After almost 4 years of living in Australia and nearly 3 years to the day I applied to stay, I have been granted a permanent partner visa. *Pops open the champagne*
The announcement was so unexpected.
I was in Penang this weekend, catching up with my parents who were on holiday in Malaysia and celebrating my 2-year wedding anniversary with Justin. I was lying poolside, casually scrolling through emails, when one from the Australian Immigration Office caught my eye. The subject line was ‘IMMI Grant Notification’ and sure enough when I opened the attachment there it was. My permission to remain, indefinitely. (As long as my husband and ‘sponsor’ lets me, that is!)
Without any fanfare or fuss – with not a single call or email from an actual person within the Department of Home Affairs – there was that one little email that means so much.
I felt like I’d just passed an exam. I’ve written a lot about the laborious application process for a partner visa in Australia and have had hundreds of messages from readers over the years going through the same process and getting equally confused. You can provide as much documentation to prove the legitimacy of your relationship as you see fit and when I read what others had done on blogs and forums I panicked. Where was my contents list and 800-page folder of evidence?
But despite not knowing the exact bar for approval we seem to have done it right. Without being asked to clarify, resend or double-check anything, my visa has been granted. We did the whole process without a lawyer as we felt we were a pretty clear cut case and didn’t want to increase costs any further – it currently costs from $7000 AUD to apply for a partner visa without legal consultation! I’m so relieved that what we provided turned out to be enough. *Yes I will have another glass of bubbles, thank you*
If I think about it too much, becoming a permanent resident in Australia actually terrifies me. I don’t do permanency well, that’s why I’ll never get a tattoo. Now I officially/legally/on record have two homes, I feel even more split. It’s something that never fully forms in your mind when you start a process of dating, marrying and applying to live with someone from another motherland but that’s how it is. At least for me.
But for now my paperwork pains are over. No more documenting our every move and writing statutory declarations on who does what housework!
So I would just like to encourage anyone still gathering evidence or waiting to hear from IMMI that it does end and at least, for many of us, the system lets us remain with our partners while we wait to hear the outcome. I reckon if your relationship survives this you’re ready for anything. Amiright?!
Find more details on the application, processing times and current fees for an Australian Partner Visa (subclasses 820 and 801) on the Home Affairs website.
For more on my tips and experience with the process read:
Things to know before applying for an Australia Partner Visa 820 & 801
Applying and being granted Bridging Visa B while waiting for the Temporary Partner Visa
Passing Part 1: My Temporary Partner Visa 820 Is Granted
Applying for Permanent Partner Visa 801
Moving to Australia? Here’s how to get set up and settled quickly
>> Please note: These are just some thoughts based on my personal experience. I am not a migration expert and this does not constitute legal advice. Please contact the Department of Immigration or an immigration lawyer directly for questions relating to your personal circumstances. Unfortunately I unable to answer any messages regarding your applications – you’ll find everything I know here already. <<
Im happy that you finally got your permanent residency. I would like to ask whether we have to wait for the immigration officer to contact is before we can submit application for stage 2 permanent resident. Thank you
Thank you! And yes, you will get an email from Immigration with details of what you have to do once they are ready for you to submit for stage 2. They contacted me a few weeks before my 1 year on the Temporary Partner Visa was up. You can read more about that step here https://www.ourtravelhome.com/australian-partner-visa-pain-part-3-million-and-5/
Congratulations! So glad this finally happened for you!! x
Thank you, can’t get rid of me now x
Congrats love!
Thank you 😀 😀
Wow! How exciting! I love how utterly unceremonious the email was, what a way to find out. Congratulations to you and your shiny new visa, may you have many happy years together! Visas are so much work and cause so much stress so I hope you’ve been celebrating with so much champagne.
Thanks so much, you clearly understand the pain of paperwork haha. I totally feel like the email deserved to come through with some sort of trumpet playing or maybe the Aussie national anthem haha.
Congratulations!! I have been follow your blog for a while and I can’t wait to be where you guys are now. At the moment applying for second stage. Just want to know so how many months did you wait since you applied for the second stage 12 months right?
Wish you all the best
Thank you for share it with us!!!
