Partner Visa Centrelink: Eligibility and Waiting Periods

Partner visa Centrelink questions come up in almost every partner visa matter, because couples need to know how they will manage financially during a long processing period. The honest answer is that partner visa Centrelink access is limited. It depends on which visa the applicant holds right now, whether a waiting period has been served, and how the Australian partner's own payments change once the couple is recognised as a couple.

This guide explains the partner visa Centrelink rules for applicants on a bridging visa, for holders of a Subclass 820 temporary partner visa or a Subclass 309 offshore partner visa, and for holders of the permanent Subclass 801 and Subclass 100 visas. It covers the newly arrived resident's waiting period, the exemptions published by Services Australia, Family Tax Benefit, Medicare, the effect on the Australian partner, the sponsor's undertaking, and whether receiving payments can affect the partner visa itself. For an overview of the whole process first, read our complete guide to partner visas in Australia. If your circumstances are already difficult, our partner visa lawyers can review your position.

Partner visa Centrelink eligibility: the short answer

Most partner visa applicants cannot receive Centrelink income support payments until they hold a permanent partner visa and have served a waiting period. Before that, access is narrow. The figures and rules in this guide are Services Australia figures as at October 2026, and they change from time to time.

In summary, the partner visa Centrelink position looks like this:

• Bridging visa holders waiting for a Subclass 820 decision are not residentially qualified for any social security payment or concession card.
• Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 holders can access only Special Benefit, Family Tax Benefit, Parental Leave Pay, the Low Income Health Care Card and Child Care Subsidy, and waiting periods apply to most of these.
• Subclass 801 and Subclass 100 holders are permanent residents and can access all payments and concession cards, subject to the newly arrived resident's waiting period and, for some pensions, a longer qualifying residence period.
• Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa holders are not residentially qualified for payments.

So partner visa Centrelink eligibility is not one rule. It is a series of rules that change as the applicant moves from a bridging visa, to a temporary partner visa, to a permanent partner visa. Couples who plan around this sequence avoid most of the financial surprises.

Why the visa you hold decides partner visa Centrelink access

Centrelink payments are paid under the Social Security Act 1991 and the family assistance law, and most of them require the claimant to be an "Australian resident" for social security purposes. That term does not mean living in Australia. In broad terms, it means a person who lives in Australia and is an Australian citizen, the holder of a permanent visa, or a protected Special Category visa holder.

This is why partner visa Centrelink access starts so late. A person on a bridging visa, a Subclass 820 visa or a Subclass 309 visa holds a temporary visa. They are not an Australian resident for social security purposes, so most payments are closed to them regardless of how long they have lived in Australia or how much their partner earns. The government has made specific exceptions for temporary partner visa holders, which are explained below, but the exceptions are deliberately narrow.

On the question of partner visa Centrelink rules, it helps to separate two different tests:

• Residence qualification: does the visa allow the person to be paid this payment at all?
• Waiting period: if the visa does allow it, has the person served the newly arrived resident's waiting period, or are they exempt?

A person must pass both tests. A Subclass 820 holder may be residentially qualified for Family Tax Benefit, for example, but still have to wait before Family Tax Benefit Part A is paid. Our article on the difference between Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 explains why the temporary and permanent stages are treated so differently.

Partner visa Centrelink rules while you hold a bridging visa

No. A person who holds only a bridging visa while their partner visa application is processed cannot receive social security payments or concession cards. The Department of Social Services guide that Services Australia applies lists Bridging visas A, B, C and E as "not residentially qualified".

This matters because many onshore applicants spend a long period on a bridging visa before the Subclass 820 is decided. Our guide to how long a Subclass 820 takes explains why that wait can be long. During that time, partner visa Centrelink access is effectively nil for the applicant. The couple must rely on the applicant's work, the Australian partner's income and their savings.

Work rights matter more than Centrelink

Because partner visa Centrelink access on a bridging visa is nil, work rights become the main financial question. Most applicants who lodged while holding a substantive visa receive a Bridging visa A with no conditions, which allows them to work once it is in effect. Others receive a Bridging visa C or Bridging visa E with a no work condition. Our article on working while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa explains the work rules, and our guide to bridging visas in Australia explains how each class works.

