Partner Visa Document Checklist
The partner visa document checklist runs to 7 documents from the applicant and 6 from the sponsor, plus at least 2 Form 888 supporting statements, as at September 2026.
Every document below is tagged with the subclass that needs it, the relationship factor it proves under regulations 1.09A and 1.15A of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), and whether a certified copy is needed. The 13 core documents are marked Required. Every other row is either conditional or one of the many ways to prove a factor. The table was built from the Home Affairs pages for subclasses 820, 801, 309, 100 and 300 as they read on 23 September 2026.
The partner visa document checklist
How to read the last column. ImmiAccount asks you to choose why you are attaching a document and then what it is. Its drop-down wording is visible only inside a live application and is not published. So this column gives the document group Home Affairs uses on the visa page (for example "Identity documents" or "Evidence of relationships"). Choose the matching evidence type in ImmiAccount. Two labels are confirmed by Home Affairs: Facial image, and Other Documents under Additional documents for anything not on the list.
| Document | Applicant or sponsor | Which subclass | Which factor it proves | Certified copy | ImmiAccount attachment category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Applicant identity | |||||
| Required. Birth certificate showing both parents (or a family book, government ID, court document or family census register if you have none) | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity | No, colour scan | Identity documents |
| Required. Passport pages with your photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity | No, colour scan | Identity documents |
| Required. Facial image (jpg) | Applicant and each included family member | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity | No | Facial image |
| National identity card, if you have one | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity | No, colour scan | Identity documents |
| Proof of change of name (marriage or divorce certificate, or registry change-of-name document) | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity | No, colour scan | Identity documents |
| Documents showing other names you have been known by | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity | No, colour scan | Identity documents |
| B. Sponsor identity and sponsorship | |||||
| Required. Copy of passport | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: sponsorship | No, colour scan | Sponsor identity documents |
| Required. Copy of birth certificate | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: sponsorship | No, colour scan | Sponsor identity documents |
| Required. Photo of face | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: sponsorship | No | Sponsor identity documents |
| Required. "Sponsorship for a Partner to Migrate to Australia" online form | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: sponsorship | Not applicable (online form) | Lodged in ImmiAccount with the applicant's TRN |
| Evidence you usually live in Australia (home, work, property, family ties), if you are a permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: sponsorship | No, colour scan | Sponsor identity documents |
| Required. Australian Federal Police complete disclosure National Police Certificate | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: character | No, colour scan | Character documents |
| Overseas police certificate from every country where you spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16 | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: character | No, colour scan | Character documents |
| Required. Written consent to disclose convictions for relevant offences to the applicant | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: sponsorship | No | Character documents |
| C. Relationship status | |||||
| Required (one of these two). Marriage certificate or other evidence the marriage is valid in Australia, or evidence of the de facto relationship | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the commitment | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Relationship registration certificate from an Australian state or territory registry (lets a de facto couple apply before 12 months) | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the commitment | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations ending any earlier relationship | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: eligibility | No, colour scan | Former relationships |
| Evidence you will marry within 9 months of the grant (for example a letter from the person who will officiate) | Applicant | 300 | Nature of the commitment | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Evidence you have met face to face as adults since turning 18 | Applicant | 300 | Social aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| D. Financial aspects of the relationship | |||||
| Joint bank account statements across the relationship | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Financial aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Joint mortgage or lease documents | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Financial aspects and nature of the household | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Joint loan documents for a home, car or major appliance | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Financial aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Household bills in both names | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Financial aspects and nature of the household | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Records of money transfers between you | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Financial aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| E. Nature of the household | |||||
| A statement about how you share housework | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the household | Not applicable (your own statement) | Evidence of relationships |
| Mail or emails addressed to you both | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the household | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Documents proving your living arrangements (lease, title, rates notice) | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the household | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Documents showing joint responsibility for children | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the household | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| F. Social aspects of the relationship | |||||
| Form 888 supporting statement, one from each of at least 2 witnesses | Each supporting witness | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Social aspects | No (an original statement) | Evidence of relationships |
