Partner Visa Processing Priority Explained

Home Affairs processes partner visa applications according to Ministerial Direction 117, generally assessing them in the order they are received. However, not all partner visa applications are treated equally when it comes to processing priority.

Onshore partner visa applications (subclass 820 and 801) receive the highest priority and are processed first. If you're applying for a partner visa while already in Australia, your application will be considered before offshore applications.

Offshore applications have lower priority. This includes Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) and offshore Partner visa applications (subclass 309 and 100). If you're applying from outside Australia, you should expect longer processing times compared to onshore applicants.

For more detailed information about processing timeframes and priorities, Home Affairs recommends checking their Family visa processing priorities page. Processing times can vary significantly, so applicants should plan accordingly based on their visa subclass.