ChatGPT
Claude
Perplexity
Google AI
Copilot
GrokA partner visa in Australia costs $11,710 for the main applicant, whether you apply in Australia for the Subclass 820 and 801 or overseas for the Subclass 309 and 100. Each family member included costs $5,860 if they are 18 or over and $2,935 if they are under 18. These charges have applied since 1 July 2026.
Status: in force since 1 July 2026. Every charge below was checked against Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994 in force from 2 October 2026 and the Department’s partner visa pages in October 2026.
For most couples it is a lot of money, and it falls due on day one, long before anyone looks at the relationship evidence. So it helps to know exactly what the $11,710 covers, what sits outside it, and what happens to the money if things do not go to plan.
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Main applicant (820/801, 309/100 or 300) | $11,710 |
| Each extra applicant 18 or over | $5,860 |
| Each extra applicant under 18 | $2,935 |
| 300 holder applying for 820/801 after marrying | $1,955 |
| Permanent stage (801 or 100) | No further charge |
| Card or PayPal surcharge | None since 1 October 2026 |
| Refund if the visa is refused | Not usually |
Source: Schedule 1, Migration Regulations 1994 items 1124B, 1129 and 1215; the Department of Home Affairs Subclass 820 page and surcharges page, as at October 2026.
Partner visa application charges in 2026
You apply for the temporary and permanent partner visas together and pay once. Onshore, that means the Subclass 820 (temporary) and Subclass 801 (permanent). Offshore, it is the Subclass 309 (provisional) and Subclass 100 (permanent). The Department’s Subclass 820 page puts it simply: “The costs below cover this Temporary visa and the Permanent Partner visa (subclass 801).”
The law does the same thing in a slightly odd way. In Schedule 1, the charge for the 820 itself is “Nil”, and the 820 application “must be made at the same time and place as an application for a Partner (Residence) (Class BS) visa”, which is the 801. The whole charge sits on the permanent visa application. The offshore pair works the same way, with the 309 at nil and the charge on the 100.
| Application | Main applicant | Extra applicant 18 or over | Extra applicant under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onshore Partner (820 and 801) | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| Offshore Partner (309 and 100) | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| Prospective Marriage (300) | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| 820 and 801, 300 holder who has married their sponsor | $1,955 | $980 | $485 |
| 820 and 801, former 300 holder with no substantive visa | $2,475 | $1,235 | $625 |
Source: Schedule 1 items 1124B, 1129 and 1215 of the Migration Regulations 1994 in force from 2 October 2026, matching the Department’s partner visa pages in October 2026. Figures are for applicants without the Pacific and Timor-Leste concession.
That concession is new. Since 1 July 2026 a lower charge has applied where the main applicant holds a valid passport from one of 12 listed Pacific Island countries or from Timor-Leste. For the 820/801, 309/100 and 300 it is $9,600 for the main applicant, $4,805 for each extra adult and $2,405 for each child. The Department says family members get the lower cost too: “We base this on the passport of the primary applicant”.
What changed on 1 July 2026
The main applicant’s charge went up by $2,345 overnight, and every other partner charge moved with it.
| Charge | Before 1 July 2026 | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant | $9,365 | $11,710 |
| Extra applicant 18 or over | $4,685 | $5,860 |
| Extra applicant under 18 | $2,345 | $2,935 |
| 300 holder applying for 820/801 after marrying | $1,560 | $1,955 |
Source: Schedule 1 items 1124B, 1129 and 1215 of the Migration Regulations 1994 in force from 1 June 2026 and in force from 1 July 2026.
The date that counts is the date the Department receives the application, not the date you start it. Its fees and charges page says: “The cost of your visa is dependent on the date we receive your application.” Most other visas moved on the same day, and our guide to what 21 common visas cost after the 1 July rise sets the partner figures alongside them.
How the charge adds up for a family
Each person pays either the base charge or an additional applicant charge, never both. A note to regulation 2.12C of the Migration Regulations says: “Base application charge and additional applicant charge are alternatives. An applicant does not pay both components for the one application.”
So the main applicant pays the base charge, and everyone else included pays an additional applicant charge at the rate for their age. A few examples, for applicants without the Pacific concession:
- A couple with no children: $11,710.
- A couple with one child under 18: $11,710 plus $2,935, so $14,645.
- A couple with two children under 18 and a dependent child aged 19: $11,710, plus $2,935 twice, plus $5,860, so $23,440.