| Evidence that a Form 888 witness is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, if they are (passport or birth certificate) | Each supporting witness | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity of witness | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Joint invitations or evidence you go out together | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Social aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Proof you have friends in common | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Social aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Proof you have told government, public or commercial bodies about the relationship | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Social aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Proof of joint sporting, cultural or social activities | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Social aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Proof you travel together (bookings, boarding passes) | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Social aspects | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Dated and captioned photographs across the relationship | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Social aspects | No | Evidence of relationships |
| G. Nature of the commitment | |||||
| Required. Written relationship history: how you met, how it developed, moving in, engagement or marriage, time apart, plans | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Nature of the commitment | Not applicable (your own statement) | Evidence of relationships |
| The sponsor's own written account of the relationship | Sponsor | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Nature of the commitment | Not applicable (your own statement) | Evidence of relationships |
| Evidence you know each other's background, family situation and personal details | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the commitment | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Evidence you have combined your personal matters | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the commitment | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| Records of staying in touch when apart | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Nature of the commitment | No | Evidence of relationships |
| The terms of your wills | Both | 820/801 · 309/100 | Nature of the commitment | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| H. Health | |||||
| Health examinations | Applicant and each included family member | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: health | Not applicable | Arranged through the Department, not scanned |
| I. Character | |||||
| Required. Police certificates: an Australian Federal Police complete disclosure certificate if you spent 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since 16, and one from every other such country | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: character | No, colour scan | Character documents |
| Military service records or discharge papers, if you served | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: character | No, colour scan | Character documents |
| Required. Form 80, Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment | Applicant | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: character | Not applicable (completed form) | Character documents |
| J. Children and other family members included | |||||
| Identity documents and a birth certificate showing the relationship to you | Each child included in the application | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: identity; also nature of the household where it names you both as parents (joint care of children, reg 1.09A(3)(b)(i)) | No, colour scan | Dependants |
| Form 1229 consent from anyone with a legal right to decide where the child lives who is not migrating, with their signed photo ID | Each child included in the application | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: child's eligibility | Yes for its attachments: Form 1229 asks for certified copies of the child's birth certificate (if not already lodged), the parent's ID page and any sole-responsibility orders | Dependants |
| Adoption papers, parental court orders or evidence of sole custody, if applicable | Each child included in the application | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: child's eligibility | No, colour scan | Dependants |
| Evidence of school, college or university enrolment, if applicable | Each child included in the application | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: child's eligibility | No, colour scan | Dependants |
| Form 47a and evidence of dependence, for a child aged 18 or over | Each child included in the application | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Not a relationship factor: child's eligibility | No, colour scan | Dependants |
| K. Translations | |||||
| English translation of every document not in English, uploaded with the original | Whoever supplies the document | 820/801 · 309/100 · 300 | Same factor as the original | Translation needed, not certification | Same category as the original |
| L. Second stage only (subclass 801 and subclass 100) | |||||
| Pages of your most recent passport showing photo, details, signature and dates | Applicant | Second stage only (801 and 100) | Not a relationship factor: identity | No, colour scan | Identity documents |
| Commonwealth statutory declaration about the relationship | Sponsor | Second stage only (801 and 100) | More than one factor: all four | Not applicable (an original declaration) | Evidence of relationships |
| Passport personal details page (showing signature) or Australian driver licence | Sponsor | Second stage only (801 and 100) | Not a relationship factor: sponsorship | No, colour scan | Sponsor identity documents |
| Fresh Form 888 statements from 2 witnesses | Each supporting witness | Second stage only (801 and 100) | Social aspects | No (an original statement) | Evidence of relationships |
| Updated financial, household, social and commitment evidence since you applied | Both | Second stage only (801 and 100) | All four factors | No, colour scan | Evidence of relationships |
| New police certificates where required (Australian, and any country where you spent 12 months or more since the temporary visa grant) | Applicant | Second stage only (801 and 100) | Not a relationship factor: character | No, colour scan | Character documents |
| For each family member holding a subclass 820 or 445 visa: passport, documents showing changes, police certificates if 16 or older | Each child included in the application | Second stage only (801 and 100) | Not a relationship factor: identity and character | No, colour scan | Dependants |
Every row is a document the Department may ask for, not one every couple will have. Where you cannot supply a row that applies to you, explain why in writing rather than leaving a silent gap. The Department can also ask for anything it considers relevant under section 56 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth).
