Partner Visa Changes

Every entry below names the date it took effect, the instrument that made it and the source you can check it against. Last reviewed 23 September 2026. Next scheduled review: October 2026.

What changed most recently for partner visas?

Newest first. An entry is published only with a primary source, and superseded entries stay in the table, marked as superseded, because someone who lodged under the old rule still needs it.

Last reviewed 23 September 2026. Next review October 2026.

How the partner visa charge has changed, by year

Each figure was read from the compilation of the Migration Regulations 1994 in force on that date. The charge has moved on 1 July in each of these four years. The 2026 rise, from A$9,365 to A$11,710, was the largest of the four. The second instalment stayed nil throughout.

Changes to how partner visa applications are assessed

Processing order: Direction 117 (25 July 2026)

Direction 117 applies to applications made before and after it commenced. Onshore applications, where the applicant applied in Australia and can be granted the visa there, stay in the higher priority group. Offshore applications and the subclass 300 stay in the lower group. Within each group, partner and prospective spouse applications sit second, after applications where the Minister has substituted a Tribunal decision.

Form 888 (design date August 2026)

The current Form 888 is a supporting statement, not a statutory declaration. It is completed by someone aged 18 or over who knows the couple and the history of their relationship, and the Department uses it to assess the social aspects of the relationship. The form carries a design date of 08/26. The Department has not published the date the new edition replaced the previous one.

Changes to your partner visa review rights

The Administrative Review Tribunal replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024, under the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 (Cth). The Migration Regulations 1994 now refer to the ART throughout, including the review fee in reg 4.13. That fee has been indexed each 1 July since 1 July 2025 under reg 4.13A. Pages that still send partner visa refusals to the AAT are out of date.

Changes to partner visa sponsorship

No change to the partner sponsorship limits in reg 1.20J of the Migration Regulations 1994 is recorded here, because none has been confirmed against a primary source. As at 23 September 2026 the rule is two partner sponsorships at most, at least five years apart, with an exception for compelling circumstances affecting the sponsor.

What has not changed for partner visas

• Two stages, one charge. The subclass 820 and 801, and the subclass 309 and 100, are still one application and one payment.
• The four factors. Regulation 1.15A(3) still lists the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship and the nature of the commitment.
• The 12-month de facto rule. Regulation 2.03A(3) still requires 12 months of de facto relationship before applying, unless the relationship is registered, there are compelling and compassionate circumstances, or another listed exception applies.
• The two-year wait for the permanent stage. Clause 801.221(2)(d) still requires two years from the application, unless an exception applies.
• Onshore and offshore. You still apply for the subclass 820 in Australia and the subclass 309 outside it.

How to check whether something has changed since you lodged your partner visa

1. Look at the "Last updated" stamp at the foot of the relevant Department of Home Affairs page.
2. On the Federal Register of Legislation, open the Migration Regulations 1994 and check the compilation date and the list of amendments it includes.
3. Open the amending instrument and read its commencement section. It gives the date the change took effect.
4. Look for an application or transitional provision. It says whether the change reaches applications made before that date.

This site's own update rules are set out in how every page is sourced and updated.

What the changes mean for partner visa cost, timing and statistics

The current charge table and worked totals are on the partner visa cost page. The latest percentile figures and Direction 117's tiers are on the partner visa processing time page. Grant, refusal and planning-level figures are on the partner visa grant and refusal statistics page.

Where these partner visa changes show up on this site

When the law or a charge changes, every page that restates it is updated the same day and its "Verified" date moves. This changelog is reviewed every month against the "Last updated" stamps on the Department's partner visa pages, every 1 July when charges change, and within seven days of any new ministerial direction or amending instrument. An entry without a primary source is not published.

An application prepared by a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner is more likely to succeed. A practitioner keeps track of changes like these and knows which rule applies to the date you lodged.

To see which partner visa fits your situation today, start with the Australian partner visa overview. For the terms these changes use, such as "provisional visa" or "Ministerial Direction", see the partner visa glossary.

Questions people ask

What are the new partner visa rules for Australia in 2026?

Three changes took effect in 2026. On 14 March new arrival control powers commenced, with an exemption for partners of Australian citizens and permanent visa holders. On 1 July the visa application charge rose to A$11,710 and a lower charge began for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste passport holders. On 25 July Ministerial Direction 117 replaced Direction 102 as the order for processing family visas.

Will the partner visa fee increase in 2026?

It already has. On 1 July 2026 the charge for the main applicant rose from A$9,365 to A$11,710 under the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026. The charge has changed on 1 July in each year from 2023 to 2026.

Did Ministerial Direction 117 change the partner visa processing order?

Direction 117 replaced Direction 102 on 25 July 2026. It keeps onshore partner applications in the higher priority group and offshore applications in the lower one, and within each group partner and prospective spouse applications come second, after applications where the Minister has substituted a Tribunal decision.

Is the AAT still the review tribunal for partner visas?

No. The Administrative Review Tribunal replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024. Any page that still sends partner visa refusals to the AAT is out of date.

Sources

Primary sources this page was checked against on 23 September 2026.

1. Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 www.legislation.gov.au
2. Ministerial Direction No. 117 immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
3. Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026 www.legislation.gov.au
4. Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 (Cth) www.legislation.gov.au
5. Migration Amendment (Family Violence Provisions for Partner Visa Applicants) Regulations 2024 www.legislation.gov.au
6. Department of Home Affairs, Family visa processing priorities immi.homeaffairs.gov.au