10 Fiancé Visa Australia Requirements You Must Meet

Ocean crossings, time zones and visa forms can all stand between you and the person you love. For engaged couples living apart, the Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa—commonly known as the fiancé visa—offers a clear route for your partner to arrive in Australia and say “I do.”

This guide lays out the ten non-negotiable requirements for a successful application: from proving you’ve met in person and intend to marry within the 9–15 month window, to meeting health and character checks, securing an approved sponsor and covering the right fees. Miss a single item and you could face delays or refusal.

Each requirement here is drawn from official Department of Home Affairs guidance, bolstered by hands-on tips from seasoned migration professionals. As you read on, you’ll discover practical examples, document checklists and direct links to Home Affairs resources—everything you need to build a complete, confident application.

1. Be outside Australia when applying

The Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa is an offshore pathway—if you or any family member is on Australian soil when you lodge or when the Department decides your application, it will be refused. You must remain outside Australia from the moment you hit “submit” in your ImmiAccount until the visa grant is finalised. This rule applies equally to the main applicant and any dependents listed on the same application.

Proof of offshore status isn’t just a formality. Immigration officers rely on travel history to confirm you haven’t entered Australia after applying. To make your case watertight, gather clear scans or photos of your passport’s entry and exit stamps, boarding passes, and airline tickets. It’s also smart to keep a simple travel log—a dated list of flights and border crossings—so you’re never scrambling for details when it’s time to lodge.

Actionable tip: Before you apply, create a folder (digital or paper) containing:

• Passport bio page and all relevant entry/exit pages
• Boarding passes and e-tickets for recent trips
• A one-page travel diary summarising dates, flight numbers and destinations

1.1 Why location matters

Australia’s visa framework distinguishes strictly between onshore and offshore processing. Subclass 300 was designed to ensure applicants remain offshore, allowing the Department to manage risk, verify identity and maintain standard procedures for temporary entry visas.

1.2 How to document your offshore status

Use the following to demonstrate you’re outside Australia at lodgement and decision:

• Passport stamps showing exit from Australia and entry to another country
• Digital or paper boarding passes with flight dates and times
• A simple travel declaration or log summarising your recent movements

1.3 Official reference

For the official policy on offshore requirements, see the Prospective Marriage visa overview.

2. Have an approved sponsor

Every Prospective Marriage visa application needs a sponsor—your fiancé(e) who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Without an approved sponsor, your application can’t proceed. The sponsor acts as a contractual guarantor, agreeing to support you financially, ensure you comply with visa conditions and even help with repatriation costs if things go wrong.

Before you hit “submit,” confirm that your sponsor ticks all the departmental boxes. They must be at least 18 years old, of good character and within sponsorship limits (for example, not oversubscribed by previous sponsorships). Once approved, the sponsor undertakes obligations that last two years from the visa grant date—so they need to fully understand the commitment they’re signing up for.

Gathering the right sponsor paperwork early will save headaches down the road. Think passport bio pages, citizenship evidence, and criminal history clearances. Having those ready for upload means your sponsor form won’t stall at the “pending documents” stage.

2.1 Sponsor eligibility criteria

• Citizenship status: must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Age: 18 years or older at time of sponsorship
• Sponsorship history: no more than the permitted number of prior partner or prospective marriage sponsorships (unless compelling circumstances apply)
• Character requirements: no substantial criminal convictions (especially offences involving violence, people-smuggling or weapons)

2.2 Sponsor obligations

When your sponsor signs the sponsorship form, they agree to:

• Financial support: cover your living costs if you cannot support yourself
• Repatriation guarantee: arrange and pay for your return home if your visa is cancelled or you fall into debt
• Notification duties: inform Home Affairs of any change in their own circumstances (for example, change of address or a new criminal conviction)
• Duration: uphold these obligations for two years from the date your visa is granted

2.3 Documents your sponsor must provide

• Passport bio page (showing name, photo, issue and expiry dates)
• Proof of Australian citizenship or residence, such as a citizenship certificate, birth certificate or front cover of a valid visa label
• A recent police clearance or criminal history check to demonstrate good character
• Completed sponsorship form (Form 40SP or equivalent), signed and dated

3. Be at least 18 years old

Both the main applicant and the sponsor must be at least 18 years old when you lodge the fiancé visa (subclass 300) application. This age threshold is set to protect minors and ensure both parties can enter into the sponsorship and marriage commitments legally. If either you or your sponsor is under 18, your application will not pass the age eligibility check.

