Australian Prospective Marriage visa (Subclass 300)
Join your partner in Australia!
If you’ve met someone special and want to begin your life together in Australia, this visa may be the right first step. A Prospective Marriage visa allows you to stay with your partner in Australia between 9 and 15 months with a view to seek a further partnership-based visa.
The Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa is designed for individuals outside Australia who are engaged to an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. It offers couples the opportunity to live together in Australia, formalise their relationship through marriage, and eventually apply for permanent residency.
Do I need a Registered Migration Agent to help?
Because the success of your application is based on a thorough preparation and review of the eligibility criteria, and particularly the evidence of relationship, it is recommended to have your application prepared by a registered migration agent to ensure you will meet Australian immigration requirements and avoid costly disappointment.
What Is the Subclass 300 Visa?
The Subclass 300 is a temporary visa valid for up to 9 months. It allows the visa holder to travel to Australia to marry their sponsor within that time frame. After the marriage, the couple can then apply for a Partner visa (Subclass 820/801), which provides a pathway to permanent residency.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for a Subclass 300 visa, the applicant must:
- Be located outside Australia at both the time of application and the time of visa grant
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be engaged to an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Intend to marry their partner in Australia within the visa period
- Have met in person and be in a genuine, ongoing relationship
- Be sponsored by their Australian partner
- Meet health and character requirements
Why Not Use a Visitor Visa?
Some individuals consider applying for a visitor visa and marrying their partner in Australia. While this may work in limited cases, it can also create complications.
Visitor visa holders are often subject to a “no further stay” condition and may not be eligible to apply for a partner visa onshore.
The Subclass 300 visa is the appropriate and transparent pathway for couples planning to marry and remain in Australia long-term.
After the Wedding: Next Steps
Once married, it’s important to apply for the Subclass 820 Partner visa before the 300 visa expires. This application is made onshore and allows the applicant to remain in Australia while the permanent Subclass 801 Partner visa is processed.
How Australian Shores Can Assist
At Australian Shores, we understand that this visa is not just a legal process, it’s a personal one. Our team provides professional and compassionate support to couples during this important transition.
We assist with:
- Preparing a complete and decision-ready Subclass 300 visa application
- Advising on supporting documentation and relationship evidence
- Managing timelines and planning for the 820/801 partner visa process
- Ensuring a smooth, stress-free experience throughout your visa journey
What can a prospective marriage visa holder do?
Once the Subclass 300 visa is granted, the visa holder may:
- Enter Australia and live with their partner
- Full work rights in Australia
- Have the ability to study (without access to government funding)
- Be granted multiple entries into and out of Australia during the visa validity period
- Get married within the 9-month validity period
- Apply for a Subclass 820 Partner visa before the Subclass 300 visa expires
This is a crucial step toward permanent residency. The Subclass 820 visa leads to the Subclass 801 permanent Partner visa once relationship requirements have been met, typically after a 2-year period.
What do I need to be eligible for a Prospective Marriage (Sc 300) visa?
General criteria for partners
- You must be 18 years old or older
- You must have an approved sponsor
- You must have physically met and personally know your prospective spouse
- You must have a genuine intention to marry your prospective spouse within the validity of Sc 300 visa
- You must have a genuine intention to live together as a married couple
- You must meet health and character requirements
Criteria for sponsors
- Age – you must be 18 years old or older
- Be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen
- Fulfil your sponsorship’s obligations
- Meet Character requirements, not have convictions or charges for specific offences relating to children, and if applicable, consent to the Department of Home Affairs of Australia disclosing your convictions for relevant offences
- Not hold or have held certain visas such as Partner visas, Prospective Marriage visa, Contributory Parent visas, Woman at Risk visa in certain circumstances
Minimum English level
Principal applicant and family members included in a Prospective Marriage visa application are not required to provide evidence of their English competency.
Health and Character
All family members who are included in a Prospective visa application must meet health and character requirements.
All applicants over 16 must provide police clearances from every country they lived in, Australia inclusive, for at least 12 months in the past 10 years.In some circumstances, non-migrating family members may be required to undergo health and character clearances.
What are the criteria for secondary applicants?
Principal applicants for a prospective marriage visa can include their dependent children or stepchildren.
Dependent Children
Children can be included in your visa application, provided they fall under of the below categories:
Category 1
They are under 18 years of age
They are your or your partner’s child from a current or a previous relationship
They are not married, engaged or in a de facto relationship;Category 2
They are over 18 years of age but not yet turned 23
They are dependent on you or your partner
They are your or your partner’s child from a current or a previous relationship
They are not married, engaged or in a de facto relationship;Category 3
They are over 23 years of age and unable to earn a living to support themselves due to *physical or cognitive limitations
They are dependent on you or your partner
They are your or your partner’s child from a current or a previous relationship
They are not married, engaged or in a de facto relationship*Such child/ren will still need to meet Australia’s health requirements for the visa to be granted.
Note: The child must meet the dependency criteria at the time of application submission as well as at the time of decision-making.
How long does it take to get a Sc 300 Prospective Marriage visa for Australia?
The official processing times are advertised as 25-34 months, however priority processing is currently in place for partner visas.
What are the fees?
Sc 300 visa application fees are currently AUD$7850 for the main applicant, AUD$3930 for any secondary applicant aged 18 and above and AUD$1965 for any secondary applicant under the age of 18. The following application fees will apply when transitioning to partner visa Sc 820-801: AUD$1310 for the main applicant, AUD$660 for any secondary applicant aged 18 and above and AUD$325 for any secondary applicant under the age of 18.
Australian Shores’ consultancy fees are quoted through our online assessment.
Our Partner Visa Service includes
- Your personal adviser will manage everything required for the entire process, taking all the stress off your shoulders.
- We will apply for the necessary visa(s) on your behalf.
- Settlement advice and support once you receive your visa.
Not sure what visa is right for you?
Take our online eligibility assessment or get in touch with our team!