Medicare is different

A bridging visa holder who has applied for a permanent partner visa can usually enrol in Medicare, even though partner visa Centrelink payments are not available. Medicare is a separate entitlement with its own rules, explained later in this guide. Many couples assume that because Centrelink is closed, Medicare is closed too. That assumption is usually wrong.

Travel on a bridging visa

If an applicant travels on a Bridging visa B, time spent outside Australia does not count toward the newly arrived resident's waiting period, because only time physically present in Australia counts. This rarely matters at the bridging visa stage, but it becomes important once the applicant holds a partner visa and is serving a waiting period.

Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 holders: which payments are available

A Subclass 820 or Subclass 309 holder can access Special Benefit, Family Tax Benefit, Parental Leave Pay and the Low Income Health Care Card, and is also covered for Child Care Subsidy. All other payments, including JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance and Parenting Payment, are not available until the permanent visa is granted. This is the core of the partner visa Centrelink rules for temporary partner visa holders.

The Department of Social Services lists these access rights for both the onshore Subclass 820 visa and the offshore Subclass 309 visa once the holder is in Australia. The same guide notes that no mandatory Assurance of Support applies to these visas.

The available payments and their partner visa Centrelink conditions are:

• Special Benefit: a discretionary payment for people in financial hardship who cannot get another payment. A waiting period applies unless an exemption applies.
• Family Tax Benefit: Part A is subject to a waiting period. Part B has no newly arrived resident's waiting period.
• Parental Leave Pay: subject to a waiting period, which generally must be completed before the child's birth.
• Low Income Health Care Card: subject to a waiting period, with an exemption for people who have a Family Tax Benefit child.
• Child Care Subsidy: Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 holders are among the temporary visa holders who meet the residence exception for Child Care Subsidy.

Holders may also be listed as a dependant on their partner's Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card if the partner holds one.

What is not available

JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance, Austudy, Parenting Payment, Carer Payment, the Age Pension and the Disability Support Pension are not available to a Subclass 820 or Subclass 309 holder. A temporary partner visa holder who loses their job cannot claim JobSeeker Payment. The only income support safety net at this stage is Special Benefit, and it is hard to qualify for.

Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa holders

A Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa holder is not residentially qualified for any payment or concession card. Partner visa Centrelink access only begins after the couple marries and the applicant applies for, and is granted, a Subclass 820 visa.

Special Benefit for partner visa holders

Special Benefit is the only income support payment a temporary partner visa holder can receive, and it is only paid in limited circumstances. It is for people in financial hardship who cannot earn a sufficient livelihood and are not eligible for another payment.

For Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 holders, the partner visa Centrelink rules for Special Benefit have three layers:

• Financial hardship: the person must be in financial hardship.
• Waiting period: a 4 year (208 week) newly arrived resident's waiting period applies to visas granted on or after 1 January 2019, counted from the date the temporary partner visa was applied for.
• Exemption: during the waiting period, Special Benefit can only be paid if the person has suffered a substantial change in circumstances beyond their control after arriving in Australia.

The Department of Social Services guide also points out that temporary partner visa holders are sponsored by their Australian partner, and that the sponsor agrees to support them. In practice, this means Services Australia looks closely at why the sponsor's support is no longer available.

The family member exemption no longer exists

Some older sources say that family members of Australian citizens or permanent residents are exempt from the waiting period for Special Benefit. That is no longer correct. The Department of Social Services guide records that this exemption stopped applying to temporary partner visas from 1 January 2012 and to permanent partner visas from 1 January 2017. Any partner visa Centrelink advice that relies on the old exemption is out of date.

When the relationship ends

A substantial change in circumstances can arise when a relationship breaks down after the applicant arrives in Australia. Where family violence is involved, the visa side of the problem is just as urgent. The Migration Regulations 1994 contain family violence provisions that may allow a partner visa applicant to continue after the relationship ends. Our article on what happens to a Subclass 820 application if the relationship breaks down explains the options.

Family Tax Benefit and Parental Leave Pay on a partner visa

Yes, a Subclass 820 or Subclass 309 holder can receive Family Tax Benefit, but Part A is subject to a 1 year waiting period and Part B is not. Parental Leave Pay is available after a 2 year waiting period. These are the family payments most couples ask about when they search for partner visa Centrelink information.

