccount and upload fresh evidence that the relationship is still genuine and continuing.
Which second-stage visa applies to me?
| Applied in Australia (onshore) | Applied outside Australia (offshore) | |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary (first-stage) visa | Subclass 820 | Subclass 309 |
| Permanent (second-stage) visa | Subclass 801 | Subclass 100 |
| Where you lodged the combined application | In Australia | Outside Australia |
| When stage 2 opens | Two years after lodgement | Two years after lodgement |
| New application or fee for stage 2? | No | No |
| While you wait | Live, work, study, Medicare, travel in and out of Australia | Live, work, study, Medicare, travel in and out of Australia |
When is the second stage assessed?
Your eligibility date is fixed by the day you lodged. Lodge on 1 October 2024 and you become eligible on 1 October 2026. The clock does not restart when the temporary visa is granted, and your 820 or 309 stays in effect until the permanent visa is decided.
Some applicants receive an email from the Department around the two-year mark; many do not. Do not wait for an invitation. Diarise the date, start gathering evidence a few months out, and submit once the two years have passed.
Do I need to lodge a new application or pay again?
No. The 820/801 and 309/100 are combined applications. You paid one visa application charge at lodgement and it covers both stages. At stage 2 you:
- Log in to ImmiAccount.
- Choose New application → Family → “Stage 2 – Permanent Partner Visa Assessment (100, 801)”.
- Enter your original application ID, answer the questions and attach your updated documents.
What documents are requested at stage 2?
The Department wants to see the two years since you lodged, not a repeat of your original bundle. Gather:
- Relationship evidence across the four aspects the Department assesses: financial (joint accounts and statements, shared bills, joint loans or insurance, superannuation nominations), household (lease or mortgage in both names, mail to the same address, how you share the running of the home), social (dated photos with captions, travel together, invitations addressed to you both, family events) and commitment (wills or beneficiary nominations, plans you have made together, evidence of contact during any time apart).
- At least two new Form 888 supporting statements from people who know you as a couple. Since late 2023 Form 888 is a supporting statement, not a statutory declaration — it no longer has to be witnessed by a JP, but the person must attach a copy of their identity document.
- Updated statements from you and your sponsor describing how the relationship has developed since lodgement — in the format the Stage 2 form asks for.
- Police certificates if your earlier ones have expired or the Department asks — typically a fresh Australian Federal Police check, plus certificates for any country you have lived in for 12 months or more since lodging.
- Health examinations only if requested. Most stage-2 applicants are not asked; if you are, see our medical examination guide.
- Changes since lodgement: a new passport, a change of name, a child born to you both, a new address.
Quality beats volume. Two years of consistent, dated evidence across all four aspects is far more persuasive than a large stack from one category.
Can I get permanent residence without waiting two years?
Sometimes. If, on the day you lodged, you were already in a long-term partner relationship — at least three years as spouses or de facto partners, or at least two years if you have a dependent child of the relationship (a step-child does not count) — the Department can grant the permanent 801 or 100 straight after the temporary visa, without the two-year wait. This is assessed at the first stage, on the evidence in your original application; it is not something you apply for separately at stage 2.
What if the relationship ends before stage 2?
Ordinarily, the permanent visa can only be granted if the relationship is still genuine and continuing. If you separate, you must tell the Department as soon as possible (through ImmiAccount or Form 1022) — it is a condition of your visa. Three exceptions in the Migration Regulations can still lead to a permanent visa:
- Family violence. If your sponsor committed family violence against you or a dependent child during the relationship, you can still be granted the permanent visa, and you do not have to wait out the two years. You do not need to prove the violence is why the relationship ended, but you do need evidence — a court order or conviction, or a combination of non-judicial evidence such as medical, police or professional reports.
- Death of your sponsor. If your partner has died, you can still be granted the permanent visa if the relationship would have continued had they lived and you have developed close business, cultural or personal ties in Australia.
- A child of the relationship. If you and your former partner have a child together and there are custody, access, parenting-order or child-support arrangements in place between you, the permanent visa may still be granted.
Each of these turns on evidence and timing, and a refusal carries review rights — see visa refused? review options. Get advice early — ideally at the same time you notify the Department, not months later.
How long does stage 2 take?
Processing time for the 801 and 100 runs from when you become eligible and submit, not from the original lodgement date. The Department publishes and regularly updates the times within which 50% and 90% of applications are decided for each subclass; because they move month to month, check the current global visa processing times rather than relying on figures quoted on the web. Missing police certificates, expired health checks and thin evidence are the common reasons a stage-2 assessment drags out or attracts a request for more information.
Can I work and travel while I wait?
Yes. The temporary 820 and 309 both let you live, work and study in Australia, enrol in Medicare, and travel in and out of the country until the permanent visa is decided — you do not need a bridging visa.
This is different from the period before the 820 is granted, when onshore applicants are on a bridging visa with different travel rules — see our partner visa guide. If you came through the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), the same two-stage process applies once you have married and lodged the 820/801.
Sources: Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 801 Partner visa (Permanent) · Subclass 100 Partner (Migrant) visa · Partner visa frequently asked questions · Form 888 — Supporting statement · Global visa processing times
General information only, not migration advice. Your circumstances matter — speak to a registered migration agent.
Frequently asked questions
When am I eligible for the second stage of the partner visa?
Two years after the date you lodged your combined partner visa application — not two years after the temporary 820 or 309 was granted. If you lodged on 1 October 2024, you become eligible on 1 October 2026. Your temporary visa stays in effect until the permanent 801 or 100 is decided.
Do I have to pay again or lodge a new application for the 801 or 100?
No. The 820/801 and 309/100 are combined applications and the single visa application charge you paid at lodgement covers both stages. At stage 2 you complete the 'Stage 2 – Permanent Partner Visa Assessment (100, 801)' form in ImmiAccount using your original application ID and attach updated evidence.
Will the Department contact me when it is time for stage 2?
Some applicants receive an email around the two-year mark, but many do not, and eligibility does not depend on being contacted. Diarise your lodgement date, prepare evidence a few months ahead, and submit the Stage 2 form yourself once the two years have passed.
What documents are needed for the second stage?
Evidence covering the two years since you lodged across the financial, household, social and commitment aspects of the relationship, at least two new Form 888 supporting statements, updated statements from you and your sponsor, and police certificates if your earlier ones have expired or the Department asks. Health examinations are only required if requested.
Is Form 888 still a statutory declaration?
No. Since late 2023 Form 888 is a 'Supporting statement in relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application'. It no longer needs to be witnessed by a JP or other authorised person, but the person completing it must attach a copy of their identity document. The Department asks for at least two.
Can I work and travel overseas while waiting for the permanent partner visa?
Yes. The temporary 820 and 309 let you live, work and study in Australia, enrol in Medicare, and travel in and out of the country while the permanent visa is assessed. You do not need a bridging visa once the temporary partner visa has been granted.
What happens if we separate before the second stage?
You must tell the Department as soon as possible, and ordinarily the permanent visa cannot be granted if the relationship has ended. Exceptions exist where your sponsor committed family violence, where your sponsor has died, or where you have a child of the relationship with custody, access or child-support arrangements in place. Each requires specific evidence, so get advice early.