Citizeo
Pathway

Australia Prospective Marriage Visa

Australia Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Subclass 300 lets an eligible engaged partner enter Australia temporarily, marry the approved sponsor, and then apply for an onshore Partner visa.

Type
Temporary family visa
Good fit for
Engaged couples who have met in person as adults
Sponsor
Eligible Australian or New Zealand prospective spouse
Initial stay
9 to 15 months
What it allows
Residence, work, study, and marriage in Australia
Main limit
The applicant must apply from outside Australia

Summary

Australia's Prospective Marriage visa, subclass 300, lets an eligible person enter Australia to marry an approved prospective spouse. The applicant must be outside Australia when applying and must normally marry during the visa's 9-to-15-month validity period.

After the marriage, the holder can apply for the onshore Partner visas, subclasses 820 and 801, before subclass 300 expires. That later application is separate and has its own fees and evidence.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

The applicant and prospective spouse generally must:

The prospective spouse must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen and must be accepted as the sponsor. Health, character, identity, prior-sponsorship, family-violence, and public-interest requirements also apply.

What This Route Allows

Subclass 300 allows the holder to travel to Australia, remain for the visa period, work, and study at their own expense. The marriage can take place in or outside Australia as long as it occurs within the required period and is legally recognized.

Once married, the holder can lodge the separate Partner visa application in Australia before the subclass 300 visa expires. Bridging and travel consequences should be checked before any later trip.

What This Route Is Not

It is not a permanent visa and does not automatically convert into permanent residence at the wedding. It is not the right route for a couple already legally married when the application is made, and an online-only relationship normally cannot satisfy the adult face-to-face meeting requirement.

It is also not permission to apply from within Australia. Sponsorship approval, health and character checks, and relationship evidence remain required even where the couple has a planned wedding.

Next Steps

  1. Confirm that both people are adults and have met face to face as adults.
  2. Verify the sponsor's Australian or eligible New Zealand status and any sponsorship-history limits.
  3. Assemble relationship evidence and proof of a real marriage plan.
  4. Obtain identity, police, health, and civil-status records listed by Home Affairs.
  5. Apply while the visa applicant is outside Australia.
  6. Plan the wedding and later Partner application so both occur before the subclass 300 visa expires.
Compare your options

Other routes in Australia.

Sources