Your sponsoring partner is not an applicant, and the Department’s partner visa pages list no separate charge for the sponsor.
Which route costs what
Onshore and offshore partner visas cost the same. The Prospective Marriage route is the dearer one on fees, because it involves two applications.
| Route | Charges paid | Main applicant total |
|---|---|---|
| Onshore 820 and 801 | One charge at lodgement | $11,710 |
| Offshore 309 and 100 | One charge at lodgement | $11,710 |
| 300, then 820 and 801 after marrying | $11,710, then $1,955 | $13,665 |
| 300, married, then 820 and 801 after the 300 ended | $11,710, then $2,475 | $14,185 |
Source: Schedule 1 items 1124B, 1129 and 1215, as above, and the Department’s Prospective Marriage visa page, October 2026.
The last row catches people out. The Department’s 300 page says: “You pay less for this visa if you marry your prospective spouse and apply for the Partner visa before your Prospective Marriage visa ends.” If you entered Australia on the 300 and married your sponsor, but the 300 ended before you applied and you no longer hold a substantive visa, the second charge is generally $2,475 rather than $1,955.
Couples rarely choose a route on fees alone. Where you are, whether you are married yet and where you want to wait all matter more, and our guides to the onshore 820 and 801 visas, the offshore 309 and 100 visas and the Prospective Marriage visa cover who each one suits.
When each amount is paid
Under Schedule 1, the first instalment is “payable at the time the application is made”. For partner and Prospective Marriage visas, “the second instalment (payable before grant of visa) is nil.” In practice the whole charge is due when you lodge, and the Subclass 820 page says: “We will not process your application until you pay.”
| Cost | When it is paid | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application charge | At lodgement in ImmiAccount | $11,710 for the main applicant |
| Second instalment | Not payable for partner or 300 visas | Nil |
| Permanent stage (801 or 100) | Already paid at lodgement | No further charge |
| Child added before the temporary visa decision | When the request is made | $2,935, or $5,860 if 18 or over |
| Child joining after the 820 or 309 is granted | On the Subclass 445 application | $4,040 |
| Australian police certificate (AFP) | Before or after lodging | $57, or $114 with fingerprints |
Source: Schedule 1 items 1124B, 1129 and 1211 and regulation 2.08A of the Migration Regulations 1994 in force from 2 October 2026; the Department’s Subclass 820 page; and the Australian Federal Police, October 2026. Charges are for applicants without the Pacific and Timor-Leste concession.
Two rows need a word of explanation. A child can be added to a combined application before the temporary visa is decided, but under regulation 2.08A the child is only added once “the additional applicant charge (if any) has been paid”. After the 820 or 309 is granted, the Department says your child “must first apply for a Dependent child visa (subclass 445)”, which has its own charge of $4,040. The good news is that a 445 holder then joins the permanent application at no extra charge, because Schedule 1 sets the amount at nil for “the holder of a Subclass 445 (Dependent Child) visa”.
Costs you might not expect
The visa application charge is not the whole bill. The Department’s partner pages say: “You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.” Here is what that looks like.
- Police certificates, for you and your sponsor. The Department only accepts “complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police”. The AFP says “Each NPC application costs $57. If you need to supply fingerprints as part of your application, the total cost is $114.” Your sponsor needs one too. Overseas certificates are priced by each country.
- Paying for the same check twice. Police certificates and health results are each valid for 12 months, and the Department warns: “We may ask you to provide them again if they expire before we decide your visa.” Partner applications can take a long time, so a second round of checks is a real possibility.
- Health examinations. In Australia these are booked with Bupa Medical Visa Services, and overseas with a panel physician approved by the Department. The Department’s pages do not state a fee, so check the price when you book. Our guide to the visa health requirement explains what the examinations are for.
- Translations. Every document not in English needs an English translation. Translators in Australia “must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.” Fees are set by the translator.
- Health cover while you wait. If you are not eligible for Medicare, the Department recommends health insurance, because otherwise “you will be personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia.”
One cost has disappeared. The Department’s surcharges page says that “From 1 October 2026 … the department has ceased applying surcharges on all card, PayPal and UnionPay payments.”
Professional fees for a lawyer or agent are separate again, and are not part of the visa application charge.