Gather official identity documents that clearly show your date of birth before you start filling in your forms. Having certified copies of these on hand will speed up your lodgement and reduce the risk of an age-related refusal.

Actionable checklist:

• Verify that your date of birth on each ID matches exactly across documents
• Prepare clear colour scans or photos of your proof-of-age documents
• Keep originals accessible in case Home Affairs requests to see them

3.1 Acceptable proof of age

To prove you’re at least 18, you can use any one of the following primary documents:

• Passport bio page (with photo, full name and date of birth)
• Birth certificate issued by a government authority
• National identity card showing date of birth and photo

If your document is not in English, include a certified translation by a NAATI-accredited translator (or equivalent overseas translator statement).

3.2 Ineligibility if under 18

Applicants under 18 cannot apply for the fiancé visa in their own right. However, you can still include children under 18 as dependents on your application—provided they meet health and character requirements. If you are under 18 and hoping to migrate, you’ll need to wait until you meet the age requirement or explore other partner visa subclasses designed for minors.

4. Be legally free to marry (legal capacity)

One of the non-negotiable checks in your fiancé visa application is proving you both have the legal capacity to marry under Australian law. In simple terms, that means neither you nor your prospective spouse can be currently married to someone else. Whether you’ve been divorced, widowed or your previous marriage was annulled, you must show official paperwork confirming your single status before you tie the knot.

Start gathering these documents as soon as possible—especially if they need to be obtained from another country. Embassy processing times and translation requirements can add weeks to your schedule. Submitting accurate, certified originals (or certified copies) will keep your application moving and avoid last-minute surprises.

4.1 Required legal documents

To demonstrate legal capacity, you’ll need to include one or more of the following, depending on your personal history:

• Divorce decree absolute
  Issued by the court where your former marriage was dissolved.
• Death certificate of former spouse
  Official civil registry document showing the date and place of death.
• Annulment papers
  If your previous marriage was declared void, include the final court order.
• Statutory declaration
  In rare cases (for example, where records are lost), you can provide a sworn statement explaining the circumstances. Check with the registry of your home country for guidance on affidavits or declarations that are acceptable abroad.

4.2 Translating and certifying documents

If any of your legal documents aren’t in English, you must lodge both the original and a complete translation. Translators based in Australia should be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). If you use a translator overseas, their statement must include:

• Full name, address and telephone number
• Qualifications and experience in the source language
• A declaration that the translation is “true and correct”

Leave enough lead time for translation and certification—translations completed after you’ve lodged can delay the grant of your visa.

5. Intend to marry within visa validity period (9–15 months)

When the subclass 300 visa is granted, you’ll have between nine and fifteen months to wed your sponsor. This isn’t just a guideline—it’s a strict condition. If you don’t hold your marriage ceremony before the visa expires, you risk losing your right to stay in Australia and having to reapply for a new visa from offshore.

Timing is everything. Once the grant letter lands in your inbox, note down:

• The start date of your visa
• The last date you can marry and still meet visa conditions

From there, reverse-engineer your wedding schedule. Factor in venue availability, celebrant booking windows and any pre-marriage counselling or medical checks your state registry might require. Locking in your ceremony date early will give you breathing room to organise travel, accommodation and those small but crucial details—like invitations, attire and celebrant registrations.

5.1 Checking your visa validity

Your visa grant letter (and digital record in VEVO) spells out the exact dates you must respect. Look for:

• Grant date: when your visa officially began
• Initial entry date: the date by which you must first arrive in Australia
• Expiry date: the cut-off for your marriage

If you’re unsure, log in to your ImmiAccount or use VEVO to confirm. These dates won’t budge, so mark them on your calendar and set reminders in your phone.

