309/100 Partner Visa Document Checklist Australia 2026
The Subclass 309/100 Partner Visa is the offshore equivalent of the 820/801 — it is for people who are outside Australia when they apply. Subclass 309 is the temporary stage; Subclass 100 is the permanent stage, granted after a 2-year wait. You must be outside Australia at the time of lodgement and at the time the 309 visa is granted.
The relationship evidence requirements are identical to the onshore 820/801 pathway — the Department assesses genuineness across financial, household, social, and commitment dimensions. However, offshore applicants often face additional challenges around co-habitation evidence if the couple has been living in different countries, and interview requests (conducted at the nearest Australian embassy or consulate) are more common on this pathway.
One key difference: while a 309 application is being processed, you can travel to Australia on a tourist or other visa. Once your 309 is granted, you can travel freely to Australia. If you enter Australia after lodgement and the 309 is granted while you are onshore, you should seek advice — the consequences differ from being offshore at grant.
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Common 309/100 document mistakes to avoid
- Being in Australia at the time of lodgement — you must be offshore when you lodge; if you enter Australia before lodging, you will need to use the 820/801 pathway instead.
- Insufficient co-habitation evidence when the couple lives in different countries — communication records, travel history together, financial transfers, and a shared plan to live together become especially important.
- Interview requests at embassies or consulates — these are more frequent on the offshore pathway; having strong, organised documentation helps avoid them.
- Non-NAATI translations of any foreign-language documents — required for all identity and civil status documents not in English.
Identity documents
7 itemsClear colour scan of the photo page of your current valid passport.
Official identity document showing your full name and date of birth.
Recent 45mm × 35mm colour photos against a plain background.
Marriage certificate, deed poll or other proof if your name has changed since birth.
If either you or your sponsor was previously married, evidence that the previous marriage has legally ended — divorce order or former spouse's death certificate.
Bio-data pages for each dependent child being included in the application.
Official birth certificates for each dependent child included.
Your relationship
4 itemsOfficial certificate issued by a competent authority, translated if not in English.
Documents proving you have lived together in a genuine relationship for at least 12 months.
A detailed personal statement covering how you met, how the relationship developed, and your plans together.
Statutory declarations from two Australian citizens or PRs who know both of you and can attest to the genuine nature of your relationship.
Financial aspects
3 itemsStatements showing shared finances over time.
Joint loans, insurance policies or other shared financial liabilities.
Property, vehicles or other assets owned together.
Nature of your household
3 itemsDocument showing you have shared a residence.
Bills addressed to both of you at the same address.
How you share domestic responsibilities.
Social aspects
3 itemsImages spanning the length of your relationship, with approximate dates where possible.
Boarding passes, itineraries or bookings showing travel taken together.
Letters from people who know you as a couple, confirming the genuineness of your relationship.
Nature of your commitment
2 itemsYour shared plans, knowledge of each other and long-term intentions.
Screenshots of messages, call logs or emails from periods of physical separation.
Health documents
1 itemMedical examination completed through an approved Panel Physician or by booking a Health Assessment Portal (HAP) appointment. Results are transmitted directly to the Department of Home Affairs. Book early — appointments can take several weeks.
Character documents
4 itemsNational police certificates from each country you have lived in for 12 or more months since age 16.
National police certificates from each country you have lived in for 12 or more months since age 16.
Completed Form 80 for Character Assessment. Fill for free →
Completed Form 1221, required for character assessment. Covers travel history, past visa refusals and personal background details.
Sponsor documents
4 itemsYour partner's current Australian passport or citizenship certificate.
Proof your sponsor is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible NZ citizen.
Completed and signed sponsorship application from your partner.
National Police Check from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for your sponsoring partner, as required under the sponsorship assessment.
Ready to lodge your Partner Visa (Offshore)?
Answer a few quick questions to get a checklist tailored to your exact situation — only the documents that apply to you. Upload each file, then export a clean ZIP ready to attach.
Build my personalised checklist →Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need for a Partner Visa (Offshore) (Subclass 309/100) application?
The Partner Visa (Offshore) (Subclass 309/100) typically requires 31 documents across 9 categories: Identity documents, Your relationship, Financial aspects, Nature of your household, Social aspects, Nature of your commitment, Health documents, Character documents, Sponsor documents. Use the personalised builder above to filter this list to your exact circumstances — it removes items that don't apply based on your profile.
How do I prepare my documents for the Partner Visa (Offshore)?
Work through each category in the checklist. Scan or photograph every document as a clear colour PDF at 150–200 DPI. The Department of Home Affairs (ImmiAccount) has a 5 MB per-file limit — compress any oversized file using VisaPacks' built-in tool. Combine multi-page documents (e.g. bank statements, payslips) into a single PDF using Merge. VisaPacks automatically renames your files on export, ready to attach to your ImmiAccount lodgement.
Can I prepare my Partner Visa (Offshore) documents myself without a migration agent?
Yes. Many applicants successfully self-prepare their documents using publicly available Department of Home Affairs guidance. VisaPacks provides a free personalised document checklist and upload tool to help you organise everything correctly. For complex cases — such as those involving previous refusals, health waivers, character issues, or difficult relationship circumstances — consulting a registered migration agent (MARA) may be worthwhile.
What file format should Partner Visa (Offshore) documents be in?
The Department of Home Affairs accepts PDF, JPG, and PNG files up to 5 MB each. Most documents should be submitted as PDF. Passport photos can be JPG. If a scan exceeds 5 MB, use VisaPacks' built-in PDF compressor to reduce file size while maintaining legibility — it uses three quality levels (screen, standard, or high) so you can choose the right trade-off.
Is this checklist official Department of Home Affairs guidance?
No. This checklist is based on publicly available Department of Home Affairs guidance but is maintained by VisaPacks as a convenience tool only — it is not legal advice and does not replace the assessment of a registered migration agent. Always verify current requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website.
What are the most common mistakes when preparing Partner Visa (Offshore) documents?
The most common errors are: exceeding the 5 MB per-file ImmiAccount limit without compressing first; omitting certified NAATI translations for non-English documents; submitting uncertified copies when originals or certified copies are required; including documents expiring within 6 months (particularly passports); and forgetting documents for a spouse or dependent children on the same application. VisaPacks addresses all of these — it includes a built-in PDF compressor, auto-naming to a consistent convention, and per-applicant sections for family members included in the application.
How does VisaPacks compare to the Department of Home Affairs checklist tool?
The Department of Home Affairs website shows a static document list for each visa type. VisaPacks goes further: it personalises the list to your circumstances (employment type, relationship status, whether children are included), lets you upload documents against each item, includes built-in PDF compression and merging to meet the 5 MB limit, auto-renames files to a consistent naming convention, and exports a complete ready-to-lodge ZIP. VisaPacks is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Home Affairs.