Refunds: what happens to the money
This is the part nobody wants to think about at lodgement, and the answer is mostly hard. The Department’s refunds page says: “We do not usually refund the visa application charge, even if your visa application is refused or withdrawn.”
| Situation | Refund? | Where the rule is |
|---|---|---|
| Visa refused | No | Department, Subclass 820 page |
| You withdraw or change your mind | No | Department, refund page |
| Relationship ends and you stop pursuing the visa | No | Department, refund page |
| Department made a mistake | Must be refunded on written request | Regulation 2.12F(2)(b) |
| Application was unnecessary when made | Must be refunded on written request | Regulation 2.12F(2)(a) |
| Applicant dies before a decision | Must be refunded on written request | Regulation 2.12F(2)(c) |
| You lodged the wrong visa by mistake | May be refunded, after withdrawing | Regulation 2.12F(3) |
Source: regulation 2.12F of the Migration Regulations 1994 in force from 2 October 2026, and the Department’s getting a refund page, October 2026.
The mandatory refunds are narrower than they look. For a departmental mistake, the Department says “there must be no evidence that the applicant contributed directly to the department mistake by giving incomplete or incorrect information.” For a mistake of your own, the steps run in order: withdraw, request the refund, lodge the correct visa and pay for it. And if you used a Prospective Marriage visa to pay the reduced $1,955 for the 820 and 801, the Department lists that as a case where the Prospective Marriage visa charge cannot be refunded.
A relationship ending does not always end the application either. The Department says that if you are experiencing domestic and family violence, “You can apply for consideration to be granted your temporary and permanent visa.” That is one reason to get advice before withdrawing anything.
When it is worth getting legal advice
Some applications carry more risk than others. Where the stakes are higher, a mistake can cost the full $11,710 and a long wait, so advice before lodging may be worth it if:
- you are in Australia without a substantive visa, particularly after a visa refusal or cancellation, because extra criteria and limits on making a new application can apply
- your sponsor sponsored another partner, or was sponsored as a partner, within the last five years, which the Department says may lead to the sponsorship and the visa being refused
- you hold or held a Prospective Marriage visa and the visa end date is close
- a child is included whose other parent is not migrating and needs to give consent
- your relationship has changed, or there is family violence, and you are unsure whether to withdraw
If any of those sound familiar, our partner visa lawyers can look at your circumstances before the charge is paid.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a partner visa cost in Australia in 2026?
The main applicant pays $11,710, for the onshore 820 and 801, the offshore 309 and 100, or the Prospective Marriage 300. Each extra applicant pays $5,860 if 18 or over and $2,935 if under 18. These charges have applied since 1 July 2026.
Do you pay again for the permanent 801 or 100 visa?
No. You apply for both stages at once and the charge paid at lodgement covers both. The Department says the costs “cover this Temporary visa and the Permanent Partner visa (subclass 801)”, and Schedule 1 sets the second instalment at nil.
How much is the partner visa fee for a second applicant or a child?
A second applicant aged 18 or over, such as a dependent adult child, pays $5,860. A child under 18 pays $2,935. If the child joins after the temporary visa is granted, they first need a Subclass 445 visa, which costs $4,040.
Is the 309 visa cost the same as the 820?
Yes. Both cost $11,710 for the main applicant, with the same charges for family members. The offshore 309 and 100 are paid for together, just like the onshore 820 and 801.
Can you pay the partner visa fee in instalments?
The law splits every visa charge into two instalments, but for partner visas the second instalment is nil. The full first instalment is payable when you lodge, and the Department says “We will not process your application until you pay.”
Is the partner visa fee refundable if the visa is refused?
Generally no. The Department’s Subclass 820 page says: “We will not refund the application fee if we refuse your application.” Refunds are limited to the circumstances in regulation 2.12F, such as a departmental mistake or the applicant’s death before a decision.
How much does it cost to go from a Prospective Marriage visa to a partner visa?
If you hold the 300 visa and have married your sponsor, the 820 and 801 application costs $1,955 for the main applicant. If you entered on the 300 and married, but the 300 ended before you applied and you hold no substantive visa, it is generally $2,475.
A realistic next step
The charge is set by law, so the saving is never in the fee itself. It is in lodging the right visa, with the right people in it, the first time. If you are working out the budget or choosing between routes, you can book a consultation with our migration lawyers before you pay.
About the author: Tina Nematian is the Principal Lawyer at One Planet Migration Law. She is admitted as an Australian Legal Practitioner, and has guided clients through partner, skilled, employer-sponsored, student, and humanitarian visa applications across Australia.
This article is general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Visa rules change frequently and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Speak with a registered migration lawyer or agent before making any application. Figures were current as of October 2026; always check immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging.