Family Tax Benefit Part A

The newly arrived resident's waiting period for Family Tax Benefit Part A is usually 52 weeks. It applies to holders of temporary partner visas granted on or after 1 January 2019. For a temporary partner visa holder, the period starts on the date the temporary partner visa was applied for, and time on the temporary visa counts if a permanent visa is later granted.

A person can be exempt from the Family Tax Benefit Part A waiting period if, among other things, they receive a social security pension or benefit, or Parental Leave Pay. Family Tax Benefit is assessed on family income, so the Australian partner's income counts.

Family Tax Benefit Part B

There is no newly arrived resident's waiting period for Family Tax Benefit Part B. An eligible temporary partner visa holder can receive Part B without waiting, if the income test and other criteria are met.

Parental Leave Pay

The waiting period for Parental Leave Pay is 104 weeks. For Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 holders, it starts on the day the person applied for that visa. Generally, the waiting period must be completed before the child is born. Couples planning a family during the partner visa process should check this date early, because it is one of the few partner visa Centrelink entitlements where timing can be planned.

Partner visa Centrelink waiting periods: the newly arrived resident's waiting period

The newly arrived resident's waiting period is the period a new resident must serve in Australia before certain payments can be paid. For visas granted on or after 1 January 2019, it is 4 years for most working age payments. These partner visa Centrelink waiting periods are Services Australia figures as at October 2026, and they should be checked on the Services Australia website before you rely on them.

The waiting periods that matter most for partner visa holders are:

• JobSeeker Payment: 4 years.
• Youth Allowance and Austudy: 4 years.
• Parenting Payment: 4 years.
• Special Benefit: 4 years.
• Farm Household Allowance: 4 years.
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and Low Income Health Care Card: 4 years.
• Carer Payment: 2 years.
• Parental Leave Pay: 2 years (104 weeks).
• Family Tax Benefit Part A and Carer Allowance: 1 year.
• Family Tax Benefit Part B: no waiting period.

Only time in Australia counts

Only time a visa holder is physically present in Australia counts toward the waiting period. Time spent overseas does not count. A partner visa holder who travels for long periods will therefore take longer to finish serving their partner visa Centrelink waiting period than one who stays in Australia.

Qualifying residence periods are separate

The newly arrived resident's waiting period is not the only time requirement. Some payments also have a qualifying residence period, which is a separate requirement for a set amount of Australian residence. The Age Pension, for example, generally requires 10 years of Australian residence. A permanent partner visa holder may finish the newly arrived resident's waiting period and still not qualify for a pension that has a longer qualifying residence period.

When does the waiting period start for partner visa holders?

For Special Benefit, Family Tax Benefit Part A and Parental Leave Pay, the waiting period starts on the day the temporary partner visa was applied for. For JobSeeker Payment and most other payments, it starts on the day the permanent partner visa is granted. This difference is the most misunderstood part of the partner visa Centrelink rules.

Example from the Department of Social Services guide

The Department of Social Services gives an example. A man applies for Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visas on 6 March 2019. He is granted the Subclass 820 visa on 14 June 2020 and the Subclass 801 visa on 24 March 2022.

In that example:

• His waiting period for Special Benefit, Family Tax Benefit Part A and Parental Leave Pay started on 6 March 2019, the date he applied for the temporary partner visa.
• By the time he received the Subclass 801 visa, he had already fully served the waiting period for Family Tax Benefit Part A and Parental Leave Pay.
• His Special Benefit waiting period ended on 6 March 2023.
• A new 208 week waiting period for most other payments, such as JobSeeker Payment, started on 24 March 2022, the day he was granted the permanent visa.

What this means in practice

On the question of partner visa Centrelink timing, the practical result is clear. The years spent waiting for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 count toward family payments, but they do not count toward JobSeeker Payment. A person granted a Subclass 801 visa after several years in Australia may still face a full 4 year wait before JobSeeker Payment can be paid.