5.2 Wedding planning timeline

Here’s an example roadmap to keep you on track. Adjust it to suit your own ceremony style and location:

This schedule leaves a buffer in case you need to adjust dates or handle unexpected delays. If you find your timeline slipping, prioritise the celebrant booking and legal paperwork first—venues and vendors can usually be shuffled more easily than registrar appointments.

By marrying within your visa validity, you not only honour your commitment to Australian authorities but also pave the way to your onshore Partner visa application without extra fees or lapses in status.

6. Have met your prospective spouse in person

One of the simplest yet most crucial checks for the fiancé visa is proving you and your partner have actually met face-to-face as adults. This requirement stops purely online or long-distance-only relationships from qualifying, and it helps the Department of Home Affairs verify that your connection is genuine. You only need one in-person meeting since you both turned 18, but you’ll want to back it up with clear documentation.

Think beyond a single selfie—aim to build a timeline of your visit. Was it a weekend getaway, a longer holiday or a business-plus-pleasure trip? Whatever the context, collect whatever can show you were physically together on specific dates. If travel was restricted (for example, during COVID lockdowns), you can also include statutory declarations explaining the circumstances and affirming you would have met under normal conditions.

Actionable tip: As soon as you travel, start saving digital and paper proof—don’t wait until weeks later when receipts are buried in emails or thrown away.

6.1 Documenting your face-to-face meeting

To demonstrate your in-person meeting, aim to gather:

• Date-stamped photographs of you together (geotags are a bonus)
• Flight itineraries or boarding passes showing arrival and departure dates
• Hotel or Airbnb receipts with matching names and dates
• Restaurant bookings, event tickets or activity reservations in both your names
• A brief travel log summarising where you were on each day of the visit

Compile these into a single PDF (or clearly labelled folder in ImmiAccount). If you have multiple trips, organise them chronologically.

6.2 Witness statements (Form 888)

Beyond your own records, Home Affairs asks for two supporting statements from people who know both of you. These witnesses must be:

• Aged 18 or older
• Unrelated by blood or marriage to either partner
• Personally familiar with your relationship history

Each witness should complete Form 888 – Supporting Statement in Relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage Visa. Their statement must include:

• How and when they met each of you
• Observations of your relationship (e.g., social gatherings, family events)
• Confirmation you’ve met in person as adults
• Their signature, date and a copy of their photo ID (e.g., passport or driver’s licence)

Well-crafted witness statements add weight to your case and can tip the balance when your own meeting evidence feels thin. Make sure each library-style declaration is clear, concise and signed.

7. Provide evidence of a genuine relationship

A fiancé visa isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about demonstrating that you and your partner share a real, ongoing commitment. Home Affairs looks for signs of emotional connection, financial interdependence and social recognition of your relationship. The more angles you cover, the stronger your case.

At a minimum, your application should include three categories of proof:

1. Financial and household evidence
2. Social and emotional evidence
3. Statutory declarations and supporting letters

Below is a simple template you can use to track and organise your relationship documents:

Filling out all rows ensures nothing slips through the cracks. Now let’s dive into each evidence type.

7.1 Financial and household evidence

Lenders and landlords love paper trails—and so does Home Affairs. Shared financial commitments show you’re more than happy to merge lives together. Useful documents include:

• Joint bank or savings account statements covering at least six months
• Rental or mortgage agreements listing both names
• Utility bills (electricity, gas, internet) addressed to you as a couple
• Insurance policies (health, contents, car) naming each other

Actionable tip: Highlight inter-account transfers, bill payments or recurring rental payments to underscore your financial interdependence.

7.2 Social and emotional evidence

Your photos and messages bring the story to life. They prove your relationship extends beyond paperwork. Compile:

• Date-stamped photographs of shared celebrations, holidays or everyday moments
• Screenshots of chat logs, emails or social media exchanges showing planning and care
• Event invitations in both your names (weddings, birthday parties, community gatherings)
• Public social media posts tagging you as a couple, with comments or RSVPs

Actionable tip: Organise images in a dated folder—label each file like 2024-05-12_family_bbq.jpg—so it’s clear when and where each photo was taken.