Which documents does your subclass need?
Subclass 820 and 801 document checklist (onshore)
Use rows A to K. The Commonwealth statutory declarations in the caution box above apply only if you do not hold a substantive visa when you apply. You lodge both visas in one application, and the second-stage rows (L) come two years later.
Subclass 309 and 100 document checklist (offshore)
Rows A to K apply in the same way as onshore. The substantive-visa rule in the caution box does not apply, because you apply from outside Australia.
Subclass 300 document checklist (prospective marriage)
Rows A, B, F, H, I and J apply. From row C, the 300 needs the evidence that you will marry within 9 months of the grant and that you have met face to face as adults. Home Affairs also asks for written statements of your relationship history, your engagement and your plans as spouses (row G). A prospective marriage visa has no marriage certificate row, because you are not yet married.
Second-stage checklist for the subclass 801 and subclass 100
Use row L, plus evidence of any change in your circumstances. Home Affairs says you can submit second-stage documents once two years have passed since you first applied, and not before. In ImmiAccount this is "Stage 2 – Permanent Partner Visa Assessment (100, 801)".
Which documents does the sponsor supply?
A partner visa sponsor supplies a copy of their passport, a copy of their birth certificate and a photo of their face. They also complete the online "Sponsorship for a Partner to Migrate to Australia" form using the applicant's Transaction Reference Number or application ID. They provide an Australian Federal Police complete disclosure certificate, overseas police certificates for any country where they spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16, and written consent to disclose relevant convictions to the applicant. A permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen sponsor must also show they usually live in Australia. At the second stage, the sponsor adds a passport page or Australian driver licence and a Commonwealth statutory declaration about the relationship. That declaration is covered on the partner visa statutory declaration page.
Do partner visa documents need to be certified?
Generally no, for an online partner visa application. The Home Affairs pages for subclasses 820, 801, 309, 100 and 300 each say "You do not need to have any documents certified", and ask for colour scans or photographs clear enough to read instead. The one exception in this table is Form 1229: the form itself (design date 11/23) asks for certified copies of the documents attached to it. Certification otherwise matters only if the Department asks for it or invites a paper application, which the separate certified copies page covers.
Do documents in another language need a translation?
Yes. Home Affairs asks for every document not in English to be translated, and for the original and the translation to both be provided. A translator in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). A translator outside Australia does not need to be accredited, but must add their full name, address and telephone number, and their qualifications and experience in the language, in English.
Where does each document go in ImmiAccount?
- Open the application and go to Attach documents, then choose the person the document belongs to.
- Select why you are attaching it (the evidence type), then the document type from the drop-down list. If nothing fits, use Other Documents under Additional documents.
- Browse to the file. Documents of the same type, such as statements from different bank accounts, can go up in one group.
- Select Attach once. A green tick shows under Received when the upload works.
The limits, as at 23 September 2026 on the Home Affairs "Attach documents to your application" page: up to 100 documents per person on a partner visa application; each document up to 5MB; facial images between 70KB and 3.5MB. Accepted formats include pdf, jpg, png, doc and docx, and encrypted or password-protected PDFs are rejected. ImmiAccount keeps unsubmitted attachments for 30 days. Attach each document only once, even if it proves two things, label it clearly, and save a multi-page document as one file.
What happens if a document is missing when you lodge?
Home Affairs says to provide all required information with your application or as soon as possible after, and that applications with all required information can be processed faster. You can attach missing documents in ImmiAccount after lodging. The Department can also invite you to provide information under section 56 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth). If you cannot meet its deadline, ask for more time through the Partner Processing Enquiry Form before the deadline passes. If a decision is made on an incomplete file, it is made on what is there, and Home Affairs does not refund the charge if it refuses the application. For applicants without a substantive visa, the documents in the caution box above are needed at lodgement itself.