This is why couples should not plan on partner visa Centrelink income support arriving soon after the permanent visa is granted. Our article on how long the onshore partner visa takes explains the two stage process, and our complete Subclass 820 partner visa guide explains when the Subclass 801 is assessed.

Offshore applicants

The same principles apply to the offshore pathway. The Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas are applied for together. Only time physically present in Australia counts toward the waiting period, so time spent overseas waiting for the Subclass 309 does not reduce partner visa Centrelink waiting periods.

Exemptions from the waiting period

Some people are exempt from the newly arrived resident's waiting period, but most partner visa holders are not. The exemptions published by Services Australia and set out in the Department of Social Services guide depend on the payment.

The main exemptions relevant to partner visa Centrelink claims are:

• Australian citizens: a person who becomes an Australian citizen is exempt from any remaining waiting period.
• Refugees, former refugees and family members of refugees: exempt for most payments.
• Lone parents: for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance, a principal carer who became a lone parent while an Australian resident can be exempt.
• Substantial change in circumstances: for Special Benefit and the Low Income Health Care Card, a person in financial hardship who has suffered a substantial change in circumstances beyond their control after arriving in Australia can be exempt.
• People already receiving income support: for Family Tax Benefit Part A, Parental Leave Pay and Carer Allowance, a person receiving an income support payment is exempt.
• Family Tax Benefit child: for the Low Income Health Care Card, a person with a Family Tax Benefit child is exempt.

No exemption just for being a partner

There is no exemption from the partner visa Centrelink waiting periods simply because the applicant is the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen or permanent resident. That exemption was removed for temporary partner visas in 2012 and for permanent partner visas in 2017. This is one of the most common errors in online material about partner visa Centrelink rights.

Lone parent exemption after separation

The lone parent exemption can matter where a relationship ends. A permanent partner visa holder who becomes a lone parent while an Australian resident may be exempt from the JobSeeker Payment waiting period. A temporary partner visa holder cannot claim JobSeeker Payment at all, so this exemption only helps once the permanent visa has been granted.

Subclass 801 and Subclass 100 holders: Centrelink after permanent residence

A Subclass 801 or Subclass 100 holder is a permanent resident and is residentially qualified for all payments and concession cards. Partner visa Centrelink access then depends on the waiting periods and qualifying residence periods described above, not on the visa.

Once the permanent visa is granted:

• Family Tax Benefit Part A and Parental Leave Pay: the waiting period has often already been served, because it ran from the date the temporary partner visa was applied for.
• Special Benefit: the waiting period continues from the original application date.
• JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance and Parenting Payment: a 4 year waiting period starts on the date of the permanent visa grant.
• Age Pension and Disability Support Pension: qualifying residence periods apply, which are longer than the waiting period.

Our guide to the Subclass 820 visa requirements and how to apply explains the permanent stage in more detail.

Becoming an Australian citizen

Becoming an Australian citizen ends any remaining waiting period. For some partner visa holders, citizenship is the point at which full partner visa Centrelink access begins. Citizenship has its own residence requirements and is a separate application.

Medicare for partner visa applicants

Yes, most partner visa applicants in Australia can enrol in Medicare once they have applied for a permanent partner visa, even before the visa is granted. Medicare is administered by Services Australia, but it has different eligibility rules from Centrelink payments.

Under the Health Insurance Act 1973, a person in Australia who holds a temporary visa can be treated as eligible for Medicare if they have applied for a permanent visa that has not been withdrawn or decided, and either have a spouse, parent or child who is an Australian citizen or permanent visa holder, or have permission to work in Australia. A person who has applied for a parent visa is excluded. A combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application includes an application for a permanent visa, so most onshore partner visa applicants meet this test.

On the subject of partner visa Centrelink and Medicare together, the key points are:

• Bridging visa holders: usually eligible for Medicare after applying for the partner visa, even though they cannot receive Centrelink payments.
• Subclass 820 holders: usually remain eligible while the Subclass 801 application is pending.
• Subclass 309 holders in Australia: usually eligible, because the Subclass 100 application is pending.
• Permanent visa holders: eligible as permanent residents.