Thanks Cris! So I got an email from the department 2 weeks before I was eligible to apply for the 2nd stage stating everything that was needed. It was exactly 2 years after I first applied for the partner visa that I was eligible for 2nd stage assessment. Hope this helps.
Aw congratulations! Those visa shenanigans are always the worst, so it’s nice to hear good news!
Thanks so much! Such a relief to not have any paperwork hanging over us!
Congrats! I received my 801 permanent residence visa last year (kiwi who married an Aussie lady and have lived here since 2004). Now nearing retirement and trying to find out if I am able to get new start to bridge the gap until I can get a pension. Now, that’s a mission… So far I still don’t know if there is a waiting period to get it or not – searching online in all the agencies has left me more confused than enlightened. Guess I’ll have to make an appointment to talk to someone in person!
Hi,
Just wondering how long the wait it was for you between applying for 801 and being granted? Thanks
Hi Claire, it was 3 years
Congrats! Ours just got approved too… 2 years 9 months later! FINALLYYYY!!!
Amazing news! Glad it’s all sorted 😀
Hi, I was actually browsing the net for things like I GOT 801 VISA, WHAT’S NEXT? But I came across your blog and read it. Couldn’t help quoting to my husband because it’s exactly what we went through. I had exactly the same reactions like you 🙂 my 801 visa arrived yesterday, and just like you it happened so suddenly. I was scrolling through my emails and here it was! Hilarious! All the waiting period kind of killed it for me, so I let my husband know only like an hour later – I just forgot! so congrats to you and me! Thank you for the funny article
Oh congrats to you too. It is so weird after all the forms and waiting to get it through with little fanfare isn’t it. I hope you took some time to celebrate 😀
Hi Jayne!
Amazing news congratulations and thank you for all the information, it’s so helpful! I was just wondering if you were asked to undertake a second health check at all? Or just to be granted the tenporary partner visa?
Thanks again! Declan
Thanks Declan! There was just the one medical check but I did have to do a 2nd police check before getting the final visa.
Hi Jayne!
Thank you so much for Sharing this with us!!
Im just at the stage where i got the 820 granted (after 11months since the application lodged) now waiting another 13 month to finally be able to apply for 801.
Just wondering how exactly did you prove that your relationship is still continuing? Did you writte a documentation with pictures, txt messages and description? (thats what i did for 820) just wondering how others doing it:)
Thanks for your help!!
Hi Silvana, yes we did exactly that. We wrote statements describing how our relationship had developed since stage 1 and included photos, tickets, invites etc to back it up.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this post and congratulation ..
Hi
just want to know how long have you waited for visa granted since you applied your stage 2?
Thank you
Approx 12 months
Thank you so much for sharing all info here… its really helpful.
We will start soon all documentation ohh…
My question is- if my husband not working and getting some pension from welfare(or what is name) can he be sponsor me? Or i have to get his dad like sponsor?
Thank you so much
Hi Jayne,
Congratulations on getting granted the 801. I just got granted my 820 last month and will be able to apply 801 in next year March. Just wondering if you can tell me what happened after you submitted your 801?Did immigration department ever ask you to provide more information or even called you or your sponsor for a check? Or just nothing happened during the 12 months waiting time of 801 visa?
Hi Amanda, in my case I never had any contact from immigration inbetween the initial application and PR being granted. I received email updates letting me know when my application was being processed and what I needed to submit for the 801 but that was it. Best of luck with your application.
I submitted my 801 ( 2 step) in September 2018..processing time are from 18-26 months…do you think will come before that?!
Hi Jayne,
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Just a quick question, based on your post when Immi sent you the PR granted email you were not in Aus?
Because I am quite confused whether to plan an oversea trip as I scared they need us to be within Australia at the time they grant the visa.
Cheers
Hi Lucas, yes I was overseas at the time I was granted PR as you are allowed to travel on the temporary partner visa. I also travelled while on the bridging visa but had to seek permission first. Hope this helps.
Hi there,
Sorry I feel like I am a little late but I just wanted to ask if you have to be in Australia to apply for 801 (Permanent)? Or after you apply?
My husband and I are planning to go to Canada soon. I just got my visa 820 granted to me but we want to move to Canada for sometime. Just a little confused.