How much evidence is enough?
Cover all four relationship factors, spread the dates across the whole relationship, and prefer records made by third parties at the time over documents made for the application. The reasoning behind that rule, factor by factor, is on the partner visa relationship evidence page.
Download the partner visa document checklist
To keep a copy, use your browser's print function and choose "Save as PDF". The table prints with its as-at date of 23 September 2026. Check the Home Affairs visa page again before you lodge, because requirements can change.
Questions about partner visa documents
Can you send documents after you lodge?
Yes. Attach them in ImmiAccount as soon as you can. Home Affairs also asks partner visa applicants to keep updating their relationship evidence while they wait.
Do you upload the sponsor's documents to the same application?
Yes. The sponsor lodges the sponsorship form through the applicant's ImmiAccount or their own, using the applicant's Transaction Reference Number or application ID. Sponsor documents attach to that sponsorship. If one person reaches the 100-document limit, Home Affairs says you can attach more documents to another applicant on the same application.
Do you need originals at an interview?
Home Affairs does not publish a rule on this. Keep every original you scanned, because the Department can ask to see one.
Does the Department return your documents?
For an online application you upload scans, so the originals never leave you. Keep them safe until the permanent visa is decided.
Partner visa forms and evidence pages
- The Form 888 for a partner visa page: what each supporting witness writes, with example answers.
- The partner visa forms page: the other Home Affairs forms in a partner visa application, including Form 80, Form 1229 and Form 47a.
- The partner visa relationship evidence page: the four factors behind the relationship rows of this table.
A checklist shows what to gather. It cannot show whether your particular documents meet the test. An application prepared by a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner is more likely to succeed. They can check that every required row is present at lodgement, which matters most for an onshore applicant without a substantive visa, where a missing declaration can make the application invalid. They can also spot the factor your evidence leaves thin. No adviser can promise a grant.
Questions people ask
What documents are needed for a partner visa in Australia?
Every first-stage partner visa application needs the applicant's birth certificate, passport pages, a facial image, a written relationship history, a marriage certificate or de facto evidence, police certificates and Form 80. The sponsor supplies a passport, birth certificate, photo, the sponsorship form, an Australian Federal Police certificate and consent to disclose convictions. Two Form 888 supporting statements and evidence across the four relationship factors complete the file.
Do partner visa documents need to be certified?
Generally no, for an online application. The Home Affairs partner visa pages say you do not need to have any documents certified, so scan or photograph each document in colour. The exception is Form 1229, the consent form for a child, which asks for certified copies of the documents attached to it.
How many documents can you upload to a partner visa application?
Home Affairs allows up to 100 documents for each person on a partner visa application. Each document can be up to 5MB, and a facial image should be between 70KB and 3.5MB. If you reach the limit, you can attach documents to another applicant on the same application or use the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.
What documents do I need to sponsor my spouse?
A partner visa sponsor provides a copy of their passport, a copy of their birth certificate and a photo of their face, completes the online sponsorship form, and supplies an Australian Federal Police complete disclosure certificate with written consent to disclose relevant convictions. A permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen sponsor also shows they usually live in Australia.
Can you send partner visa documents after you lodge?
Yes. Home Affairs says to attach any missing documents in ImmiAccount as soon as you can, and to keep updating relationship evidence while you wait. For applicants in Australia without a substantive visa, some documents must be included at lodgement or the application may be invalid.
Sources
Primary sources this page was checked against on 23 September 2026.
- Home Affairs, Partner visa (subclass 820), documents and sponsor documents immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Home Affairs, Partner visa (subclass 309) immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Home Affairs, Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Home Affairs, Partner visa (subclass 801), second-stage documents immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Home Affairs, Attach documents to your application immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), regs 1.09A and 1.15A www.legislation.gov.au