Enrolling in Medicare

Enrolment is made with Services Australia using the documents it requires, which usually include evidence of the visa application and identity documents. Services Australia sets the enrolment process, and it may issue an interim Medicare card for people who have applied for a permanent visa. Couples should keep the acknowledgement of the partner visa application, because it is commonly needed for enrolment.

Medicare if the application is refused

Medicare eligibility based on a pending permanent visa application depends on that application not having been decided. If the partner visa is refused, eligibility may change. A couple facing a refusal should look at the partner visa refusal options quickly, because review deadlines are short and strictly applied.

Child Care Subsidy and concession cards

Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 holders meet a residence exception for Child Care Subsidy. They must be in Australia, or temporarily absent for no more than 6 weeks where the absence is allowable. Partner visa holders generally have a travel facility on their visa, so short trips do not usually stop the subsidy.

The Low Income Health Care Card is also available to temporary partner visa holders, subject to the 4 year waiting period and its exemptions. As noted above, a person with a Family Tax Benefit child is exempt from that waiting period. A temporary partner visa holder can also be listed as a dependant on their partner's Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card. These smaller entitlements are often overlooked by couples researching partner visa Centrelink access, but they can reduce household costs during a long wait.

Partner visa Centrelink rules for same-sex couples

Same-sex couples are treated in exactly the same way as other couples under the partner visa Centrelink rules. The social security law and the Migration Regulations 1994 both recognise same-sex marriages and de facto relationships. Our LGBTI partner visa page explains how the firm acts for same-sex couples.

How partner visa Centrelink claims affect the Australian partner

The Australian partner's own payments usually change once Services Australia treats the couple as a member of a couple. This is the part of the partner visa Centrelink picture that couples most often miss. It can reduce the Australian partner's payment even though the visa applicant receives nothing.

Who is a member of a couple

For social security purposes, a person is generally a member of a couple if they are married or in a registered or de facto relationship, and are not living separately and apart. Services Australia looks at factors similar to those the Department of Home Affairs considers for a partner visa, such as the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, social aspects and the nature of the commitment. The applicant's visa status does not change this. A person can be a member of a couple with a partner who holds a bridging visa, a Subclass 820 visa or no visa at all.

What changes for the Australian partner

When an Australian partner receiving a payment is treated as a member of a couple:

• Partnered rate: most payments are paid at a partnered rate, which is lower per person than the single rate.
• Partner income test: for many working age payments, the partner's income is taken into account, so the visa applicant's wages can reduce or stop the Australian partner's payment.
• Combined assets: the assets test applies to the couple's combined assets.
• Family payments: Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Subsidy are assessed on combined family income.
• Concession cards: eligibility for some cards may change because combined income is assessed.

For pensioners, the Age Pension and the Disability Support Pension are also paid at a couple rate. An Australian partner on a pension who sponsors a partner should expect the pension to be reassessed. On the question of partner visa Centrelink effects, the change to the Australian partner's payment is often larger than any payment the applicant can receive.

Telling Services Australia about the relationship

The Australian partner must tell Services Australia about a change in relationship status within the time Services Australia requires. If a person keeps receiving a single rate while living as a member of a couple, Services Australia can raise a debt for the overpayment. Partner visa Centrelink problems often begin here, when the sponsor did not realise the relationship had to be reported.

Consistency with the partner visa

A couple tells the Department of Home Affairs that they are in a genuine and continuing relationship and, in many cases, that they live together. If one partner has told Services Australia that they are single for the same period, the two accounts conflict. The Department assesses the financial aspects of the relationship and the nature of the household as part of the relationship test. An inconsistent record with Services Australia can raise questions about the relationship evidence. Our guide to proving a genuine relationship for a partner visa and our article on preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explain how the four assessed aspects are considered.

The sponsor's undertaking to provide financial assistance and accommodation

The Australian partner who sponsors a partner visa gives an undertaking to provide financial assistance and accommodation to the applicant, and to any dependent family members, as reasonably required during the sponsorship period. This undertaking is part of why partner visa Centrelink access is narrow. The government expects the sponsor, not the social security system, to support the applicant first.

The Department of Social Services guide makes the same link. It notes that temporary partner visa holders are sponsored by their Australian partner, and that the sponsor agrees to provide support. When a temporary partner visa holder claims Special Benefit, Services Australia will usually want to understand why that support is no longer available.