7.3 Statutory declarations and supporting letters

Objective witness accounts give your application extra credibility. Ask two to four people—friends, family or colleagues—who know you both well to provide statements. Each should:

• Complete Form 888 – Supporting Statement (or a statutory declaration if Form 888 isn’t an option)
• Explain how they know each of you, when they first met your partner, and why they consider your relationship genuine
• Offer personal observations (for example, “I saw them move in together” or “I attended their engagement gathering”)

Ensure each witness statement is signed, dated and accompanied by a copy of the witness’s photo ID. This mix of personal stories and formal paperwork helps Migration Officers see the full picture of your life as a couple.

8. Meet health requirements

Before you can walk down the aisle in Australia, you and any dependents must clear health checks designed to protect public health and ensure you don’t pose a significant cost burden on Australia’s health system. These medical examinations are mandatory and must be carried out by a Department-approved panel physician. Skipping or delaying your health exams can hold up your entire visa application, so it pays to get organised early.

Once you lodge your fiancé visa application, Home Affairs will issue you a Health Assessment Portal (HAP) ID. This unique reference links your ImmiAccount with the panel doctors’ system. You then use the HAP ID to book your exams—typically a chest X-ray, blood tests and a general physical examination. The expense (often AUD 300–500 per person) is yours to cover, and results are valid for 12 months. If your HAP ID or exam reports expire before a decision, you’ll need to repeat the process.

Actionable tip: As soon as you receive your HAP ID, check local panel physician availability and book right away—many clinics fill up weeks in advance. Bring any prescription lists, prior medical reports or glasses/contact lens details to avoid extra visits and fees.

8.1 Obtaining and using your HAP ID

After you submit your application in ImmiAccount, Home Affairs emails (or displays) your HAP ID.

• Log in to ImmiAccount and look under “Health” or the application’s checklist.
• Note down the HAP ID and expiry date—you’ll need both when scheduling.
• Share the HAP ID exactly as shown with your chosen panel clinic to link your medical files to your visa case.

8.2 Booking with accredited panel physicians

Only doctors on the Home Affairs panel can conduct your visa health exams. To find and book one:

• Visit the “find a panel physician” section on the Department’s site.
• Search by country, city or clinic name.
• Call or use the clinic’s online system to arrange your appointment—quoting your full HAP ID.

Always confirm which tests are required for a subclass 300 application, and ask about estimated fees so there are no surprises.

8.3 Components of the health examination

Your visa health check generally includes:

• Chest X-ray to screen for tuberculosis.
• Blood tests for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis.
• General medical assessment covering vision, vaccinations, height, weight and any declared conditions.

Panel physicians report results electronically, but you can ask for a copy to keep. For full details on arranging exams and up-to-date requirements, see how to arrange your health examinations.

9. Meet character requirements

Australia’s Migration Act requires all fiancé visa applicants (and dependents aged 16 or over) to pass a character test under section 501. This check is designed to protect the Australian community and maintain the integrity of the migration program. You must provide police certificates from every country where you’ve lived for 12 months or more over the last ten years (since you turned 16). In addition, you’ll need to complete Form 80 – Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment and declare any military service or past convictions. Leaving these documents until the last minute can delay your application, so plan ahead and collect everything early.

9.1 Obtaining police certificates

Start by ordering an Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Check—using Code 33 for migration purposes—to cover any time you spent in Australia. For other countries, contact the relevant consulate or police authority to request your overseas certificate. Remember that most police checks are only valid for 12 months, so time your requests so they don’t expire before a decision is made. When you receive each certificate, scan it in colour and label the file clearly (for example, AFP_Check_2025.pdf or UK_Police_Certificate_2024.pdf).

