Being with the love of your life is one of life’s greatest blessings. However, each day can feel endless if your fiancé or partner resides in Australia while you’re away.

Suppose you’ve decided to take the next step and marry your fiancé, an Australian citizen or eligible permanent resident. In that case, the Prospective Marriage Visa—commonly referred to as the fiancé visa—might be the perfect solution for you.

This temporary visa allows you to travel to Australia to marry your partner within the visa’s validity period. It’s designed to bring you closer to your loved one and begin your new chapter together in Australia.

Prospective Marriage Visa (Fiancé Visa)

The Prospective Marriage Visa is designed for Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens who wish to bring their fiancé to Australia before getting married.

This visa must be lodged while the applicant is outside Australia, and they must remain offshore at the time of application.

The visa is granted for nine months, during which the applicant is expected to marry their partner after arriving in Australia.

Eligibility Criteria Relationship: You and your fiancé must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Free to marry one another
• Have genuine intent to get married within nine months of the visa grant date
• Know each other personally
• Intend to live together as a married couple

Sponsor: Your sponsor must:

• Be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen
• Not have sponsored more than one other fiancé, partner, or spouse to migrate to Australia in the past
• Not sponsored a fiancé, spouse or partner to migrate to Australia in the last 5 years
• Be prepared to provide police checks to the Department of Home Affairs when requested
• Consent to the department sharing any relevant criminal convictions with the visa applicant(s)

How it Works

The application process for a fiancé visa starts with the application lodged with the Department of Home Affairs on behalf of you and your sponsor.

Apart from meeting the above-mentioned requirements, you must also meet the standard health and character checks.

• The visa is valid for nine to 15 months and allows you to travel to Australia before you marry your fiancé
• You must be outside Australia when you apply
• Your marriage must take place within the visa’s validity period

Next Steps: Partner Visa

Once you arrive in Australia and your marriage is officially registered, the next step is applying for a Partner Visa. Remember, applicants must submit this application before their Prospective Marriage Visa expires.

To qualify, you must demonstrate that:

• You and your spouse are in a mutually exclusive, committed relationship
• Your relationship is genuine and ongoing
• You live together as a couple or live apart only temporarily

Partner Visa Process:

1. Temporary Partner Visa: If you meet the criteria, you will initially receive a temporary Partner visa. This visa includes a stand-down period of approximately two years from the visa grant date.
2. Permanent Partner Visa: After two years, you can apply for a permanent Partner visa, provided your relationship meets the above criteria.

Bottom Line: If you and your fiancé have decided to be together in Australia and your partner is an Australian citizen or eligible permanent resident, apply for a fiancé visa to create a path to Australia.

For more details regarding eligibility, visa process, and more, contact our experts. They will help you understand every little detail of an immigration fiancé visa.