No mandatory Assurance of Support

An Assurance of Support is a separate legal commitment, often backed by a bond, under which the assurer repays certain social security payments. It is used for some family visas. The Department of Social Services guide records that no mandatory Assurance of Support applies to Subclass 820, Subclass 801, Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas from 1 January 2012. The sponsor's undertaking is a different obligation and should not be confused with an Assurance of Support.

Sponsorship and the sponsor's history

Sponsorship of a partner has its own legal requirements and limits. Our page on partner visa sponsorship limitations and our article on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explain those limits. A sponsor receiving Centrelink payments is not itself one of the listed sponsorship limitations, but the sponsor's circumstances form part of the overall picture of how the couple will live.

Does receiving Centrelink affect the partner visa?

No, receiving a payment that the applicant or sponsor is lawfully entitled to does not by itself cause a partner visa to be refused. There is no criterion for the Subclass 820, Subclass 801 or Subclass 309 visa that requires the applicant to have never received social security. However, three partner visa Centrelink issues can affect the visa.

Debts to the Commonwealth and PIC 4004

Public Interest Criterion 4004 requires that the applicant does not have outstanding debts to the Commonwealth, unless the Minister is satisfied that appropriate arrangements have been made for payment. PIC 4004 is a criterion for the Subclass 820, Subclass 801, Subclass 309 and Subclass 300 visas. Department policy confirms that a debt to the Commonwealth includes debts to agencies other than the Department, and gives Human Services debts, such as family benefits and pensions, as common examples.

This means a Centrelink overpayment owed by the applicant can become a partner visa problem. Where the Department becomes aware of such a debt, policy says the applicant should be asked to provide evidence of a suitable repayment arrangement. A debt that has been written off still counts, because write off does not extinguish the debt. Only a debt that has been paid, covered by an appropriate arrangement or waived will satisfy PIC 4004.

Truthful information

Any information given to the Department must be true. Public Interest Criterion 4020 deals with false or misleading information and bogus documents given in connection with a visa application. A partner visa Centrelink record that contradicts what was told to the Department can lead to questions under the relationship test, and in serious cases may raise integrity issues. Where the Department raises adverse information, it may issue a section 57 natural justice letter or a section 56 request for more information.

Financial support as relationship evidence

The way a couple supports each other financially is part of the financial aspects of the relationship. Sponsor support can be positive relationship evidence. In Singh (Migration) [2018] AATA 5925, a Subclass 309 matter remitted by the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the issues included the sponsor financially supporting the visa applicant while the couple lived in separate countries. Each case turns on its own evidence, but the point is that financial dependence on the sponsor is not something to hide.

Our guides to the relationship statement, Form 888 for partner visas and the partner visa document checklist explain how this evidence is usually presented. Our Subclass 820 evidence checklist covers onshore applications specifically.

Reporting changes to Services Australia and the Department

Changes in circumstances must be reported to both Services Australia and the Department of Home Affairs, because the two agencies do not replace each other. Telling one does not tell the other. This is one of the most practical partner visa Centrelink points.

Reporting to the Department

Section 104 of the Migration Act 1958 requires visa applicants to notify the Department of changes in their circumstances, such as a change of address, a birth, or a change in relationship status. This is usually done with Form 1022. Our article on Form 1022 change of circumstances explains when to lodge it. Updates are usually made through ImmiAccount; our guide on how to create an ImmiAccount explains the account.

Reporting to Services Australia

Recipients of payments must tell Services Australia about changes that affect their payment, including a change in relationship status, address, income or living arrangements. If the couple starts living together, separates, or the applicant starts work, the Australian partner's payment may change.

When the relationship ends

If the relationship ends, both agencies need to know. The partner visa may not be able to continue unless an exception applies, such as the family violence provisions or the provisions for applicants with a child of the relationship. Our family violence partner visa page explains that pathway. Partner visa Centrelink entitlements will also change, because the person is no longer a member of a couple.