9.2 Character test disqualifiers

Certain criminal histories will automatically fail the character test, such as:

• A prison sentence of 12 months or more (even if served non-consecutively)
• Convictions for sexual offences or crimes against minors
• Involvement in people-smuggling, human-trafficking or organised violence
• Breaching protection orders or repeated violence-related convictions

If your record includes any of these, it’s vital to seek professional advice before lodging your visa application.

9.3 Appeals and reviews

If your fiancé visa is refused on character grounds, you may have the right to seek a merits review at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). You typically have 28 days from the refusal date to lodge an AAT application, so act fast. Gathering strong supporting evidence—such as work references, rehabilitation certificates or community letters—can help your case. For more details on what’s involved, see the Department’s guidance on character requirements.

10. Pay the correct visa application fees and understand processing times

Submitting your fiancé visa application isn’t complete until you’ve paid the exact visa application charges and familiarised yourself with likely processing times. Underpaying—even by a small amount—means Home Affairs can’t start processing your file, which can delay a decision or even lead to a refusal. Likewise, knowing current processing benchmarks helps you set realistic expectations and avoid unnecessary follow-ups.

Before you lodge your application in ImmiAccount, calculate the total cost: the main applicant fee plus charges for any dependent children or secondary applicants. Once paid, keep a record of your receipt and transaction reference. Simultaneously, check the Department’s published processing times so you know when to expect a decision and when it’s appropriate to enquire about progress.

10.1 Fee breakdown

The base charge for the subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa is AUD 9,095 for the main applicant. Dependents pay additional fees:

• AUD 2,280 for each child under 18
• AUD 4,550 for each secondary applicant aged 18 or over

To tailor these figures to your circumstances—adding extra family members or applying from certain locations—use the Visa pricing estimator. It’s the official tool for calculating exactly what you’ll owe, though you’ll still need to budget separately for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

10.2 Processing time benchmarks

Home Affairs regularly publishes processing statistics to guide applicants. As of the latest data:

• 75% of subclass 300 applications are finalised within 12 months
• 90% of applications are finalised within 17 months

You can monitor these and other visa streams via the global processing times page: Global processing times. Bear in mind these are benchmarks, not guarantees. Complex cases, incomplete documentation or requests for further information can extend your wait.

10.3 Payment methods and tracking

ImmiAccount offers multiple secure payment options:

• Credit card (Visa, Mastercard)
• International bank transfer

During your online lodgement, you’ll be prompted to pay the calculated fee. Once payment is successful, ImmiAccount generates a transaction receipt—download and store this PDF. If you’re sponsoring someone else’s application, share the transaction reference number (TRN) so all parties can track the payment status.

If you don’t see a payment acknowledgment in ImmiAccount within 24 hours, check your statement or contact the Home Affairs helpdesk. Never assume a payment has gone through without confirming the receipt: missing or incorrect fees are one of the most common—and avoidable—causes of application delays.

Ensuring you’ve met every requirement—from valid travel logs to exact fee payments—lays the foundation for a smooth fiancé visa grant. Ready to get expert guidance and final checks on your application? Visit Simon Mander Consulting P/L at https://simonmander.com for personalised migration support.

Next Steps for Your Fiancé Visa Application

You’ve now walked through the ten must-meet requirements for the subclass 300 fiancé visa—from proving offshore status and securing an approved sponsor to ticking off health, character and document checks. Before you hit “Lodge” in your ImmiAccount, take a moment to review each item on your checklist. A last-minute self-audit helps catch missing signatures, overlooked translations or expired police certificates that could otherwise stall your application.

Next, organise your supporting evidence into clearly labelled folders (financial, social, legal, health and character). Back up digital copies and keep originals handy in case Home Affairs requests them for a compliance check. Confirm your sponsor has completed and signed their undertakings, and ensure your HAP ID is used promptly to book visa health examinations with an approved panel physician. Finally, compute and pay the exact application charge, saving your transaction receipt and TRN for tracking.

For personalised guidance, expert review and peace of mind, let Simon Mander Consulting P/L partner with you. Visit https://simonmander.com to arrange a consultation—our migration specialists will audit your documents, advise on gap-free submissions and steer you toward a smooth fiancé visa grant.

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