Arranged Marriages and the Partner Visa
An arranged marriage qualifies for an Australian partner visa on the same 4 relationship factors as any other marriage, provided both people freely consented, so the evidence leans on commitment and contact rather than a long history together.
An arranged marriage is lawful in Australia; a forced marriage, where one person did not freely and fully consent, is not. The Department of Home Affairs describes an arranged marriage as one where a third party or family member introduces the couple but "it requires the consent of both parties, who can agree or refuse to marry". The partner visa test is the same four matters for every married couple, under reg 1.15A(3) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth).
| Factor | What the Department looks at (reg 1.15A(3)) | Timing for a couple who married soon after meeting | Examples of documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial aspects | Joint assets and liabilities, pooling of money, sharing of household costs | Shared finances usually begin at or after the wedding | Joint account statements, money transfers, a joint lease or loan |
| Nature of the household | Living arrangements, care of children, sharing of housework | Living together may begin after the wedding, or after the visa | A shared address, a lease, plans and bookings for living together |
| Social aspects | Whether you present yourselves as married, what friends and family think, joint social activities | Family involvement is often documented from the start | Wedding records and photos, invitations, Form 888 supporting statements |
| Nature of the commitment | Length of the relationship, time lived together, companionship and support, whether you see it as long-term | Built through contact before and after the wedding | Call and message records, visits, travel records, statements about plans |
Does an arranged marriage qualify for a partner visa?
Yes, on the same conditions as any marriage. Under s 5F(2) of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), you are spouses for the partner visa if:
- you are married under a marriage valid for the purposes of the Act
- you have a mutual commitment to a shared life as a married couple to the exclusion of all others
- the relationship is genuine and continuing
- you live together, or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis.
How the marriage came about is not a criterion. The married-couple route is set out on spouse visa Australia.
What is the difference between an arranged and a forced marriage for a partner visa?
The difference is consent, and nothing else.
| Arranged marriage | Forced marriage | |
|---|---|---|
| Who introduced the partners | A family member or third party | Anyone |
| Could either person refuse? | Yes | No: consent was not free and full |
| Legal status in Australia | A valid marriage | Void under s 23B(1)(d) of the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth), and an offence under s 270.7B of the Criminal Code |
| Can it support a partner visa? | Yes, on the usual test | No |
Section 270.7A of the Criminal Code defines a forced marriage as one where a party did not freely and fully consent because of coercion, threat or deception, or could not understand the ceremony, or was under 16. More is on forced marriage and the partner visa.
Do you need to have met in person for a partner visa?
It depends on which visa:
- Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300). Yes. Under cl 300.214 of Schedule 2, the couple must have met in person since each turned 18, and be known to each other personally.
- Partner visa as a married couple (820/801 or 309/100). Schedule 2 has no separate met-in-person criterion. The marriage must still meet s 5F, and the Department weighs the matters in reg 1.15A(3), including the duration of the relationship and the time you have lived together.
How do you show a genuine partner visa relationship after an arranged marriage?
With the same four-factor evidence as any couple, taken from the time the relationship has actually existed. Evidence kinds that fit an arranged marriage:
- communication before and after the wedding
- wedding records, such as the certificate, photographs and guest lists
- visits and travel records
- Form 888 supporting statements from people who know you as a couple
- plans to live together, such as bookings, a lease or job arrangements.
Under reg 1.15A(2), the Department must consider "all of the circumstances of the relationship", so no single document decides it. What each factor needs is set out under partner visa relationship evidence.
Married or engaged: which partner visa?
- Already married. Apply for the partner visa: subclass 820/801 from inside Australia or 309/100 from outside it.
- Engaged, not yet married. From outside Australia, the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) lets you come to Australia and marry within the visa period, then apply for the onshore partner visa.
Questions about arranged marriages and the partner visa
Can I get a partner visa if I'm already married?
Yes. A married applicant applies as a spouse, and the arranged nature of the marriage is not itself a criterion.
Is there a minimum time married before applying?
No. Section 5F sets no minimum length of marriage. The 12-month rule in reg 2.03A applies only to de facto partners.
Will the Department interview us?
It may. Under s 56 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), the Department can invite any visa applicant, orally or in writing, to give more information before it decides. That power applies to every partner visa application, whatever kind of marriage it rests on.
Relationship evidence for a partner visa
The four factors in full, and what proves each one, are on partner visa relationship evidence.
When a couple has little time together before the wedding, how the evidence is chosen and explained matters more than usual. An application prepared by a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner is more likely to succeed, because they know how the Department reads a short shared history and can present commitment and contact evidence under each of the four factors. No adviser can promise a grant.
Questions people ask
Can you get a partner visa after an arranged marriage?
Yes. An arranged marriage that both people freely agreed to is a valid marriage in Australia and is assessed on the same test as any other marriage, under s 5F of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and reg 1.15A of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth). The relationship must be genuine and continuing, with a mutual commitment to a shared life as a married couple.
What is the difference between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage?
Consent. In an arranged marriage a family member or third party introduces the couple, but both people can agree or refuse. In a forced marriage one person does not freely and fully consent, which makes the marriage void under the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) and is a crime under the Criminal Code.
Do you need to have met in person for a partner visa?
For a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), yes. The couple must have met in person since both turned 18, under cl 300.214 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth). The married partner visa has no separate met-in-person criterion, but the Department must be satisfied the marriage is genuine and continuing.
Is there a minimum time you must be married before applying for a partner visa?
No. The spouse definition in s 5F of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) sets no minimum length of marriage. The 12-month rule in reg 2.03A applies only to de facto couples.
Sources
Primary sources this page was checked against on 23 September 2026.
- Migration Act 1958 (Cth), ss 5F and 56 www.legislation.gov.au
- Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), reg 1.15A and Schedule 2 cl 300.214 www.legislation.gov.au
- Marriage Act 1961 (Cth), s 23B www.legislation.gov.au
- Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), s 270.7A www.legislation.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Forced Marriage information sheet www.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) immi.homeaffairs.gov.au