Common partner visa Centrelink mistakes

The most common partner visa Centrelink mistakes come from assuming that rules for permanent residents apply to people still waiting for their visa. They include:

• Expecting JobSeeker Payment on a Subclass 820 visa: it is not available until the permanent visa is granted and the 4 year waiting period has been served.
• Assuming time on the Subclass 820 counts toward JobSeeker Payment: for JobSeeker Payment, the waiting period starts on the permanent visa grant date.
• Relying on an old family member exemption: the exemption for family members of citizens and permanent residents no longer applies to partner visas.
• Not telling Services Australia about the relationship: the Australian partner may be paid at the wrong rate and receive a debt.
• Giving inconsistent accounts: telling Services Australia one thing and the Department another about living arrangements.
• Ignoring a Centrelink debt: an unpaid debt can affect PIC 4004.
• Not enrolling in Medicare: many applicants are eligible while their application is pending.
• Assuming a refusal does not matter for payments and Medicare: a refusal can change eligibility, and review deadlines are short and strictly applied.

Many of these problems are linked to the reasons explained in our articles on why partner visas get refused and the most common reasons Subclass 820 visas are refused.

Getting advice on partner visa Centrelink issues

Advice is most useful before a Centrelink claim is made or a change is reported, because the visa and social security consequences need to be considered together. Services Australia answers questions about payments. The firm advises on how those payments and records interact with the partner visa.

If you lodged your partner visa yourself and now have a Centrelink debt or an inconsistent record, our article on hiring an immigration lawyer after visa lodgement explains how a lawyer can step in, and our guide to Form 956 and 956A explains how a representative is appointed. A second opinion from an immigration lawyer can identify problems before the Department does. If you are deciding whether you need help, see when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa, our comparison of a partner visa lawyer and doing it yourself, our guide to choosing a partner visa lawyer in Australia, and our factual comparison of a partner visa migration agent or lawyer. Our article on booking an immigration lawyer consultation explains what to prepare, and our guide to urgent immigration lawyer advice helps where a deadline is close.

Where the partner visa has already been refused, our partner visa refusals page, our wider visa refusals service and our guide to what to expect in an ART review explain the next steps. Where a visa has been or may be cancelled, see our visa cancellations page. Applicants without a substantive visa should also read about Schedule 3 for partner visa applicants and our Schedule 3 waiver service. Visitors planning to apply onshore can read our guide to moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa.

Where My Migration Lawyers acts on partner visa matters

My Migration Lawyers acts for couples across Australia, with consultations by video. Couples can find our local partner visa pages for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. Where a partner visa Centrelink question sits alongside other visa issues, our general immigration pages for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta explain our wider practice. Couples comparing representatives may find our guide on how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia useful. More of our partner visa writing is on the My Migration Lawyers blog, and our immigration lawyers Australia home page lists all our practice areas.

How My Migration Lawyers helps with partner visa Centrelink issues

My Migration Lawyers acts in many partner visa matters where partner visa Centrelink questions sit alongside the visa itself, and many of those matters are complex. They include applicants with a Centrelink debt that must be addressed under PIC 4004, couples where one partner's Services Australia record does not match the relationship history given to the Department, sponsors on pensions or income support, applicants who lost work on a bridging visa, and couples whose relationship has ended or involves family violence. The firm deals with complex cases as a regular part of its partner visa practice and is capable of handling them.

Before lodgement, the firm reviews the couple's history with Services Australia alongside the relationship evidence, so that any inconsistency is identified and explained in the application rather than discovered by the Department later. Where the applicant owes a debt to the Commonwealth, the firm advises on the evidence of a repayment arrangement that PIC 4004 requires. The firm explains to the couple, in writing, which payments and waiting periods will apply at each stage, from the bridging visa to the permanent visa, so that the couple can plan.

During processing, the firm advises on reporting changes to the Department under section 104, responds to section 56 requests and section 57 natural justice letters that raise financial or living arrangement issues, and presents the couple's own account and evidence in the form the law requires. Where the relationship ends, the firm advises on the family violence provisions and other pathways, and acts on refusals and Tribunal reviews.

Our work is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. You can read more about My Migration Lawyers, see our partner visa lawyers page or send us a message through our contact page.

If you have a partner visa Centrelink question that could affect your visa, get advice before you claim, report or respond. Book a consultation or call 1300 040 300.