Prospective Marriage Visa

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The Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300) is designed for individuals engaged to be married to an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. This visa allows you to enter Australia and marry your partner within the visa's validity period. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you understand the Prospective Marriage Visa's process, requirements, and benefits.

What is a Prospective Marriage Visa?

The Prospective Marriage Visa, also known as the fiancé(e) visa, allows you to come to Australia to marry your intended spouse. This temporary visa is valid for nine months, during which you must get married and then apply for a Partner Visa (Subclass 820/801) to stay in Australia permanently.

Benefits of the Prospective Marriage Visa

• Stay in Australia: Live in Australia for nine months to get married
• Work Rights: Work in Australia during your stay
• Study Rights: Study in Australia (without access to government funding for tertiary education)
• Travel: Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300), you must meet several criteria:

Relationship Requirements:

• Be engaged to be married to an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Have met your intended spouse in person and know them personally
• Provide evidence of your genuine intention to marry and live together as a married couple

Age Requirement:

• Both the applicant and sponsor must be 18 years or older

Health and Character Requirements:

• Meet health requirements by undergoing a medical examination
• Meet character requirements by providing police certificates from all countries where you have lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years

Sponsorship:

• Your partner must be willing and able to sponsor you
• The sponsor must meet character requirements and provide evidence of their Australian citizenship, permanent residency, or eligible New Zealand citizenship

Application Process

Prepare Your Documents:

• Gather documents to prove your identity, relationship, health, and character
• Evidence of your relationship can include photographs, engagement announcements, and statutory declarations

Lodge Your Application:

• Submit your application online through the Department of Home Affairs website
• Pay the visa application fee

Visa Processing:

• After submitting your application, you will need to wait for the visa to be processed while you remain outside Australia
• The processing time for the Prospective Marriage Visa is typically 12 to 16 months

Arrive in Australia:

• Once granted, you can travel to Australia, get married within nine months, and then apply for the Partner Visa (Subclass 820/801).

Required Documents

• Personal Documents: Valid passport, birth certificate, and national ID card
• Relationship Evidence: Photos together, travel itineraries, engagement announcements, and statutory declarations from friends and family
• Health and Character Evidence: Medical examination results and police certificates

Processing times

Processing times for the Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300) can vary. Generally, it takes between 12 to 16 months to process. Factors affecting processing times include the completeness of your application and the demand for this visa category.