What a Registered Migration Agent Actually Checks Before You Lodge?
Moving from a temporary partner visa to permanent residency is a major step for couples building their lives in Australia. The Partner Visa 820 is the temporary, onshore stage of that pathway. It lets an eligible partner stay in Australia, with full work rights in most cases via a Bridging Visa, while the Department of Home Affairs assesses the relationship, generally leading on to the permanent Partner Visa 801.
​
I'm Sangeeta Mahajan, a registered migration agent (MARN 2518841) at Immigration HQ Australia. At Immigration HQ, we provide one-on-one Partner Visa 820 support, eligibility guidance, document preparation, relationship-evidence review and application assistance.
How Long Does it take to Registered Migration?
Based on Home Affairs data the median processing time for the temporary partner stage is 22- 30 months. This is subject to change depending on the Department's priorities and work load.
Complex cases, missing documents, character or health checks, or a Request for Further Information, regularly can take more time Straightforward cases with strong, well-organised evidence tend to sit at the faster end of the range.
Onshore vs. Offshore: Which Pathway Fits You?
It fits if you're already in Australia and your partner is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. It doesn't fit if you're offshore (you'd need Subclass 309 instead), or if a previous visa refusal or cancellation affects your eligibility, those cases need a specific assessment before lodging anything.
Eligibility: Married vs. De Facto
Married Couples:​
Need more than a marriage certificate, the Department wants to see the relationship is genuine and ongoing: shared finances, shared living arrangements, and social recognition as a couple.
​
De facto Couples:
Need to show they've built a life together over time: joint financial commitments, shared household responsibilities, and evidence of a shared future (12 months of cohabitation is the general benchmark, with exceptions for registered relationships or compelling circumstances).
The Application Process
-
Eligibility Review:
We check your relationship history, current visa status, and your partner's eligibility before you spend money lodging anything.
-
Evidence Preparation:
We tell you specifically what's missing, not just what's generically required.
-
Lodgement:
Application submitted with a consistent, cross-referenced evidence file.
-
Post-lodgement Support:
Responding to Department requests for more information (these have real deadlines, usually 28 days) and monitoring ImmiAccount for status changes.
Where Applications Go Wrong?
-
Thin Relationship Documents:
Documents provided without context tying them to a genuine, continuing relationship.
-
Inconsistent Information:
Dates, addresses, or details that don't match across forms and supporting documents.
-
Missed Department Deadlines:
A Request for Further Information has a hard due date; missing it can mean refusal.
-
Unaddressed visa History:
A prior refusal, cancellation, or breach isn't automatically disqualifying, but it does need to be addressed directly in the application, not ignored.
Partner Visa 801 Application Process
We're a registered migration practice, not a general consultancy. Sangeeta Mahajan holds MARA registration MARN 2518841 and works directly on partner visa matters.
We tell you upfront if your case is straightforward or if it has complications worth flagging before you pay a lodgement fee, and we stay engaged through department correspondence rather than handing you off after submission.
What You'll Need to Provide?
Identity Evidence
Passport, birth certificate, prior visa history.
Relationship Evidence
Joint bank statements or lease agreements, communication history, photos spanning the relationship timeline, statements from family or friends, and evidence of future plans (e.g., joint bookings, wills naming each other, shared insurance).
Sponsor Documents
Proof of citizenship/residency and identity documents from your partner
The department weighs quality over quantity, twenty photos with no context help less than five pieces of evidence tied to a clear timeline. This is usually where applications lose points and where a second set of eyes matters most.