Translating Documents for a Partner Visa
Every partner visa document not in English is uploaded with an English translation, and a translation made in Australia must come from a translator accredited by NAATI, as the Home Affairs partner visa pages state as at 23 September 2026.
A translation made outside Australia does not need a NAATI translator, but it must carry the translator's full name, address and telephone number and details of their qualifications and experience in the language, all in English. Translation is a format rule. It proves no relationship factor by itself, but it lets the Department read the documents that do.
| Where the translation is made | Who may translate | What the translation must show | Upload with it |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Australia | A translator accredited by NAATI | The English translation from that translator | The original document |
| Outside Australia | Any translator; accreditation is not required | Full name, address, telephone number, qualifications and experience in the language, in English | The original document |
| By you, your partner or a relative | In Australia, only if that person is NAATI-accredited | As for the place where it is made | The original document |
| Free Translating Service | Not available for documents needed for a visa application | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Which partner visa documents need an English translation?
Every document not in English. The Home Affairs subclass 820, 309 and 300 pages say "Have all documents translated into English". The ones most often translated are:
- Birth certificates and family books (identity).
- Marriage and divorce documents (relationship status).
- Police certificates from other countries (character).
- National identity cards and change-of-name documents (identity).
- Letters, messages and statements in another language, which are partner visa relationship evidence for the social aspects and the nature of the commitment.
The partner visa document checklist marks each document that needs a translation.
Who can translate documents for a partner visa?
Translations made in Australia
Home Affairs says translators in Australia "must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters". NAATI now calls its translator credential certification, and TIS National points people to the NAATI directory to find a NAATI-certified translator. The directory is on NAATI's own website.
Translations made outside Australia
The translator does not need NAATI accreditation. On each translation they must include their full name, their address and telephone number, and their qualifications and experience in the language they are translating. These details must be in English.
Can you or your partner translate your own documents?
In Australia, no, unless the person translating is NAATI-accredited. Outside Australia the rule has no family exclusion, but the translator must state their qualifications and experience in the language, so a translation by an applicant or partner without a translation qualification is hard to support.
How much does a partner visa translation cost?
Translators set their own fees. Home Affairs does not set translation fees, and this guide does not quote vendor prices. Ask two or three translators for a quote per document before you commit, as at 23 September 2026.
Is there a free translation option?
Not for the application. The Free Translating Service, described on the Home Affairs and TIS National websites, lists subclasses 820, 801, 309, 100 and 300 among the eligible visas. The visa must have been granted within the past 2 years, you must be in Australia, and up to 10 documents are covered. Its eligibility rules say document translations required for visa or citizenship applications are not eligible. It can help with settlement documents after grant, not with the partner visa file.
What do you upload for a partner visa: the original, the translation or both?
Both. Home Affairs asks you to "provide original and translated documents in your application".
- Scan or photograph the original in colour.
- Scan the translation, including the translator's details or credential.
- Keep them together, with the original first and the translation after it, and label the file clearly.
- Attach each document once, even if it supports more than one point.
Do chat logs and letters in another language need a full translation for a partner visa?
Home Affairs publishes no exception for long message histories, so anything you upload in another language needs a translation. You do not have to upload every message. Choose a representative selection spread across the relationship, translate each page you upload, and explain in your relationship statement what the selection shows.
Does a partner visa translation need to be certified as a copy too?
No. A translation and a certified copy are separate rules. A translation makes the content readable in English. A certified copy confirms a copy matches its original, and online partner visa applications do not need them. See certified copies for a partner visa for the few cases that do.
Questions about partner visa translations
Does a translation expire?
No expiry is set in the Home Affairs guidance. The translation stands as long as the original document does.
Do you translate the Form 888?
No. Form 888 must be completed in English, typed or handwritten in block letters.
Can a translator in the applicant's country be used for a 309?
Yes. A translation made outside Australia does not need NAATI accreditation, as long as it carries the translator's details in English.
Does the sponsor need translations?
Yes, for any sponsor document not in English. The rule applies to every document in the application.
Translations and the partner visa document checklist
Translation runs across every factor in your partner visa relationship evidence without proving any of them. When a document must also be a certified copy, certified copies for a partner visa explains when and by whom.
Translation errors are quiet: a date or name rendered differently from the passport can raise doubts about identity or the relationship timeline. An application prepared by a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner is more likely to succeed, because they can check that every translation matches the other documents and that the right translator made it. No adviser can promise a grant.
The partner visa document checklist covers translations in group K, and its certified-copy column separates a translation from a certified copy.
Questions people ask
Do you need a NAATI translation for a partner visa?
Only if the translation is made in Australia. Home Affairs says translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited, but must add their full name, address, telephone number, and qualifications and experience in the language, in English.
Can you translate your own documents for a partner visa?
In Australia, only if you are a NAATI-accredited translator yourself. Outside Australia, the translator must state their qualifications and experience in the language, so a translation by you or your partner is hard to support unless one of you holds a translation qualification.
Is there a free translation service for partner visa documents?
Not for the application itself. The Free Translating Service is open to holders of eligible visas, including subclasses 820, 801, 309, 100 and 300, within 2 years of grant, but its eligibility rules exclude translations required for visa or citizenship applications.
Do you upload the original or the translation for a partner visa?
Both. Home Affairs asks you to provide the original and the translated document in your application, each scanned or photographed in colour.
Sources
Primary sources this page was checked against on 23 September 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs, Partner visa (subclass 820), translate immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Partner visa (subclass 309), translate immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- TIS National, Free Translating Service eligibility www.tisnational.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Free Translating Service immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Form 888 Supporting statement immi.homeaffairs.gov.au