Hi,
Congratulations to you.
I got my 802 in October 2018. Just applied for 801 I have been applied for my partner visa over 2years. But we got married over 3 years.
So do you think how long should IMM decide to granted my permanent president on your experience?
Thanks
Hi jayne
Congratulation honey , Im so happy for you
I have a partner visa( subclass 309) and now im living in australia for 1 year and 7 months and i didnt hear anything for permanent resident do i have to wait tell them to email me to do the application or i can subbmit without their email ?
I hope you can answer me asap
Hi Aynaa, please read Michelle’s comment above.
Hi Jayne,
Congratulations on your visa.
I just want to ask if what was your visa prior to applying temporary partner visa 820.
I am a bit confused. I currently holding a tourist visa 600 with a max visit of 3months per visit, with multiple entry valid for a year. I am currently getting all our documents ready for our Temporary Partner visa 820, (hoping to get it approved) When can I start working? as soon as my current visa expires or Temporary visa kicks in?
I just want to add here,
My partner and I have been waiting to hear from the immigration for the PR stage (stage 2)
I went and saw a lawyer recently, and he informed us that even though when we were granted the TR and the department had said we did not need to supply any further information and they will be contact – this is no longer the case.
He said that its now up to individual couples to check on their immi online accounts that the ability to see that a stage 2 application is available in one of the drop downs.
We had first applied in December 2015, Temp visa granted March 2017, and we have not heard a whisper from the department about doing anything for the PR, and its now April 2019!
But we now with this recent knowledge from the lawyer are going for the process of applying, and we were told that we could have applied December 2017..
So don’t rely on the government to get in touch, with the immigration site itself being so vague with information.. the $110 to see the lawyer to understand things was worth it…
O my goodness I can’t believe they didn’t let you know. In my case I received an automated email when it was time to apply for stage 2. It makes no sense to me that this would be scrapped! Thanks so much for passing the information on for others.
Hi Jayne,
Congrats on acquiring your permanent residence. I submitted my application a week back and still attaching the supporting documents. Unfortunately, I did not save any of the joint bills or invitations. I was completely ignorant of this part, I was in a impression that its going to be very easy as I already submitted all the documents for 309 visa. Now I’m trying to collect the old bills, travel documents, invitations etc. My question is how long I’m I allowed to attach the documents after submitting the application? Is there a time frame? Or will I get any communication from the immigration department once the case officer is appointed?
And exactly how long it took to grand the PR? as in after you fully submitted the stage 2 application? And also any input on what to attach in the attachment section? other than utility bills, marriage certificate, joint invitation? sorry to bother you with so many questions, I’m kinda tensed to submit the details asap.
Thanks in Advance.
Suba
I just got granted permanent partner visa 801 after exactly 3 years.
Still I don’t know what does it mean, somebody could help me please? It is like having the permanent residency? I’m so busy looking after my kids I have been reading and reading but I can’t think.
Congratulations on your Permanent visa. I’ve applied online for my subclass 100 stage2 permanent visa last month and haven’t heard anything from the department yet, though have submitted all necessary supporting documents for the stage 2 processing. I am unsure should I also attach the police clearance that I have recently received or should I wait for the department to ask for it? As I don’t want to get up hanged in the long queue!!
Regards,
Antara.
Hi Michelle,
Congratulations on getting your Permanent Visa, I received mine a month ago (subclass 100), I received mine through email too, I was just wondering whether you receive a grant notification by POST as well? thank you
Hi Ryan, I only received an email. Best, Jayne
Hi there,
I would like to share my experience with PR processing.
TR lodged-16 Feb’2016.
TR granted-28 Aug’2017.
PR lodged-29 June’2019.
PR granted-15 July’2019. (Yes!! Just within two weeks!!!)
So glad I didn’t have to wait in the long queue.
I would like to wish all applicants best wishes and goodluck.
Cheers. 🙂
hi
do u know if ur allowed to to submit the second stage in hard copy and not submit via the immi account? also how long do u have to submit the second stage documents after u get the email saying that u can now submit? we got the email very early our two years will be only in the beginning of jan 2020 but we got asked to submit now 6 months before the two year period? thanks jenny