Brisbane & Sunnybank Partner Visa Lawyers
You’ve found your perfect partner, and you’ve decided to live together in Australia. How do you make this happen? If you are in a relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to apply for a partner visa to come to Australia and be with your partner. We can help you with the entire visa application process so that you can focus on what’s important, planning your new life together in Australia.
What is Partner Visa?
A Partner Visa is a general term for a visa which allows a person to live with their partner in Australia. They can be temporary or permanent visas depending on the subclass. Temporary partner visas allow the visa holder to enter and stay in Australia until they become eligible to apply for the next type of partner visa to ultimately achieve permanent residency. A permanent resident can stay in Australia for as long as they wish, and apply for Australian citizenship once residence requirements are met.
Understand the different subclasses of partner visas
There are several subclasses of partner visas depending on whether you are in or outside Australia, and if you are married or engaged.
To be your visa sponsor, your Australian based partner must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Subclass 820/801 Partner Visa
The Subclass 820 Partner Visa is a temporary visa for couples who are married, in a recognised civil partnership or in a de facto relationship for over 12 months. The visa applicant must be physically in Australia at time of application. The subclass 820 application is always combined with the Subclass 801 Partner Visa (Permanent). You become eligible for permanent residency if you are still together with your Australian partner 2 years after the date you first applied for the subclass 820 visa.
Subclass 309/100 Partner Visa
The Subclass 309 Partner Visa is a temporary visa for visa applicants who are outside of Australia at time of application. It is similar to the Subclass 820 visa but it allows engaged couples to apply provided they marry before the visa is granted. It is always combined with the Subclass 100 Partner Visa (Residence), and you become eligible for permanent residency 2 years after the date you first applied for the Subclass 309 visa.
Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visa
This visa is for couples who are engaged and want to marry in Australia. The couple must have physically met each other in person at least once. The visa holder will be given between 9 to 15 months to enter Australia and marry their sponsor. To remain in Australia, you will need to apply for the subclass 820/100 visa.
Commonly asked questions
How long will it take?
The Department of Home Affairs publish standard processing times for the partner visa subclasses and this fluctuates from time to time. Over the past few years, the general processing time has been around 2 years for the subclass 820 and subclass visa from date of application, however, we have been seeing much faster processing times for recent applications.
What if we haven’t been in a de facto relationship for 12 months?
You may wish to consider registering your relationship in your state of residence to overcome the 12 months requirement.
What if my partner is from New Zealand?
If your partner is a New Zealand citizen but not an “eligible New Zealand citizen”, don’t worry! The Subclass 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa is a temporary visa for those married to or in a de facto relationship with New Zealand citizens in Australia. Unlike the other partner visas, this visa will not lead to Australian permanent residency.
How much will it cost?
We like to be upfront with our fees and visa charges. Our initial consultation fee is AUD275 (including GST). During this first meeting, we will advise you on your eligibility for a partner visa. If you decide to engage us to assist you with the whole visa process, we will waive the initial consultation fee. We quote fixed prices for our professional fees, and advise on the latest visa application charges so you can be prepared right from the start of your engagement with us.
I’m in Australia and my visa is about to expire
If you are holding a substantive visa at time of applying for a subclass 820/801 visa, you will receive a bridging visa which will allow you to remain in Australia until a decision is made. In most cases, you will be able to work, study and be eligible for Medicare while on the bridging visa.
I’m in Australia but not holding a valid visa
You may still be able to apply for a subclass 820/801 visa. Come and discuss your situation with one of our experienced lawyers.
Applying through us
with 4 simple stages
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Stage 1. Initial Consultation
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Stage 2. File Documentation
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Stage 3. Temporary Partner Visa
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Stage 4. Permanent Partner Visa
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Our Migration Team
Ken Chow
Principal Solicitor, Director, Mediator
English | Cantonese | Mandarin
Ken Chow
Ken is a Brisbane Chinese lawyer who can speak fluent English and Chinese – both Cantonese and Mandarin. Here some some of this qualifications:
- Admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland
- Admitted High Court of Australia
- Director, Principal Lawyer and Founder of Times Lawyers
- Mediator
Ken has been a Chinese lawyer for multiple reputable law firms. Being raised in a family of Chinese background, Ken knows the Chinese culture and understands the tradition. With his strong Chinese background, he understands Chinese clients’ needs to the point.
Having migrated to Australia at 7 years old, Ken is also native in English and has a very westernised background. This forms an important bridge between working as a Brisbane Chinese Lawyer in Australian Courts.
Rin Fernando
Solicitor
English | Sinhalese
Rin Fernando
Hailing from Sri Lanka, Tharindu (Rin) Fernando is a passionate and caring Sri Lankan lawyer who will listen to your story, empathise with your situation and work with you in reaching a solution that is sustainable and long term. Rin has an Honours degree in LLB and Business Management. His love in his home country Sri Lanka gives him the passion in being a professional Sri Lankan lawyer. It also lets him understand the Sri Lankan culture and its law.
Combining his faith with his profession, Rin firmly believes that the purpose of a lawyer is to not just provide a legal solution but to walk alongside them, love them, care for them and serve them. To that end, he is not just a professional but someone that you know will genuinely care about you, your situation and your best interests at heart.
Jessica Wilson
Legal Secretary
English | Chinese
Jessica Wilson
Jessica graduated from Griffith University in 2017 with a Master of Professional Accounting.
She joined Times Lawyers when it was founder as a legal secretary, and has been with the team since. Jessica is a positive and progressive person. She is also a high archiever, believing by constantly learning something new every day, she will have the confidence to confront all challenges in her career.
Casey Jones
Solicitor
English
Casey Jones
Casey is a solicitor with a bachelor’s degree in Law (Honours) and Behavioural Science (Psychology) at the Queensland University of Technology. He is admitted by the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Casey deals with a large number of conveyancing cases, handling residential purchase and sale with confidence. He also has a keen interest in the areas of Family Law and Civil Litigation.
Casey is motivated by the prospect of helping people in their legal matters and the ability to serve the greater community.
If you wish to talk to Casey, please contact our office and book an appointment with him!
It's Time to get a
partner visa
Hazel Diz
Ken Chow helped me through the most difficult time in my life. Ken & his team are a group of dedicated lawyers that can give you the professional advice you need. Highly recommended!!- Peter UpfieldI am so impressed by these lawyers and am glad that I've found lawyers who really care about my matters. Helped me so much! Thank you!!
- David TattersallThe staff at Times Lawyers were very friendly and professional, and extremely helpful, I would not hesitate going back to them... I highly recommend Times Lawyers to anyone who needs legal help.
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